had not rather selected the date of the year in which the crime
was committed.

This was in 1826.

And so proceeding as above, he obtained.

1826 1826 1826
_phyj slyd dqfd_

and that gave

_o.vd rdv. cid._

the same meaningless series, the same absence of sense, as many letters
wanting as in the former instance, and for the same reason.

"Bother the number!" exclaimed the magistrate. "We must give it up
again. Let us have another one! Perhaps the rascal chose the number of
contos representing the amount of the booty!"

Now the value of the stolen diamonds was estimated at eight hundred and
thirty-four contos, or about 2,500,000 francs, and so the formula became

834 834 834 834
_phy jsl ydd qfd_

and this gave a result as little gratifying as the others----

_het bph pa. ic._

"Confound the document and him who imagined it!" shouted Jarriquez,
throwing down the paper, which was wafted to the other side of the room.
"It would try the patience of a saint!"

But the short burst of anger passed away, and the magistrate, who had
no idea of being beaten, picked up the paper. What he had done with the
first letters of the different paragraphs he did with the last--and
to no purpose. Then he tried everything his excited imagination could
suggest.

He tried in succession the numbers which represented Dacosta's age,
which would have been known to the author of the crime, the date of his
arrest, the date of the sentence at the Villa Rica assizes, the date
fixed for the execution, etc., etc., even the number of victims at the
affray at Tijuco!

Nothing! All the time nothing!

Judge Jarriquez had worked himself into such a state of exasperation
that there really was some fear that his mental faculties would lose
their balance. He jumped about, and twisted about, and wrestled about as
if he really had got hold of his enemy's body. Then suddenly he cried,
"Now for chance! Heaven help me now, logic is powerless!"

His hand seized a bell-pull hanging near his table. The bell rang
furiously, and the magistrate strode up to the door, which he opened.
"Bobo!" he shouted.

A moment or two elapsed.

Bobo was a freed negro, who was the privileged servant of Jarriquez.
He did not appear; it was evident that Bobo was afraid to come into hi