I have something to say to you," said Hilda at last.

Gualtier looked at her with earnest inquiry, but said nothing.

"You remember, of course, what we were talking about the last time we
spoke to one another?"

"Of course, I have never forgotten that."

"It was nearly two years ago," said Hilda, "At one time I did not
expect that such a conversation could ever be renewed. With the
General's death all need for it seemed to be destroyed. But now that
need seems to have arisen again."

"Have you ever deciphered the paper?" asked Gualtier.

"Not more than before," said Hilda. "But I have made a discovery of
the very greatest importance; something which entirely confirms my
former suspicions gathered from the cipher. They are additional
papers which I will show you presently, and then you will see whether
I am right or not. I never expected to find any thing of the kind. I
found them quite by chance, while I was half mechanically carrying
out my old idea. After the General's death I lost all interest in the
matter for some time, for there seemed before me no particular
inducement to go on with it. But this discovery has changed the whole
aspect of the affair."

"What was it that you found?" asked Gualtier, who was full of
curiosity. "Was it the key to the cipher, or was it a full
explanation, or was it something different?"

"They were certain letters and business papers. I will show them to
you presently. But before doing so I want to begin at the beginning.
The whole of that cipher is perfectly familiar to me, all its
difficulties are as insurmountable as ever, and before I show you
these new papers I want to refresh your memory about the old ones.

"You remember, first of all," said she, "the peculiar character of that
cipher writing, and of my interpretation. The part that I
deciphered seemed to be set in the other like a wedge, and while this
was decipherable the other was not."

Gualtier nodded.

"Now I want you to read again the part that I deciphered," said
Hilda, and she handed him a piece of paper on which something was
written. Gualtier took it and read the following, which the reader
has already seen. Each sentence was numbered.

1._ Oh may God have mercy on my wretched soul Amen_
2. _O Pomeroy forged a hundred thousand dollars_
3. _O N Pomeroy eloped with poor Lady Chetwynde_
4. _She acted out of a mad impulse in flying_
5. _She listened to me and ran off with me_
6. _She was piqued at her hu