Then he must
find on the same page the words that will express his thoughts. If the
first word he wishes to write is the twentieth on the page, he places
number 20 after the number of the page; then he begins to count one,
two, three, and so on, until he finds the next word he wishes to use.
If this word happens to be the sixth, he writes the figure 6, and he
continues so on till he has finished his letter. You see, now, how
the correspondent who receives the note must begin. He finds the page
indicated, and then each figure represents a word."
"Nothing could be clearer," said the magistrate, approvingly.
"If this note," pursued Lecoq, "had been exchanged between two persons
at liberty, it would be folly to attempt its translation. This simple
system is the only one which has completely baffled inquisitive efforts,
simply because there is no way of ascertaining the book agreed upon.
But in this instance such is not the case; May is a prisoner, and he has
only one book in his possession, 'The Songs of Beranger.' Let this book
be sent for--"
The governor of the Depot was actually enthusiastic. "I will run and
fetch it myself," he interrupted.
But Lecoq, with a gesture, detained him. "Above all, sir," said he,
"take care that May doesn't discover his book has been tampered with.
If he has returned from his promenade, make some excuse to have him sent
out of his cell again; and don't allow him to return there while we are
using his book.
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