y soberly, "that evidence may be a
mighty deceptive accuser."

"Which only goes to prove," amended Average Jones, "that there's no
fire, even the bluest, without traceable smoke."'

CHAPTER VII. PIN-PRICKS

"The thing is a fake," declared Bertram. He slumped heavily into a
chair, and scowled at Average Jones' well-littered desk, whereon he had
just tossed a sheet of paper. His usually impeccable hair was tousled.
His trousers evinced a distinct tendency to bag at the knees, and his
coat was undeniably wrinkled. That the elegant and flawless dilettante
of the Cosmic Club should have come forth, at eleven o'clock of a
morning, in such a state of comparative disreputability, argued an
upheaval of mind little short of phenomenal.

"A fake," he reiterated. "I've spent a night of pseudo-intellectual riot
and ruin over it. You've almost destroyed a young and innocent mind with
your infernal palimpsest, Average."

"You would have it," returned Average Jones with a smile. "And I seem to
recall a lofty intimation on your part that there never was a cipher so
tough but what you could rope, throw, bind, and tie a pink ribbon on its
tail in record time."

"Cipher, yes," returned the other bitterly. "That thing isn't a cipher.
It's an alphabetical riot. Maybe," he added hopefully, "there was some
mistake in my copy?"

"Look for yourself," said Average Jones, handing him the original.

It was a singular document, this problem in letters which had come to
light up the gloom of a November day for Average Jones; a stiffish
sheet of paper, ornamented on one side with color prints of alluring
"spinners," and on the other inscribed with an appeal, in print.
Its original vehicle was an envelope, bearing a one-cent stamp, and
addressed in typewriting:

Mr. William H. Robinson, The Caronia, Broadway and Evenside Ave., New
York City.

The advertisement on the reverse of the sheet ran as follows:

ANGLERS--When you are looking for
"Baits That Catch Fish," do you see
these spinners in the store where you
buy tackle? You will find here twelve
baits, every one of which has a record
and has literally caught tons of fish.
We call them "The 12 Surety Baits."
We want you to try them for casting and
trolling these next two months, because
all varieties of bass are particularly
savage in striking these baits late in
the season.

DEALERS--You want your customer