Page "The Nine Tailors" Paragraph 6

Cranton is interviewed by Wimsey and his brother in law, Detective Inspector Charles Parker.

Much becomes clear when Cobbleigh turns out to have been Deacon, the thieving butler.

In 1918 he murdered a warder and escaped from prison.

A body, apparently his, was later found, but in fact Deacon had murdered a soldier and swapped identities with him.

He married bigamously in France and waited several years to return for the emeralds, which he had hidden before his arrest.

Since he risked hanging if caught, he finally asked Cranton to help, sending him the cipher as a clue to the hiding place as a token of good faith.

Cranton could not solve it but knew it related to the bells, so he came to Fenchurch as " Driver " on New Year's Day.

He went to the bell-chamber on the night of 4 January, but found Deacon's dead, bound body in the chamber and fled, dropping the cipher.