The Thirty-Nine Steps Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 3 Summary

Chapter 3 Summary

Hannay adopts a Scottish accent and travels north on the train. He examines Scudder's black book, which appears to be coded with a cipher that requires a key-word to cracks the code. Switching trains, he finally emerges into the Scottish moorlands, or bog. He finds a modest farmer's house, and the generous husband and wife offer Hannay a stay for the night and a good meal. Hannay sets out the next morning, and his plan is to double-back on his tracks to fool the police and anyone else on his tail. On the train back, he steals a glance at an old shepherd's daily newspaper, and there is an article about Scudder's death, dubbed "The Portland Place Murder." The article mentions the police detaining the milkman and letting him go after intense questioning.

Arriving at a station he had been to the night before, Hannay must hide in the shadows...
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