THE PATLY fiAPTTAT JQTTUNAT.. SALEM. OftF.flQy SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1916.
BY
ACOHAI P0YLE
Copyright, 1912,
w
rAS Professor Chal
lenger right when he
tola of the existence
of the pterodactyl,
of the stegosaurus,
of the iguanodons,
of the terrible car
nivorous di
nosaurs, of the ape men,
of the pygmy red
men?
?
Do these wonderful and
terrifying prehistoric creatures
exist today in an uncharted,
unknown land? Is there a
great area in South America,
with its living contents, lifted
up from our world, where the
laws of nature are suspended?
' Form your conclusions aft
er reading "The Lost World."
It is the most audacious and
fascinating adventure story yet
written by Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle.
CHAPTER (o
"There Are Heroisms All Around Ue.'
'It. HUNGF-IITON. her father,
really was the most ladles
person upon oarth-u llulTy,
untidy cuckoo of a man, per-Just:
good liuturcd, but absolutely
(entered upon his own sillv scir. If
anything could have driven me from
Cindy It would have been the thought
of such a father-in-law.
for an horn- or more 'that evening I
listened to his monotonous ,.,mu)
,.i. ,.i .,,,. .l.lvl,,,, out m.,.,1. the.
toueu value of silver, Ihe depreciation
of Ihe rupee and the true standards of
exeha use,
" ' . i , v, ,,, .
Knt at last I was alone with Gladys,
rind the moment of Fate had come! All
tint evening I had felt like the soldier
,who awaits Ihe signal which will send
li i in on a forlorn hope, hope of victory
felly
and fear of repulse alternating in his (1(m n)ft Tllmk of TtK.,,ara Kurt0I1,
u"ml- When I read his wife's life of him I
She sat wllh that pr 1, delicate pro-c((ll(, H0 ,mi.(M.stttm, 1)pr love. Ana
file of hers outlined against Ihe red Ullly Stanley! Did you ever read the
eurlaln. How beautiful she was! And wontlcrfill last chapter of that hook
yet how aloof! We had been friends, ilt 1(ir shnnd? These are the
quite good friends, but never could I B(.t ot , (i,t u woman could wor-
get beyond Ihe same comradeship s,,, wn, - U(T soi nm yvt i,e ti,e
which 1 might have established with greater, not (lie less, on account of her
ou-? of my fellow reporters upon the Cu- love, honored by all the world as tile
zettc-porfectly frank, perfectly kindly insplrer of noble deeds."
and perfectly unsexual. nw looked ho beautiful In her enthu.
Gladys was full of every womanly sh,sm that I nearly brought down tho
quality. Some Judged her to be cold whole level of the Interview. 1 grip-
nnd hard, but such a thought was trea- ped myself hard and went on with the
sou. That delicately bronzed skin, ul argument.
most oriental lu lis coloring; that ra- "We can't all bo Stanleys and Bur
ven hair, the large liquid eyes, the full tons," Bald I. "Itesldes, we don't get
but exquisite Hps all the stigmata ot
passion was there. Hut I was sadly
conscious licit up to now I had never
found thu secret ot drawing it forth.
However, conn? what might, I hIiouM
have done whh Biispeuse and bring
mutters to a head tonight. She could
but refuse me, and better be a re
pulsed lover than un iiecepled brother.
So fur my thoughls hail carried mo,
and I was about to break the long and
uneasy silence when two critical, dark
eves looked round at me, and the proud
load ws shaken In smiling reproof.
"I have a presentiment that you are
g-ilng to propose, Ned. I do wish you
wouldn't, for tilings are so much nicer
as they nre."
1 drew my chair a little nearer,
''.Now, how did you know that 1 was
g"ing to propose'" I asked in genuine
yonder.
"Don't women always know? Do
you suppose any woman in the world
v is ever taken unawares? Hut oh,
Ned, our fiicudshlp has been so good
and so pleasant! What a pity to spoil
b! Don't you feel how splendid It Is
tli it a young innn and a young woman
Hli'iuld be able to talk face to face as
we have talked!"
"1 don't know, Gladys. You see, I
t nii talk face to face -with the station
lu isler." I ca n't Image how Hint ollt
II il came Into the matter, but In he
tr illed and .set us both laughing. Jim chance-at least I never bad tho
"Tliat does not satisfy me In the least, ehmice. If I did I should try to laky
I want my arms round you and your It."
lioiiil on my breast, nnd oh, Cladys, I "ltut chances nre all around you.
wint"- It is the murk of the kind of man I
Who li.ut sprung from her chair, asniiMn that he makes his own chances.
s'ie saw signs that I proposed to dem- You can't hold him back. I've never
on-drate some of my wants. "You've met lilin, and yet I seem to know ltlm
spoiled everything, Ned," she said, so well. There are heroisms all round
"It's all so beautiful and natural until us waiting to be done. It's for men to
ttiis kind of thing comes In! It Is do tliein nnd for women to reserve
su h a plly! Why can't you control their love as a reward for such men.
yourself?" Look at that young Frenchman who
"I didn't Invent It," I pleaded, "li's went up last week In a balloon. It was
inline. It's love." blowing a gale of wind, but because he
"Well, perhaps If both love It mnjr lie was announced to go ho Insisted ou
illiierent. I luive never felt It." ' starting. Tim wind blew hint tlfteeu
"Hut you must-you, wllh your hundred miles In twenty-four hours,
lenity, with your soul! Oh, (lludys, and he fell lu tho middle ot Kuaslii.
'..v,k
by A. Conan Doyle.
yon were mado for love! You must
love!"
"One must wait till It comes."
"lint why can't you love Die, Gladys?
Is It my nppenrnnpe or what?"
She did imlienil a little. She put for
ward a liauil such a gracious, stoop
ing attitude It was and she pressed
back my head. Then she looked Into
niy upturned face with a very wistful
smile.
"No, It Isn't that," she said at last.
"You're not a conceited hoy by nature,
and so I can safely tell you that It Is
not that. It's deeper."
"My character?"
She nodded severely.
"What can I do to mend It? Po sit
down and talk It over. No, really, I
won't If you'll only sit down!"
She looked at me with a wondering
distrust, which was much more to iny
mind than lie whole hearted confi
dence. How primitive and bestial It
looks when you put It down- in black
and while! And perh.ms, after all, It
Is only n feeling peculiar to myself.
Anyhow she Rat down.
"Now, tell me what's amiss with
me?"
"I'm In love with somebody else,"
said she.
It was niy turn to Jump out of my
chair. .
"It's nobody In particular," she ex
plained, laughing at the expression of
my face; "only an Ideal. I've never
met the kind of "man I mean."
"Tell me uhout him. What does be
look like?"
Oh, Iib might look very much like
you."
"How deur or you to say that!1, Well,
what Is it that he does that I don't do?
say the word-teetotal, vegetarian,
auronnur, ineosopiusi, superman. 1 11
nave a iry at it, uiuuys, u you win
"niy fc'lve me an Idea what would
please you."
miiglied nt the elasticity of my
''""'actor. "Wll. In the first place, I
l""'t think my Ideal would speak like
tllllt." al1 ""' w""la ''e a hard-
pl; ""'J "nan not so i ready to adapt
himself to a silly girl's whim. But,
above all, he must be a man who could
do, who could act, who could look
. ' . . . , . , ,
death in the face nnd have no fear of
liitn, a man of great deeds and i; I range
experiences. It Is never a man (hat I
should love, hut always the glories he
litul u-nn fnp tlniv tviinlil ltu reltnernil
"There are heroieme ell round ue."
i ' i n . i i,
1 1
TQat was the kind of man I mean.
Think of the woman he loved and bow
other women must have envied her!
That's what I should like to be envied
for my man."
"Give me a chance and see If I will
take It!" I cried. "Besides, as you say,
men ought to make their chances and
not wait until they are given. Look at
('live Just a clerk, and he conquered
India! By OeoTge, I'll do soiuethiug In
the world yet!"
She laughed at my sudden Irish ef
fervescence. "Why not?" she said.
"You have everything a man could
have youth, health, strength, educa
tion, energy. I was sorry you spoke.
And now I nm glad so glad If It
wakens these thoughts In you!"
"And If I do"-
Her dear hand rested like warm vel
vet upon my Hps. "Not another word,
sir! You should have been of the ofllce
for evening duty half an hour ago
only I hadn't tho heart to remind you.
Some day, perhaps, when you have
won your place in the world, wo shall
talk It over again."
And so it was that 1 found myself
that foggy November evening pursu
ing the Ciimberwell tram with my
heart glowing within me nnd with tho
eager determination that not another
day should elapse before I should find
some deed which was worthy of my
lady. Hut who who in all this wide
world could ever have Imagined the In
credible shape which that deed was to
take or the strange steps by which I
was led to the doing of It?
I always liked McArdle, tho crabbed,
old, round backed, red headed news
editor, and I rather hoped that he
liked me. Of course, I'eaumont was
the reul boss, but he lived In the rare
fied atmosphere of some Olympian
height, from which he could distin
guish nothing smaller than nn Inter
national crisis or n split In the cabi
net. Sometimes we saw him passing
In lonely majesty to his Inner sanctum,
with his eyes staring vaguely oud his
mind hovering over the Balkans or the
I'erslaii gulf. He was above nnd be
yond us. Hut McArdle was his first
lieutenant, nnd It was he thut we
knew. The old man nodded as I en
tered the room, nnd he pushed his
spectacles far up on his bald fore
head. "Well, Mr. Malone, from all I hear,
you seem to be doing very well," said
he in his kindly Scotch accent.
I thanked him.'
"The colliery explosion was excel
lent. So was the Soiilhwark lire. You
have the true descreeptive touch. What
did you want to see mo about?"
"To ask a favor."
ne looked alarmed, and his eyes
shunned mine. "Tut, tut! What is
It?"
"Do you think, sir, that you could
possibly send nie on some mission for
the paper? I would do my best to put
It through and get yon some good
copy."
"What sort of nieeslon had you in
your mind, Mr. Malone?"
"Well, sir, anything that had adven
ture and danger In It. I really would
do my very best. The more dllllcult It
was the better It would suit me."
"You seem very anxious to lose your
life."
"To Justify my life, sir."
McArdle was plunged In thought for
some minutes.
"I wonder whether you could get on
friendly or at least on talking terms
with a modern Munchausen," he said
at last. "You seem to have a sort of
genius for establishing relations wllh
people sympathy, I suppose, or animal
magnetism, or youthful vitality, or
something. I nin conscious ot It my
self." "You nre very good, sir."
"So why should you not try your
luck witli Professor Challenger of Kn
uiore Park?"
I dare say I looked n little startled.
"Challenger!" I cried. "Professor
Challenger, the famous zoologist!
Wasn't he llio man who broke the skull
of Blundell of the Telegraph?"
The news editor smiled grimly.
"Do you mind? Didn't you say It
was adventures you were after?"
"It Is all In tho way of business sir,"
1 answered.
"One moment, sir," I added. "I am
not Very clear yet why I um to Inter
view this gentleman? What has he
done?"
The face flashed back again.
"Went to South America on a soli
tary expedoetlon two years ago. ('nine
back last year. Had undoubtedly been
to South America, but refused to say
exactly where. Began to t "11 his ad
ventures In a vague way, but some
body started to pick holes, and he Just
stint up like an oyster. Something
wonderful happened, or tiie mini's a
champion liar, which Is tho more prob
able supposed ion. Cot so touchy that
lie assaults any one who asks ques
tions and heaves reporters dolin the
stairs. In irly opinion he's Just a homi
cidal lueglouianiaL' wllh a turu for
science. That's your niun, Mr. Malone.
Now, off you run and see what you
can make of lilin. You're big enough to
look ufter yourself. Anyway, you nre
till safe. Kmployers' liability net, you
know."
A grinning red face turned once more
Into a pink oval, fringed with gingery
HutT; the Interview was nt an end.
I went to t lie Savage club. It was
Just after 11, nnd the big room was
fairly full, though the rush had not
yet set In. I noticed a tall, thin, angu
lar man seated lu an arm chair by the
(Ire. Ho turned as I drew my chair
up to him. It was the man of nil oth
ers whom I should have chosen Tarp
Henry of the sttitf ot Nature, a thin,
dry, leathery creature, who was full
to those who knew hi in of kindly hu
manity. I plunged Instantly Into my
subject.
"What do you know of Professor
Challenger?"
"Challenger?" He gathered his
brows In scientific disapproval. "Chal
lenger was the man who came with
some cock and bull story from South
America."
''What story?"
"Oh, It was rank nonsense about
some queer animals he had discover
ed. I believe he has retracted since.
Anyhow, he has suppressed It all. He
gave an Interview to a news agency,
and there wag such a howl that he
saw It wouldn't do. It was a discred
itable business. There were one or
two folk who were Inclined to take
him seriously, but be soon choked
them off."
"How?"
"Well, by his Insufferable rudeness
and Impossible behavior. There was
poor old Wndley of the Zoological In
stitute. Wadley sent a message, 'The
president of the Zoological Institute
presents his compliments to Professor
Challenger and would take it as a per
sonal favor If he would do them the
honor to come to their next meelng.'
The answer made by Trofessor Chal
lenger was unprintable."
"You don't say?"
"Well, a bowdlerized version of It
would run, 'Professor Challenger pre
sents his compliments to the president
of the Zoological Institute and would
take It as a personal favor If he would
go to the devil.'" ,
"Good Lord!"
"Yes; I expect that's what old Wad
ley said. I rememlcr his wall at the
meeting, 'which began, 'In fifty years'
exerience of scientific Intercourse'
It quite broke the old man up. He
hasn't recovered yet."
"Anything more about Challenger?"
"Well, I'm a bacteriologist, yo.i know.
I live In n 900 diameter microscope. I
can hardly claim to take serious notice
of anything that I can see wllh my
naked eye. I'm a frontiersman from
the extreme edge of the kuowable, nnd
I feel quite out of place when I leave
my fitudy and come into touch with all
you great, rough, hulking creatures.
I'm too detached to talk scandal, and
yet nt scientific conversaziones 1 have
heard something of Challenger, for he
Is one of those men whom nobody can
Ignore. lie's as clever ns they make
'em, n full charged battery of force and
vitality, but a quarrelsome, 111 condi
tioned faddist and unscrupulous nt
that. He had gone the length ot fak
ing some photographs over Ihe South
American business."
"You say be Is a faddist. What Is
his particular fad?"
'Ho has a thousand, but the latest Is
something about Welssmann and evo
lution. He had a fearful row about It
In Vienna, I believe."
Half nn hour later I was seated In
the newspaper olllce, with a huge tome
In front of me, which had been opened
nt the article "Welssmanu versus Dar-'
win," with the subheading: "Spirited
Protest at Vienna. Lively Proceed
ings." My scientific, education having
been somewhat neglected, I was un
able to follow the whole argument, but
It was evident that the English pro
fessor had handled his subject In a
very aggressive fashion mid had thor
oughly annoyed his continental col
leagues. "Protests," "Uproar" and
"General appeal to the chairman" were
three of the first brackets which
caught my eye. Most of the matter
might have been written lu Chinese
for any definite meaning that it con
veyed to my brain.
"I wish you could translate It Into
English for me," 1 said pathetically to
my helpmate.
"Well, It Is a translation. That Is
Ihe trouble."
"Then I'd better try my luck with
the original."
"It Is certainly rather deep for a lay
man." "If I could only get a single good,
meaty sentence which seemed to con
vey some sort of definite human Idea
It would serve my turn. Ah, yes, this
one will do. I seem In a vague way al
most to understand It. I'll copy It out.
This shall be my link with the terrible
professor."
"Nothing else I can do?"
"Well, yes; I propose to write to him.
If 1 could frame the letter hero and
use your address It would give atmos
phere." "We'll have the fellow around hero
making a row nud breaking the furni
ture." "No, no; you'll see t lie letter nothing
contentious, I assure you."
"Well, that's my chair and desk.
You'll find a per there. I'd like to cen
sor It before It goes."
It took some time doing, but I flatter
myself that It wasn't such a bad Jolt
when It was finished. I read It aloud
to the critical bacteriologist with some
pride In my handiwork. Tills Is the
way 1 worded It:
lear 1'iofessor Clinllpnger As a humble
etuilenl .f hiitine. 1 Imve always taken th
in Kt iri;fouiul interest tn your ppe-ulu-tio:,a
ns to tlm it i Tt reiii's lielwooti liar
win ami WclnHiiiann. I pave recniitly bud
occasion to relrtsii niy memory by re
read Ins
"Y'on Infernal liar!" murmured Tarp
Henry.
by i-tj-rt'itillriK your masterly address nt
Vienna. That bu'id and admirable state
ment seems to be the last nurd In the
mutter. There Is one sentence la tt, how
evernamely, "I protest 8troni;ly against
the liiNunVralil and entirely dnnimulc as
sertion that each Heparate 'Id' Is n. micro
cosm pi "sensed of iiu historic. an hlicc
turo elaborated alov.!y through tho series
of generations." Have you no deelre. tn
view of later reseaivh, to modify ttiis
statement'.' Po yen not think that tt Is
over aeeflntuated"! With your permission.
1 would ask the favor of nn interview, ns
I feel strongly upon the subject and have
certain auwsttons which I emild only
elaborate In u persona! conversation. M'lih
your consent, 1 trust to have the honor of
callin at 11 o'clock the day ufter tomor
row Vedne,la ) mornin.
I remain, sir, with assurances ot pro
found respect, vours verv trulv,
KlUVAllD V. MALONE.
Tarp neury said he would have nn
answer Wednesday morning nnd added
that It might bo best If I never heard
from Challenger at all.
CHAPTER II.
Fc ta Fc With Profotor.
TWTFIEN I called on Wednesday
Yfif "lero was a letter with tho
V SI West Kensington postmark
upon it and my name scrawl
ed across the envelope In a handwrit
ing which looked like n barbed wire
railing. The contents were as fol
lows: Enmore Park, W.
Sir I have duly received your note, In
which you claim to Indorse my views, al
though I am not aware that they are de
pendent upon Indorsement either from you
or any one else. You have ventured to
use the word "speculation" with regard to
my statement upon the subject of Darwin
lam, and I would call ypur attention to
the fact that such a word in such a con
nection Is offensive to a degree. The con
text convinces me, however, that you have
sinned rather through Ignorance and tact
lessness than through malice, so 1 am con
tent to pass the matter by. You quote an
isolated sentence from my lecture and ap
pear to have some difficulty In understand
ing it. I should have thought that only
a subhuman intelligence could have failed
to grasp the point, but If it really needs
amplification I shall consent to see you at
the hour named, though visits and visitors
of every sort are exceeding distasteful to
me. As to your suggestion that I may
modify my opinion I would have you know
that it Is not my habit to do so after a
deliberate expression of my mature views.
You will kindly show the envelope of this
letter to my man, Austin, when you call,
ns he has to take every precaution to
shield me from tho intrusive rascals who
call themselves "Journalists." Yours faith
fully, GEORGE EDWARD CHALLENGER.
It was nearly half past 10 before I
had received my message, but n taxi
cab took me round in good time for
my appointment. It was nu imposing
porticocd house nt which we stopped,
and the heavily curtained windows
gave every indication of wealth on the
part of this formidable professor. The
door was opened by nn odd, swarthy,
dried up person of uncertain age,
with n dark pilot Jacket and brown
leather gaiters. I found afterward
that he w-as the chauffeur who filled
the gaps left by a succession of fugi
tive butlers. He looked me up nnd
down with a searching light blue eye.
"Expocted?" he asked.
"An appointment."
"Got your letter?"
I produced the envelope.
"Itlght!" He seemed to be a person
of few words. Following him -down
the passage. I was suddenly interrupt
ed by n small woman, who stepped out
from what proved to be the dining
room door. Sbo was a bright, viva
clous, dark eyed lady, more French
than English In her type.
"One moment," she said. "You can
wait, Austin. Step In here, sir. May
I ask if you have met my husband be
fore?" "No, madam; 1 have not had the
honor."
"Then I apologize to you In advance.
I must tell you that he Is a perfectly
impossible person absolutely impossi
ble. If you are forewarned you will b'e
the more ready to make allowances."
"It Is most considerate of you, mnd
nra." "Get quickly out of the room If he
seems Inclined to be violent. Don't
wait to argue with him. Several peo
ple have been Injured through doing
that. Afterward there is a public scan
dal, and it reflects upon me and all of
us. I suppose it wasn't about South
America you wanted to see him?"
I could not lie to n lady.
"Dear me! That is his most danger
ous subject. You won't believe a word
he says. I'm sure I don't wonder. But
don't tell him so, for it makes him very
violent. Pretend to believe him and
you may get through all right. Re
member he believes it himself. Of
that you may be assured. A more hon
est man never lived. Don't wait any
longer or he may suspect. It you find
him dangerous really dangerous ring
the bell nnd hold him off until I come.
Even nt his worst I can usually con
trol him."
With these encouraging words tho
lady handed me over to the taciturn
Austin, who had waited like a bronze
statue of discretion during our short In
terview, and I wis conducted to the end
of the passage. There was a tap at a
door, a bull's bellow.froui within, and
I was face to face wllh the professor.
lie sat in a rotating chair behind a
broad table, which was covered with
books, maps nnd diagrams. As I en
tered his scat spun round to face me.
Ills appearance made me gasp. I was
prepared for something strange, but
not for so overpowering a personality
ns this. It was his size which took
one's breath nwny his size nnd his
Imposing presence. His head was
enormous, the largest I have ever seen
upon n human being. I nm sure that
his top hot, had 1 ever ventured to don
it, would have slipped over me entire
ly and rested on my shoulders. He
had the face and beard which I as
soi'iato with nn Assyrian bull the
former florid, the lutter so black as
almost to have a suspicion of blue,
sonde shaped nnd rippling down over
Ids chest. The hair wns peculiar, plns
terod down In front In a long, curving
wisp over his massive forehead. Tho
eyes were blue gray under gt'eat black
tufis.-very clear, very critical and very
masterful. A huge spread ot shoul
ders and a chest like n barrel were
the other parts of him which appeared
above the table, save for two enor
mous hands covered with long black
hair. This and a bellowing, roaring,
rumbling voice made np my (list Im
pression of the notorious Professor
Challenger.
"Well?" said he, with a most Inso
lent stare. "What now?"
I must keep up my deception fnr at
least a little time longer, otherwise
here wns evidently an end of the Inter
view. "You were good enough to give mo
an appointment, sir," said I, humbly,
producing bis envelope.
lie took my letter from his desk aud
laid it out before him.
"Oh, you nre the young person who
cainot understand plain English, are
you? My general conclusions yon are
good enough to approve, as I under
stand?" "Entirely, sir entirely!" I was em
phatic. "Dear me! That strengthens my po
sition very much, "does It not? Your
age and appearance make your support
doubly valuable. Well, at least you are
better than that herd of swine in Vien
na, whose gregarious grunt is. how
ever, not more offensive than the iso
lated effort of the British hog." He
glared at me as the present representa
tive of the beast.
"They seem to have behaved abomi
nably," said I.
"I assure you that I can fight my
own battles and that I have no possible
need ot your sympathy. Put me alone,
sir, and with my back to the wall. G.
E. C. is happiest then. Well, sir, let us
do what we can to curtail this visit,
which can hardly be agreeable to you
and is Inexpressibly irksome to me.
You had, ns I have been led to believe,
some comments to make upon the prop
osition which I advanced In my thesis."
There wns a brutal directness about
his methods which made evasion dllll
cult. I must still make play and wait
for a better opening. It had seemed
simple enough nt a distance. Oh, my
Irish wits, could they not help me now?
"I nm, of course, a mere student,"
said I, with a fatuous smile, "hardly
more, I might say, than an earnest In
quirer. At the same time, it seemed to
me that you were a llttlo severe upon
Welssmann In tills matter. Has not tho
general evidence since that date tend
ed to well, to strengthen his posi
tion?" "What evidence?" He spoke with a
menacing calm.
"Well, of course I am aware that
there is not any what you might call
definite evidence. I alluded merely to
the trend of modern thought nnd the
general scientific point of view, If I
might so express it."
Ho leaned forwnrd with great ear
nestness. "I suppose you are nwarc," said he,
checking off .points upon his fingers,
ft.
"It prove that you are the rankest im
postor in London."
"that the cranial index is a constant
factor?"
"Naturally," said I.
"Aud that telcgony Is still sub ju
dice?" "Undoubtedly."
"And that the germ plasm is differ
ent from tho parlheuogenetic egg?"
"Why, surely!" I cried and gloried In
my own audacity.
"But what does that prove?" he
asked in a gentle, persuasive voice.
"Ah, what Indeed?" I murmured.
"What does it prove?"
"Shall I tell you?" he cooed.
"l'ray do."
"It proves," he roared, with a sud
den blast of fury, "that you are the
rankest impostor in London a vile,
crawling Journalist, who has no more
science thnn he hns decency in his
composition!"
He had sprung to his feet with a
mad rage in his eyes. Even at that
moment ot tension I found time for
amazement at the discovery that he
was quite a short man, his head not
higher than my shoulder a stunted
Hercules whoso tremendous vitality
had all run to depth, breadth and
brain.
"Gibberlsli!" he cried, leaning for
ward with his fingers on the table and
his face projecting. "That's what I
have been talking to you sir scientific
gibberish! Did you think you could
match cunning with me you with
your walnut of a brain? You think
you are omnipotent, you Infernal scrib
blers, don't you? That your praise
can make a man and your blamo can
break him? We must all bow to you
and try to get a favorable word, must
we? This man shall have a leg up.
and tills man shall have a dressing
down! Creeping vermin, I know you!
You've got out of your station. Time
was when your ears were clipped.
You've lost your sense of proportion.
Swollen gas bags! I'll keep you In
your proper place. Yes. sir. you
haven't got over G. E. C. There's one
man who Is still your master. He
ha rued you off, but If you will come
by the Lord you do It at your own
risk. Forfeit, m.v. good Mr. Malone.
I claim forfeit! You have played a
rather dangerous game, nnd It strikes
me thnt you have lost IL"
"Look here, sir," said I, backing to
the door nnd opening it. "You can lie
as abusive as you like, but there Is a
limit. You shall not assault me."
"Shall I not?" He was slowly ad
vancing In a peculiarly menacing way.
but lfe stopped now and put his big
hands Into the side pockets of a rather
boyish short Jacket which he wore.
"I have thrown several of you out of
the house. You will bo the fourth or
fifth. Throe pound fifteen each that
Is how It averaged. Expensive, but
very necessary. Now, sir, why should
yon not follow your brethren? I rathe
think you must." He resumed his un
pleasant and stealthy advance, point
ing bis toes as he walked, like a danc
ing master.
I could have bolted for the hall door,
but it would have been too ignomini
ous. Besides, a little glow of righteous,
auger was springing up within me. I
had been hopelessly in the wrong be
fore, but this man's menaces were put
ting me in the right.
"I'll trouble you to keep your hands
off, sir. I'll not stand it."
"Dear me!" His black mustaeha
lifted and a white fang twinkled In &
sneer. "You won't stand it, eh?"
"Don't be such a fool, professor!" I
cried. "What can you hope for? I'm
fifteen stone, as hard as nails and play
center three-quarter every Saturday
for the London Irish. I'm not tho
man"
It was at that moment that he rush
ed me. It was lucky that I had opened
ill - -Jt. WM
ill.-. VJl:'V KM
"We did a Catharine wheel together
down the passage."
the door or we should have gone
through It. We did a Catharine wheel
together down the passage. Somehow
we gathered up a chair upon our way
and bounded on with It toward tho
street. My mouth wns full of his
beard, our arms were locked, our bod
ies Intertwined and that lufernnl chair
radiated its legs all round ns. Tho
watchful Austin had thrown open th
hall door. We went with a back som
ersault down tho front steps. I have
seen the two Macs attempt something
of the kind at the halls, but It appears
to take some practice to do It "without
hurting oneself. The chair went to
matchwood at the bottom, and we roll
ed apart Into the' gutter. He. sprang
to his feet, waving his lists and wheel
ing like nn asthmatic.
'Tlad enough?" he panted.
"You infernal bully!" I cried as I
gathered myself together.
Then and there we should have tried
the thing out, for he wns effervescing
fight, but fortunately I was res
cued from an odious situation. A po
liceman was beside us, bis notebook
in his hand.
"What's all this? You ought to ba
ashamed," said the policeman. It was
the most rational remark which I had
heard In Enmore Tark. "Then," he
said, turning to me, "what seems to b
the trouble?"
"This man attacked me," said I.
"Did you attack him?" asked the po
liceman. The professor breathed hard and said
nothing.
"It's not the first time, either," said
the policeman, severely, shaking his
head. "You were in trouble last month
for the same thing. You've hlnckened
this young man's eye. Do you give
him in charge, sir?"
I relented.
"No," said I, "I do not."
"What's that?" said tho policeman.
."I was to blame myself. I Intruded
upon him. He gave me fair warning.'
The policeman snapped up his note
book. "Don't let us have any more such
going on," said he. "Now, then, move
on, there, move on!" This to a butch
er's boy, a maid and one or two loaf
ers who had collected. ' He elumpeii
heavily down the street, driving this
little flock before him. The professor
looked nt me, nnd there was something
humorous ot the back of ills eyes.
"Come In!" snid he. "I've not done
with you yet."
The speech had a sinister sound, but .
I followed him none the less Into tho
house. The munservnut, Austin, like
a wooden Image, closed the door be
hind us.
(Continued next Saturday)
BIN SIN
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