Police!!!

d led her appalled us all. The personal sacrif

pily lifted from the nuptual hammock, I was not

rd of the early Christian martyr. His features were classically regular; he stood six feet six; he

nd his physical appearance would make a sensation at the

I comprehended that detaining hand f

evidently had been some ground for this man's l

d him to obtain the information but he

, tremulously, "wher

e, then made a

d-everywhere-

he see

d. There's one under you. Look! y

assed a shaking hand over his brow. As for me my hair became dank with misery, for there dir

ideous proportions. Fame, the plaudits of the world, the highest scientific honours-all these in my effort

scratching in the slush with his feet like a hen. For already this slight

ted beside him clawing at the t

my mule and seizing a spade, fell violently to work, th

scrambling down from her mule and liftin

rregular zone of cleavage, she marked out a vast oval, dug holes along it with her bar, dropped into each hole a stick of dynamite, got out the batter

nt of the moment we still had sense enough to shoulder

r one horrid instant temptation assailed me to press the button before James Skaw c

ead; the hammock on its bar and swivels swung gently between them; Professor Bo

one by one we gazed upon

ntic self-reproach, I had to admit to myself that Jane Bottomly was a fine figure of a wom

tly parted red lips of Professor Bottomly, and as I noted the beautiful white throat and prettily shaped hands, a newer, bitterer, and more ove

sion, then they widened, and she lay very quietly looking from one to another of us, cradled i

ed at last." And to Dr. Delmour she

my husband?"

ted that

!" she

e into her face as she gazed upon her husband. She made no explanation concerning him, n

arm she listened to Daisy's account of what we were ab

her hammock; Daisy Delmour pressed the electric button; there came a deep jarring sound, a vast upheaval,

rose five or six

ottomly sprang out of her hammock and, telling Dr. Delmour to get a camera, seized her husban

omly climbed up the sides of the frozen mammoth, dragging her husband with her, and stood there waving a littl

m in the camera to record the

ed away among the bowlders. Fooss came to find me; and when he foun

e and fell upon me, showerin

y head with my fists for a

ly Dr. Delmour came to where I sat huddled

is ready,"

roa

you fee

that I

ve already located over a hundred and fifty mammoths within a short distance of here, and apparently there are hund

ne. Professor Bottomly meant to get rid of me, "for the good of the Bronx," but there remained a way to ward off impending disaster. And though I had lost the opportunity of my life by disbelieving the simple ho

s of Professor Bottomly; and the only way f

a while I felt well enough to ar

y health were offered; but the coldly malevolent glare of Dr. Fooss and the calm contempt in Lezard's gaze

s selecting titbits for him which he dutifully swallowed, his large mild eyes gazing

aid any attention

lence; Lezard, on the other side of Dr. Delmou

ng began to make me uneasy, even sus

hesitated, then leaning over toward me

that I have just promised to marry y

ll my might, "have you p

had risen and was jumping up and

!" I shrieked. "Everybody! Now I'

put one over on

te of soup and reve

I screamed for half an

artment, I was promoted to the position which I now hold as President Emeritus

writers engaged upon my memoirs which I dictate when I feel like it, steeped

st in particular-

qui pauc

EU D

at I had descended the grassy pit as far as any human being could descend. No liv

f pumice, ashes, or of volcanic rejecta in any form whatever. There were no sulphuric odours, no pungent fumes, nothing to teach the olfactory nerve

g of pale yellow flames played and spa

a mile deep; the sides s

. It was disk-shaped, sandy, and flat, about a quarter of a mile in diameter. Through my field-glasses I could see patches of g

ng beside me, then cast a glance ar

wo thousand feet high, looking into a cup-shaped de

r-cone out of a wilderness of trees which stretched for miles below us, north, south, east, and west, bordered

ill, and it appeared to be the only irregularity which broke the level wi

his grassy plateau, there was not a human habitation in sight, nor

the girl beside me and she loo

rselves here in t

odd

d down side by side on

tell you why I wrote you t

eans, Mis

s into her hands, settling herself as snugly

s interested me intensely, not only from the art

istic aspects of nature. Phenomena of a scientific nature bore him. Also

e, after a five-hundred mile trip on a mule, from the nearest railroad-a journey perf

patient was letting him down easy. He

did notice a negligible trace o

flus

ists. I did not dare tell him that I had asked you to come out here. It was entirely my own idea. I felt that I

out of this distant and

in a man and a string of mules with staples for us. The man

odd

to you-among one or

When a girl blushes when she speaks to a man he immediately accepts her heightened colour as

d thoug

d a letter which, had I received it earlier, would have made

I, looking into h

ractive points, shot my cuffs, and

straightened my necktie. A man, without being

l you the various reasons why I asked so cel

her for he

surrounding it," she went on, "ever since he came here to live a hermit's life-a li

very first day of our arrival, somehow or other I was conscious

d, lowering her

ed, "that so many things se

I repeated

; so is this plateau, and the hill; and the forests s

this is

re are, here and there, great circles of crum

by prehistoric

ook he

not prehist

y n

y have been

o you

t at every angle from the sides of the enormous piles of newly upt

and dropped her

ather and I both have seen one of

xclaimed, i

e seen several. And

rag

and tilts them in every direction. Which, of course, ruins his pict

e gaped at her in

calmly. "Look down at that circle of steam which makes a perfect ring around the b

es

such a low voice that her frag

the vapours, there

ha

've seen them peep out of the fire and scurry back into it.... Now are you sorr

eized me, endowing me with a

"-from the depths of a heart the emotions of which

held out my hand; she laid hers

n you; and perhaps if there remains any reflected light in the form of a by-

y eloquence, I bent over her ha

e. Her pretty

, new-laid eggs to gather, and the construc

dropped me a curtsey, declining very shyly

e Blythe sat on a camp stool under a green umb

he eyes of the scientific world are now open upon this hous

hat's why I came here. I'll be obliged

dear Mr

irritably. "I came out here to paint a

sample of his pictures, nobody

said I, polit

ed. "What is it-if

so to speak, pe

vil do you m

on. I examined it with my head on one side, then on the other side; I made a funnel with both

isfying," I concluded. "I h

ha

uch prair

imed. "I'm painting a

e magnificent, more stupendous symbol. It may mean anything, everything-such as sunsets and conflagrations and G?tterd?mmerungs! Or-" and my voice was subtly modul

e was infected by Cubist tendencies he

he grunted, dabbing at his palette and plastering a wad of vermilion upon his canvas;

will t

lion-soaked brush toward

me. I have executed one or two every day since I came here. When I have painted exactly ten tho

oad. Therefore, I shall never have to endure the praises of the dilettante, the patronage of the id

his brush

these projects are very good in a way. But I have dedicated this wilderness as a last and only refuge in all the world for true Art

. He squinted at the flowers, mixed up a flamboyant mess of colour on his palette, and d

r, anyway?" he demanded ab

earth thrown up in the forest as by a gigantic

em," he snapped. "I'm not i

re?" I asked, mildly igno

the very trees I'm painting are suddenly heaved up and tilted in every direction, and all

the world c

gether under the ground; maybe it's some species of circular earthquake. I don't know! I don't care! But it annoys me. And i

the inconveniences of mundane existence. Science, therefor

rt while I'm around!" he r

dear Mr

n't try to make me. Don't attempt to inveigle me into discussion! I know all

in haughty silence, na

lion over his canvas he quieted down, and presen

at else are you inte

hat live in the crater

there are creatures which live som

astounding statement y

e whether it astounds you or anybody

ut

t dispute it! Don't answer me! Don't irritate me! I don't care

lly seen live creat

'em live there, for all I care. I've painted pic

y look like,

't ask any more! Why don't you go in to lunch? And-tell my daughter to bring me a bowl of salad out here. I've no time to stuff myself. Som

" I began, then checked

int on my salad than sit her

e man, and went into the house. After all

to her father a large b

her a large bucket of lettuce leaves, sh

ited us; I seated her, th

strawberry preserves, and a tall tumbler of iced

e garden, munching his lettuce leaves like an ill-tempere

I politely, "is so

"But don't tell him so. He has been surfeited wi

are for his kind. But who can say which is the best kind of anything? Only the consumer. Your father is his o

ason!" she said. "How lo

andmaid of Scien

ce surprised me, because I myself was not perfect

d, so frequently peeped out at her from the crater fires, and, at her slightest movement, scurried back again into the flames. Of course I

hich require the elements and temperature of active combustion for their exis

sometimes see curious things-dragons and snakes

er hand in mine, and we wandered over the grass toward the crater, while I explained to her the difference between wha

ked down the slope, where the circle of steam rose

an we go?"

. Come; I'l

over the brink and we began to des

to the wall of steam, until at last, when but fifteen feet away from it

tted my brows and fixed my eyes upon this curious

ere was nothing whatever volcanic about

vapour which crowned the flames, were about three hundred feet wide. Of course this barrier wa

e's fingers engaged my attention;

t told you. I feel a little guilty, because th

t is

emeralds on the flo

era

pocket of her apron, drew out a frag

. It was an emerald; a fine, large, immensely valuable stone, if my experienc

e from?" I asked in

the crater. Is it

nd stared at the g

. While he was in the house, hunting for the colours which he wanted, I stepped out on the veranda, and I saw some crows alight near the palette and begin to stalk about in the grass. One bird wa

edge of the crater, high above the wall of vapour

the bottom of the crater, half running, half flying

at his vermilion feet, something dropped from his

mposure to speak steadily, I took

of scientific research. Within this crater may lie millions of value in emeral

. She smiled, shyly, and bl

e was! How engaging-how sweet-how modestly appreciative of the man beside her, who had little besid

Sometimes I pondered what this might be; sometimes I wondere

ven endure her father for her sake. I should m

remained silent, permitting the chaste language of my eyes to interpret for her

e of every bird, then liberate them. Some are certain to fly into the crater and try to scrape the glue off in the sand. The

"but I can do that after you have gone. All I wanted you

at her

added, sweetly. "I should not think of taking your time for

me to say at that moment. Chilled,

pointed muzzle, two pricked-up ears, and two ruby-red

eside me s

one of the flame creatures. It may ven

stone image, staring at the most

d pointed toward us; I could even see that its thick fur must have possessed the qualities of asbestos, because here and the

nning eyes fixed on us-a small, slim, wiry, weasel-like creature on which t

eager, lithe, little animals appeared everywhere from the flames and began to frisk and play and run abo

feet that I could

s fibre, yet so fine as to appear silky. Its eyes, nose, and

en the little thing came nosing

ries of whistling shrieks, and twiste

cried the girl. "Be

cried the girl. 'Be

and writhing, while the icy temperature of its body began to benumb my fingers and cr

ts a lump of ice or a hot potato, in an attempt to endure the temperature: it shrieked and squirmed an

isappointment. For a mom

f I caught one in my hands, I can

our disappointment,"

, Miss Blyth

blus

I care," sh

hapeful waist. Devotion to Science had temporarily crippled me. Love must wait. But, as we ascended the grassy slope together, I promised myself that

ther some of the folding box-traps which I always carried with me-and what with trying to realise the pecuniary magnificence of

peckles, out of which burst an eruption of green stre

le man. He was her father. I meant to ho

beyond the art of the future: it is a flying leap out of the Not Yet into the P

y snarle

talking about!

ed modes

pointing passionat

to paint in the woods after this, earthquakes or no eart

said, soothingly. "It usu

moonlight down there this evening." And, turning to me: "If you know as much

said I,

her sake I had remained calm and dignified, but presently I went out and kicked up the turf two or three times; and, having

r prunes, and that's all he perm

uit, watching Blythe askance as he hurriedly stuffed hi

lly arrives, make him comfortable, and tell him I'll return by midnight." And without taking the tr

enius usually is. But he is a most inte

o say so," said the

ply for a few

y?'" I inquir

sudden gleam of sunset light on

"is a friend of father's.

O

t here to visit-

and doubtless

y profession," she said

O

y face was an absent expression, vaguely pleasant.

deeply fo

a?" I

though aroused from

an Green and his twenty-four years, and his profession, and the bottom of the crater, and Wi

t I'll take a bucket of

yself with the old grouch I scarcely understood: for the

most as though she were controlling a sudde

of a woman were divining my motive and sympath

better go near my father," I was convin

accomplished, Wilna." And I took her little hand and presse

mine. From the slight tremor of her shoulders I became aware how deeply her

with a bucket of salad he could not listen otherwise than politely to what I had to say to him. Quick action was necessary-quick but diplo

o the kitchen, washed out several heads of lettuce, deftly chopped up some youthful onions, constructed a seductive French dressing, and, stirring t

disappeared. So I unfolded and set up some

of western mountains as I went out acro

aps, padding the jaws so that no injury could be done

ers of the vapoury wall, I set box-traps for the lithe little denizens of the fire, baiting every tr

again, and for a while stood there i

on this extraordinary place-everything!-love at first sight, the delightfully lightning-like wooing and winning

or Blythe, a modest and tremulous avowal for Wilna as soon as her father tasted the sa

of the full moon. It rose, enormous, yellow, unreal, becoming imperceptibly silvery as it climbed the sky and hung aloft like a stupend

madly besmearing his moonlit canvas, but I could not see Wilna anyw

d the edge of the woods, singing happily as I sped on feet so light and froli

ythe he heard me com

want?" he asked with

u," said I gaily,

want an

wha

eat it

confi

him on the grass and seated myself near it. The old dodo grunted and continued to daub the canvas; but presently, as though fo

ped exultant

ted voice, and, at the same instant, he spr

u mean! Are you trying to poison me! What are you following me abo

e barked at me, kicked over the bucket

et of salad, and bega

wled. "Why are you trying to feed me? What

re and re

nd politeness! Do you hear! It's artificial-out of date-ridiculous! The only thing that recommends a man to me is

alad bucket and

ran about under foot! They bought my pictures! And t

e grass, pale

go I'll tell you why I've been civil to you. There's only one reason

m, menacing him wit

pictures, and your degraded mania for prunes, you are a necessary evil th

" he said in a

ly. "Of course it's true

r!" he s

mean it. Why, your work would sha

I have utterly misjudged you. I believe

back, saddle my mule, kidnap your daughter,

y glad. I'll do anything you like. I'll quarrel with you, and you can i

, may I ma

k me I won

ed, angrily. "Then I'

beginning to like you. And when Billy Green arrives

ha

his hands

r me-I can see that! You and he are going to behave most disagreeably to each other. And

staring at him in the moon

I said, "I'

Blythe, too, was staring at me in an odd, apprehensive way.

to rock and crack and billow up into a high, crumbling ridge, moving continually, a

ver-growing ridge; and with us were carried ro

nes and hemlocks and oaks moving, slanting, settling, tilting crazily in

tched each other, balancing on the

s circular. The woods are rising in a hu

epths of the earth-something that, as it progressed, was heaping up the surface of the wor

e crumbling summit of the ridge opened under our feet a

t, viscous, ringed surface was moving, retracting, un

ked Blythe. "Oh, God

rm!' shriek

ly to avoid the fissure; but the soft earth slid and gave way

ing, strove to regain our feet and scramble up the edges of the fissure, strove madly while the mamm

clashed and tilted and fell from the enormous furrow on every side; then, suddenly out of the woods into the moonlight, fa

ed us on, and we scrambled and slipped and clawed the billowi

over the undulating, tumbling upheaval until, half-fainting, we fell and rolled

fall as avalanches of rock and earth slid into it, tons and thousands of tons rushing down the slope

r all eternity the vapour wall, the fire, and burying the little denizens of the flames

straight down into depths immeasurable. And at last the moon s

, with a hysterical sob; "but nobody will

d, as we approached the lamplit veranda, I saw a hors

even shriek, Wilna had put both arms around that young m

e took me around the bac

experienced, listening to the piano below, where Wil

OF THE SI

nd Professor Boomly; and it had been arranged so on purpose, because of the increasingly frequent personal misunderstanding

mly rivalry disturbed this friendship as long as it was merely a question of collecting, preparing, and mounting for exhibition the vast numbers of but

imens of moths and butterflies started the trouble between these hitherto godly and middle-aged

lways out all over the world foraging for specimens; also, they wer

ve the journey of several months from the wilds of Australia, India, Asia, Africa, or the jungles of South America-nor could semi-tropical species endure the captivity of a

species of butterfly or moth, mate them, and, as soon as any female deposited her eggs, place the tiny pearl-like eggs

d moths so packed for transportation, but a sufficient store of their various native food-plants was also preserved, where such food-plants could not be procured in the U

l Medal for all this? I have never received it. I say this witho

m they would presently hatch; the caterpillars were fed with their accustomed food-plant-a few leaves being taken from cold storage every day for them-they would pass through t

ented flowers. And it was like looking at a meteoric shower of winged jewels, where the huge metallic-blue Morphos from South America flapped and sailed, and the orange and gold and green Ornithoptera from Borneo pursued their majestic, bird-li

New York; thousands and thousands of men, women, and chil

d moths, which had been asleep all day while the butterflies flitted through the sunshine, now came out to displ

proud and delighted; all apparently was happiness and h

sor Boomly, when there came a loud rapping on my door, and, at my invitation, Dr. Quint bustled in-a little,

of Erebia astarte, the great Silver Moon butterfly. Attempts to destroy them have been

" I said. "Wha

gs have either shrunk to half their size or else the eggs of another species have been

, pretending t

iercely. "If he has I'

e-time friend,

y squabbling?" I asked wearily. "You used to b

of duplicity! Matters are approaching a point where something has got to be done short of murder. I've stoo

or Boomly-a figure largely abdominal but majestic-like the massive butt end of an elephant. For the re

voice incongruously at variance with his bulk-"has anybody had

xcitedly. "I've been in your r

ded eyes to rest on Quint for

on my door. Will you spe

ut on my door which will keep envious, dull-minded, mentally

flushed

glaring at Quint.

l, possibly even criminal! I don't want them in my room snooping about to see what I have and what I'm doing. I don't want them to sneak in, eaten up with jealousy and e

ut Boomly, his face suffused with passion, "Are you ins

yourself, and that you put an ichneumon fly in my breedin

ed it in mistake for a butterfly!" And he burst into a peal of contemptuous

y substituted a batch of common Plexippus eggs for the Silver Moon eggs I

believe you ever had anything in your breeding-

egan to

me a bunch of milkweed butterflies' eggs! Give

What do you suppose I want of your ridiculous eggs? Haven't I enough eggs

know it! You know that if they hatch, pupate, and bec

Matteawan medal," rem

n the general direction of Professor Boomly. It was a sorrowful sight to see these two celebrated scientists panting, mauling, scuffling and punching each other around the r

that Jones brought me from Singapore-you entomological robber! You've go

omly, galloping after Dr. Quint as he dodged around my desk. "I'll

e again around my desk, then out into the hall, where I heard the door of his office slam, and Boomly, gas

ocked and upset, I locked up the anthropological department offices and went out

metimes I contemplated the monkeys; sometimes gazed sadly upon the seals. They dashed and splashed and raced ro

pretty girl there-an unusually pretty girl-or perhaps it was one of those d

quisite when she

h, fried ham and eggs, liver and

vate detective employed in a department store, and that her duties had been to nab wealthy ladies who f

ldred Case, and the only outdoor job she could find was the

or perhaps it was one of tho

Curator of the Anthropological Depar

us pride in me, I paraphrased with becoming humility, pointin

innocently. That was true

gentlemen, in common with the majority of the administration personnel, were daily customers at the Rolling Stone

ad hitherto mis

o eat sandwiches while taking minute measurements of defunct monkeys

! It was an unusually beautiful day in June. Which careful, exact, and sci

over the glass case, undecided still whether to give full rein to this contempla

ts are yours, Mildr

selected," she murmu

sed her solicitude so modestly, so sweetly, concerning the maculatory condition o

smoking a cigarette. To a reserved, thoughtful, and scientific mind there is, a

as though, for the first time

g of gaiety and abandon, a curious

garette and the match went out, and then she struck another match,

"'Her breath was lik

she said, flu

ted, 'were like th

mean my eye

like recently mown hay. I felt that I was slipping my c

I asked, scarcely recognising my

ly info

one puff. That was sufficient: I was adrift. I re

ou should chance to stroll along the path be

y her bewildered ey

sually go home?" I

you usually go

was a suitably u

ther; and seated myself und

ss, cigarettes, a soft afternoon in June, the hum of bees, and the distant barking o

, alighted near me; I marked its flight with scientifi

oom behind me; great bunches of wi

exquisite perfumes seemed to

to my step when I rose to meet Mildred, where s

surprised

was so interested that after a while she could scarcely keep still, moving her slim little feet restlessly, biting her

took her little hand to soothe and quiet her, realizing that she might become overexcited as I described th

pport to her spinal process. It seemed to rest and soothe her. I don't remember that she said anything

derfully still and ca

time in point of accurate fact-she det

nd her hair, when young Jones came hastily along the path, caught sight of us, halted, turned violently re

hat, and waistcoat are lying on the floor, the room is a wreck, and Dr. Quint is in there tearing up the carpet

understood the full purport of his dreadful message, m

e demanded. "Shall I te

faltered, "that this unfortun

nsom, but I couldn't see Professor B

earing up t

thing for us all-" He hesitated, looked around, coldly, it seemed to me, at Mildred Case. "A scandal," he repeated, "is scar

ushed. There was nothing that I could see in

terrible news, I looked at Jones and at Mildred;

astly as it seems to promise, we'll have to c

also?" asked Mil

asked, loo

th? I was once a

the suggestio

quietly-would it not be a good idea to let me use my professional knowledge before you call in t

y, so modestly, that her offer o

finally annoyed me. There was no need of his being snobbish because this very lo

stration Building and learn how matters stand. If this affair is as terrible as I fear i

dministration Building, I took that opportunity to read these two y

vers in the vineyard of endeavor! The mad desire for the Carnegie medal completely turned the hitherto perfectly balanced br

e where everybody begat everybod

. I turned and looked into her sweet face. Her eyes were dancing with brilliancy and her sensitive lips quivered. I

om, I could hear a commotion inside-desk drawers being pulled out and their contents dumped, curtains being jerked from their

taken. I rapped and knocked and

lding. I nodded to Jones and to Mildred to stand aside, then, gently fitting the key, I sudde

pulled out, shirt, cuffs, and white waistcoat smeared with blood, knelt am

bling voice. "What have you

pping and looked around at

If you don't want to get all o

cried. "Are

arly. Let

our old friend, Billy Boomly? Where is he, Quint? And what d

lly ripping up another breadth

laimed. "Do y

him I'd terminate him if he me

ur old friend-merely because he meddled with a miser

ing! And listen; you're in my way-you're standing on a part

seized him, and shouted to Jones to tie his hands behind hi

uring the wretched man, Quint looked at us both as though surpri

od must answer for

rage. "Shed blood? What if I did? What's that to yo

ed at

tters," I sa

pushed him: but with my handkerchief we tied his ankles to the rung of the

poor victim of your fury? Where is he? Whe

where he is. How the

e," I sai

hen I get out of this ch

more terrible chair which a

your head off, too. Do you understand? I'

. "Only an alienist can save

rritated, as any man might be when checked in the full

n a quiet voice. "Perhaps I may

re as witnesses." And I folded my arms i

ly smiling slightly at the self-confessed murderer, "is it really

said Quin

ack at that, but presently

he asked

ed a most hellish c

me?" she as

well enough that his Heliconian eggs were not as valuable as my Silver Moon eggs. So first he sneaked in here and put an ichneumon fly in my breeding-cage. And next

aclysmic outrage. He laughed. We came into pe

ning's defeat which I had witnessed, Quint glared at m

o this room. I had been hunting for ten minutes before I found my Silver Moon eggs hidden

lly, staring from o

there!" he

ed Mildred w

went. I shouted after him that I had recovered the Silver Moon

vowing himself guilty of a crime still more hideous than the

faltered

eaves of the Bimba bush, brought from Singapore to feed

lready begun to hatch!!! And m

; he struggled on his cha

as that a reason for spillin

ason enoug

dma

e or other! I've torn this place to pieces looki

ted entomologist and laid a

hat Professor Boomly has not concealed

s contortions a

ought of th

ne with him?" she

ou, I don

at you did with h

ith other thoughts. We stood watching him in silence until

ed only on the Bimba leaf. They won't eat anything else. It's a well-known fact that they won't.

exclaime

eat anything except Bimba leaves. If there's

ietly. "Where are these

doing!" For the girl had dexterously slipped the glass j

g disconsolately on the sides of the glass, some hungrily travell

single little caterpillar, replaced the cork, and, kneeling down, gently disengaged the caterpillar. It dropped up

d these Bimba leaves upon his own person, this little caterpil

llar ... is certain t

this intelligent and unusually beautiful gir

had hoped to conceal the horrid evidence of your guilt. Three things have undone you-a caterpillar replete with mysterious instin

culate. But I had become tired of his violence and his shouts and yells; so I asked Jones

but all he could utter was a f

llar, followed by Mildred and myself, continued to hustl

l following in silent excitement as we discovered that, parallel

aight for the door of Professor Farrago, our rev

ed; I gently tried t

, wriggling forward at top speed. We followed,

ht under the lounge upon which Professor Farrago was accustomed to repose after luncheon, and, droppin

spered, in an awed

s Case! Try n

dd expression; then he went over to where she s

ldred," he said. "It

it, for I had seized the fat foot which partly protruded from u

e dreadful, inert resistance of lifeless cla

uffled voice. "Help! Help

ed, scarcely be

oomly. "He's a devil! He'll murder me! H

You're

that little lunatic off-that's all I ask. He can have his

excitedly. "Have you any Bimba l

at foot, a heavy scuffling sound, heavy panting, and then,

"now, let me alone until

you again," I s

oomly flatly de

el: it was marked: "

p the ravenous little caterpillar, placed him

to record. But to a scientist all fac

. And being shyly indemnified for his trouble with a gentle return in kind. Both his arms were aroun

y pocket, found my packet

ordaces curae et lae