The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-31

missed tho next word or TWO anu o"'!
heard the answer 10 them.
Il. And to have 10 walt tili inursday'
oh. the laws delays are in,olerable.
| a. | would not complain of the laws de-
laws II were you, when you are medi,atIng
a fragrant breach Of them, with INDEFINITE
penalties TO follow.
Il. don't care about penalties when once
| am out of the island. There's no eNraoi-
ton tor the odenses Of my sort.
"What can that mem thought the won
dcrng listener.
4. | advise you 10 make the thelt secuIc
before Won begin TO boast. But come along.
came TO fetch YOU for stroll. You must
not venture out by day, you know, ana you
will be beside Yourself by tomorrow night,
| II Won STAY shut up all the time IN TINS duil
room. -
The professor sat before the silent phono-
| graph and gazed blankly at It's stationary
works. lie even forgot in the amaZen'en.
and horror Of these revelations TO rejoice III
the success OF his invention. lie was IKE
the legendary possessor Of some superhat'
ural power who invariably mas CURSE
wrapped up in his gift.
Was this. indeed. ~kipwith 10 whose voice
his familiar had listeneds And II so was
| the wretchcd young man pl0ttihg YET iuI
| Their crimcss What was 1t that MS accom-
plice had said II would not complain OF
| the laws delays if were you, when you
are mediating a 1agrant breach OF tnenn
with indefinite penalties 10 louoN. 'ii9s'G
mite penalticsY OF what crime IN clNliireu
country are the penalties indefinite: ne
| Professor was as ignorant as any olncr
! law.abidng BritOn of the intrlcacies OF his
counfry's criminal law; but he had con-
firmed impression that IL was only ouenses
ola political character for which there was
no exiradition. Plots and explosions ana
rumOrs Of plots ana explosions, were RE NJ
that time. Was this misguided young man
Nhe Professor perceived clearly thai the
man who could call him "Old Arid must
bee youmg) taking part in some conspiracy
Was II some dynamite outrage that these
Young u1ans were hatchingi Ana IN what
manner ought he, Professor Ard, to inter-
vcne; Could he, in fairness, make use OF
knowledge obtained by an elaborate process
OF mechanical oavesdroppngf Ana YET on
the other hand, could he, As an honest man,
permit the planning ana execution Oh
flagrant breach Of the law =
"Oh, il | had never set up the thing al
all" sighed the unhappy Professor. Ana
NJ resolved to stop his phonograph from re-
porting any more of his iellOW-lOdgers con-
tcrsattonS. lie took a box of matches, ana
stepped lightly To Mr.. JohnsOn's dark ana
empty ROOM
lie had Just struck "a match and was on
his knees between the feet OF the piano
when "A sound came - his ears and sent
chill of alarm 10 his inmOst heart. some
one had opened the house door with
latchkey. The Professor blew out the
match and listened brcathcssly. In the
silence he remarked that rain was patler-
ing sharply on the windows. NO doubt MT.
Johnson had been driven back by stress OF
weather and would come in to discover
him. And if he went out Mr. Johnson
would meet him on the upper flight OF stars
and would know whence he came. But
there was second door leading TO an adj
Joining room. There he might wait TIL his
neighbOr should come up and thence steal
down unOb-eNed With furtiye speed the
Professor accordingly withdrew 10 Mr..
JOhnsOn's bedroom and nOselessly closed
the door Of communication.
A step came up the stairs, and he felt a
horrible certainty that Mr.. johnson would
make his entrance here. OF course he
would: he would be wet, he would come 10
change his clothes. What a horrible, COM
promising, ineNplicabf situation for "a
peaceful professor of science.
Mr. Johnson. however. passed into the
next room and struck a light. The pro-
lessor him utter quick, inarliculate eN-
clamation. 4 sound followed which might
bee the tearing open of letter. \ new ana
even greater dread had by this time taken
possession of the professor. How, If the
outer door of the bedroom should be fasten
ed? Could IL DE reserved for him 10 !
pass the night shut into cupboard
or crouched beneath a bed; And Mr.. !
JsnsOn. he recOlected. did not dare to !
go out by daylight At that moment the
Professor was almost ready 10 regret that
he mad ever had the idea Of inyenting II
photograph. Slowly, step by step, GUIDED
by what little light shOne in at the window, !
he made his way to the door and laid his
hand upon the handle. 1t turned with "A
faint squeak that sounded in his ears thun-
der loud, and the door opened. lie slipped |
out and crept back thankfully TO his own
domains. vowing never again To trespass on
those of his neighbor.
Next morning he had arrived at res0lu- |
ton. lie would denOunce Skipwtn 10 the au- |
thorities, but he would make an effort TO see |
Mrs. -kipwith (whO was clearly in salt !
hurEh) and would warn hels with threats |
of exposure. ethat the projected crime OF
Thursday. whatever it might be. must be
abandoned. lie set forth accordingly tol
call on Profess lr DraysOn. who could give
him the addresses of ner friends in salt
burgh Professor DraysOn was out, and his
sister, a severe lady, of whom Professor
Arid stood in some awe, received him.
Miss Hall was also present
"Cau YOU tell me-" the Professor asked
nrHStlLlA. Fltt Ntillt-~ Vl -NHlf l'bl'i'
called. If | remember rightly, Carroll. of
whom your brother was speaking the other
eyening-relations Of that poor Mrs. skip
with"
"That poor Mrs. >kipwith" repeated
Mrs. DraysOn. "lOu are too charitable.
Dr. Arid. no, do not know their address
81 do" said Miss Hall. "They live at No.
10 King street. But they are gone away tol
the Highlands for "a fortnight
ID. q f....If Ifa .rIf IN
dismay. Dear me. how very awkward
And he fell into browner study than
usual. 50 that he scarcely remarked the
coming Of a servant 10 the door, and the
summOnine away of Miss GraysOn by
means of the pOrientous formula. "Can
speak 10 YOU "a moment. please, ma'amF'
As soon as the door was well closed upon
her aunt. Miss Hall rose, came across toI
the professor, and said in "A hurried, low
cred voice: "Dr. Arid, will you do me a
great fayOrs VIII YOU post a letter for me
without looking at it, and never tell any
body about it,"
But, my dear ' eXpostulated the Pro
fcssOr family.
1T is TO Mr. Ashley. They won't let me
see him or hear from him. They have been
80 cruel to him. And you knOw-yOu know.
DR.. Aird, that ne is not the sort Of person
10 deserve that"
At the name OF Ashley Inc Professor SOFT
enod. Young Ashley was TO his mind a
most deserving and promising young man.
And he was on the eve OF crossing the At
lantic TO that American appointment. This
could only bee a letter Of farewell.
Here comes my aunt whispered she.
He held out his hand, received and St.
crctod the letter.
In two minutes time he had already be-
gun 10 repent; but Miss Drayson was IN the
room and il was impossible TO give back the
letter. so he posted it without looking al
the address, and went home rejecting what
he i'm his turn should write 10 Mrs. skip
with. II took him the whole afternoon 20
compose letter which should not Oetray
the secret TO any outsider, and yet should
serve as an effective warning To desist from
the contemplated crime of Thursday.
At last the letter was finished and posted;
and he had nothing 10 do but 10 mediate
upon this extraordinary chain Of events ana
listen to the footsteps Of Mr.. johnson over
head When the darkness had fully gath
cred Mr.. johnson went out, and the Pro
81