The age-herald., 1901-12-15

all my energies to finding the owner of the hand.
 ''To begin with. who lives in this house besides yourself2''
 "The landlady and two lodgers," he replied, pulling himself together.
 Are you on a friendly footing with either of the lodgers ?'
 NO, have run across them occasion ally, but 1 purposely keep them at a dis tance. do not want anyone prying round my place. There Is no love lost between us,' he added with laugh I could well imagine that.
 'l suppose they are out all day? Do you know what their work is, or any thing about them"'
 "The woman who has the first floor is dressmaker. The old man at the top is half daft, I fancy, but harmless enough.
 ''In what way Is he daft?' Well, he looks crazy enough, and he very seldom goes out but spends all the day and half the night too. very likely making experiments. But I've never heard of their coming to anything. There is a horrible smell of chemicals some times and I should not be surprised at an explosion any day. However, the woman of the house wouldn't listen to me when I advised her to give him notice"
 Have you any printing ink?' asked after a moment. He looked at me in sur prise.
 '"No, but can get some. What do you want 1t for?"
 Never mind, now" I replied. Bring in small plotting pad at the same time"
 He returned in few minutes with both articles. I poured some of the ink on the pad and when it had absorbed enough to leave the surface moist I wrapped it up carefully with the plaster cast.
 Now, I said, q must leave you a little while. Wait here till my return" And before he could raise any objection I had gone, closing the door behind me.
 Passing myself off as a traveller, with a wonderful domestic article to recom- mend, I managed to secure interviews with both the landlady and the dressma- ker, but without result Their hands did not match with the hand of the cellar. Now there only remained the old inventor to be exmained.
 I paused on the landing to collect my thoughts, and to think of an excuse that should pass muster with him. As an in- ventor he would naturally be interested in any new discovery: I would ask his advice and assistance in an imaginary experiment of my own.
 I knocked at the door, and in a few minutes the key was turned, and 1t was opened a little way. curious figure met my gaze. I did not wonder that a coarse-natured man like Moss should call him half-crazed. A pale, worn face, surmounted by a shock of white hair, under which a pair of brilliant dark eyes looked out with the fixed absent gaze of the enthusiast A man who would be only fully alive when he was at work. man of mind and brains, evil dently, If a dreamer; certainly not common thief. I glanced from his face to his hands, but they were immersed in thick leather gloves to protect them from injury, no doubt. He looked at me impatiently, holding the door with one hand.
 q must apologize for disturbing you," I said courteously ''but I have heard that you are a clever inventor and have considerable scientific knowledge, and I am anxious to consult you about a lit- tie experiment of my own"
 twill you come in?'' he said, his face lighting up. q did not think I was so well known. In what way can serve you?"
 Mine is only a very humble inven- tion," I said with a laugh, ''but I hope it will be a paying one. So, if you can help me over the difficulty, I shall be glad to acknowledge your services in a liberal manner. I am trying to invent
 
 almost instantaneously. You will un- derstand how useful such an invention would be, as 1t would do away with the need of plotting paper or any similar clumsy adjuncts of the writing table,
 What is your difficulty?" he asked with touch of contempt for the small ness of my ideas. He had evidently ex- pected something more high-fown.
 My ink will dry in thirty seconds, but that is too long. I must have it dry in ten. Hitherto I have failed to do this and to preserve the color of the ink at the same time"
 Have you any of the ink with you?'
 "Only in a pad" taking it out of the wrapping. "If you will put your thumb on this, and then press it on clean paper you see the effect quite well''
 He pulled off the loose glove and saw a long, narrow, refined hand. l waited anxously. The thumb was wet with ink from palm to nail and when he pressed 1t on to a sheet of clean white paper it left a distinct impression. I had no need to compare it with the thumb mark In the parcel; I knew it at once.
 The old man waited for some seconds, expecting to see the ink dry, but when