The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-18

and took sllyer-inountcd flask OF
brandy from the receptacle. He poured
small dose of brandy into the metal
cup and drank 1t hurrledly.
Then he leaned back once more In his
chair
Professor Llwellyn's face was familiar
to all readers of the illustrated press
lie WINS one of tho few famous savants
whose name was a household word not
only to his colleagues and tho LEARNED
generally, but also TO the great mass OF
the general public.
In every department OF effort and work
there arc one or two men whose person.
atty seems to catch the popular eye.
Ills large, clean-shaven face might have
belonged to popular comedian: hIn
portly figure had still nothing of old
age about It. He was sprightly and
youthful in manner despite his fat. The
small, merry, green Syes-eyes which,
had yet something furtive and alarmed
[ In them Mt times--stood for a con-
crete personfcation Of good humour. His
somewhat sensual lips were always
smiling and jolly on public occa-
slons. His enormous erudition and ac-
knowledged place among the learned os
Europe went so strangely with his ap-
pcarance that the world was pleased
and tickled by the paradox,
1t was II fine thing to think that tho
| specialized Dry-as-dust was gone. That
| era OF animated mummy was over. and
| when The World read of Professor
| Llwellyn at first night OF a Lyceum.
or the guest of honor at the Savage
| Club. IL forgot to jeer ut his abstrucc
eridition
Scholars admitted his scholarship. and
ordinary men and women welcomed him
as homme du monde.
The professor replaced the flask In the
| drawer and locked 1t. His hand tre.n-
| bled as lie did so. The light which shone
| on the white face showed It eloquent
with dread and despair. Here. in the
privacy of the huge. comfortable ROOM
/! eyes could see.
| The professor had locked the door.
|, The letters which the messenger had
| brought were many In number and var
| ious in shape and style.
| Five or SIX of them. which bore foreign
stamps and indications that they came
from the Continental antiquarian socie-
| tics he put on one side TO be opened and
| replied on the morrow.
] Then he took up all envelop addressed
> TO him in firm black writing and turned
| it over. On the flap was the white.
| embossed oval and crown. which showed
| that 1T came from the House of Conn
I, mons. His forid face became paler than
I before. the flesh of it turned grey. an
! unpleasant sight in SO large and amnle
| a countenance, as he tore II open. The
| letter ran as follows:
House of Commons
Dear Llwellyn.-I am writing to YOU
now TO say that am quite determined
i that the present situation shall not con-
tinue. You must understand, finally,
that my patience is exhausted, and thar,
unless the large sum You owe me is
repaid within the next week, my solicit
tors have my instructions. which are
| quite unalterable. TO proceed in bank
| ruptcy against you without further de-
laW
THE PRINCIPAL and Interest now to total
to the sum of fourteen thousand pounds
/ Your promises to repay, and your in
/ Vulnerable requests for more time In
| which to do so. now extends over per-
Tod of three years I have preserved
| NIL your letters on the subject at Issue
! between us. and I ind that. so far from,
| decreasing your Indebtedness when your
promises became due. you have almost
/ invariably asked me for further sums
+. which. In foolish confidence. as 7 feel
now, I have advanced to yol.
! ut would be superfuous to point out
to YOU what bankruptcy would mean 10
| your position. Ruin would be the only
word. And II would be no ordinary ban =
ruptcy. have n by no means uncertain
/ idea where these large sums have gone.
and my knowledge can hardly fail to be