Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-05-10

your own nclusion-though you
have generously and considerably left
me to form my own opinion-namely
that the claim of supernatural at
tributes of these garments is prepos-
ferrous. Enchanted pajamas! Haunted
/, paiamas! Poof! Nursery lore; chill
| dren's fairy tales! Ghosts, gentle
men? Tut, tut-nonsense!"
He snorted Indignantly.
"Ghosts!" faltered Billings.
"Oh, l say!" rather gasped Dash
me If it didn't give me turn, rather!
The professor shrugged his shout.
iers.
What other Interpretation iS,admis-
sible, gentlemen" he questioned some
what peevishly, taking up the coat.
Here, we have the royal insignia of
the cruel emperor, kee, and We note
that these garments were given some
enc in his court by the alleged sor-
cerer. Fuh-keen. Perhaps it was re-
yenge-perhaps some court plot in
which Fuh-keen, for reasons Of his
own, was an active participant; 1t Is
o. no Importance, that part Of it. So
much for the first line; but now we
come"
He paused to polish his spectacles.
Tell me-" he said more cheerfully,
do our free TRANSACTIONS of the ideo-
graphs so far agree in essentials
eh?"
Like as two reas" Billings de.
clared with mamie st enthusiasm.
The professor looked gratified and
bowed.
Now We come to the second line,
or, more strictly speaking, column"
he said, Strengthening impressiyely.
Here we find the astonishing claim
made that there Will be change or
metamorphosis Of any kind of animal
life that these habiliments enshroud.
UNI"
The great man breathed heavily and
batted at us over his glasses.
"Credat Judaeus apella-eh, gentle
men," And he wiuked knowingly.
Dashed if he didn't almost catch me
swallowing yawn, too! For hadn't
any idea what he was talking about
or driving at, and, by Jove, l did know
l was getting devilish sleepy.
The professor waved his glasses.
did you ever read such childish,
ridiculous, extravagant asseveration?"
he demanded.
"Ass-eh? I should say SOL" l
worked this of Indignantly.
"Tommyrot!" murmured Billings alb
sently. He seemed thoughtful.
was thoughtful, too-wondering,
by Joye, whether the professor would
go soon, so we could turn in and get
! the earlier start tomorrow up the
! river. But chiefly | was wondering
w:stfully if Frances would still be
angry with NE.
"Moreover""~bToke in the profess
sor's voice as ne turned again to the
lettering, ito assert further that there
will be a semb!ance-nota actual, gen.
| tlrmen, mind you, but an optical iliu-
| Stimulating the form of some crea-
tu-e of the same kind that this stlken
tenement has previously inclosed.
IN other words, gentlemen, If l
were to don these garments, I might
TO longer look like myself, but like
! Sole one else who had worn them
upon some previous occasion-per-
ha1s last night-perhaps a thousand
years ago. Eli? Is that what you un-
der .tand?'
Ee ducked again over the letters
a,l,. came up, looking chagrined.
moreover, I am forced to confess,
eenr lemen, that ] fail to find sys
ten, ANY rule governing these ride
uun. transformations. The hypoth'
es.S Is, therefore, that the alleged
matsrializations merely follow the ar
bitrary caprice of the magic" liza
shook his head. well, gentlemen, +.
:eally. I must taught"
And he did! I hadn't caught the
DRIFT OF what 1t was he thought he
WIS laughing at got the words, but
/ was too dashed sleepy to get the
sense. But | was awfully glad I I'm.
derstood this much-that what he wag
attempting now was laugh. I never
would have known it. 1t was more
like shrieking squeak-rusty hinge,
you know, that sort of thing.
The professor looked up from the
pajamas, and folding his arms, eyed
Billings with cunning leer.
II think I see," he said, leveling
II
strated how nonsensical is the asser.
ton in this inscription. Doubtless you
desire an experiment upon my part
to confirm your proof of its absurdity.
| Reductio ad absurdum-eh, gentle
| men,"
A devilish queer look had come into
Billings face. He nodded, gathered
! the pajamas into the professors arms
and patted him on the shoulder in a
way thought extensively familiar.
! you've got 1t, professor!" he said,
grinning.
Then ne whispered to me aside:
Not a word, Dicky-great Scott"
But he needn't have said that, even II
I had been mind-reader enough 70
guess what word he meant. 1t was
about all I could do to get out last
word to the professor as he went out
the door:
might"
CHAPTER XIX,