Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-01
true descreeptive touch. What did you
want to see me about?'
ITO ask a favor"

sibly send me on. some mission for the
paper? I would do my best to put 1t
through and get you some good COPY
mind, Mr.. Malone?'
well, sir, anything that had adventure
| and danger in 1t. I really would do my
| very best. The more difficult it was, the
| better II would suit me-
You seem very anxious to lose your
life"
ITO justify my life. sir"
| Dear me, Mr.. Malone, this is very
very exalted! I'm afraid the day of this
sort OF thing is rather past. The expense
| of the special meesion business hardly
justif1es the result, and of course in any
| case 1t would be only an experienced
man. with a name that would command
public confidence. who would get such an
order. The big blank spaces in the map
are an being filled in; and there's no
thought he added, with sudden smile
upon his face. Talking of the blank
spaces of the map gives me an idea
What about exposing fraud-a modern
| Munchausen-and making him rideecu-
| lous? You could show him up as the liar
| that he is! Eth. man, it would be fine.
How does 1t appeal to your"
! McArdle was plunged in thought for
| some minutes. "I wonder whether you
could get on friendly, or at least on talk
ing terms. with the fellow" he said at
last. You seem to have a sort of genius
for establishing relations with people
| seempathy, 1 suppose, or animal mag
netism or youthful vitality. or something.
am conscious of it myself"
| You are very good, sir.
| 80 why should you not try our luck
with Prof Challenger of Enmore Park?"
| I dare say I looked a little startled.
the famous zoologist? Wasn't he the
man who broke the skull of Blundell Of
| The Gazetteer"
| The news editor smiled grimly. do
you mind? Didn't you say it was adj
venture you were after?"
| 1T is all in the way Of business, sir.
I answered.
Exactly. I don't suppose he is always
Blundell got him at the wrong moment,
maybe, or in the wrong fashion. You
may have better luck or more tact in
handling him. There's something in your
line there. 1 am sure, and The Courier
| II really know nothing about him"
said l. II only remember his name in
! connection with the police court proceed
| ings for striking Blundell "
81 have a few notes for your guidance.
| Mr.. Malone. I've had my eye on the
professor for some time He took a
paper from a drawer. Here is sum-
mary of his record. I give it you briefly:
Challenger, George Edward. Born:
Largs. N. B.. 1859 Educ: Largs Acad-
| envy; Edinburgh University. British
Museum assistant, 1892. Assistant keeper
of comparative anthropology department,
| 1893. Resigned after acrimonious cor
respondence, same year. Winner OF
| Crayston medal for geological research.
Foreign member of-well, quite a lot of
things, about two inches of small type.
| Societe Beige. American Academy of
Sciences, La Plata. etc. etc. Ex-presi-
dent archaeological Society. Section H,
| British Association So on! So on!
Publications: Some Observations Upon
/ ,f Eo1r, taly Slxr11lo nf
Vertebrate Evolution and numerous
papers. including The Underlying Fallacy
of Weissmannism, which caused heated
discussion at the Geological Congress of
climbing Address: Enmore Park. Ken
sington, W.
There. take it with you. I've nothing
| more for you tonight"
I pocketed the slip Of paper. One mo-
| ment. SIR 1 said. as 1 realized that it
was a pink bald head and not a red
| face which was fronting me. Il am
not very clear yet. Why am l to inter-
view this gentleman? What has ne
done?"
The face flashed back again. went to
South America on a solitary expedeetion
| two years ago. Came back last year.
Had undoubtedly been to South America;
| but refused to say exactly where Be-
gan to tell his adventures in a vague
way; but somebody started to pick holes.
and he just shut up like an oyster. Some
thing wonderful happened-Or the mans
a champion liar which is the more proba-
BILE supposeetion. Had some damaged
photographs, said to be fakes. Got so
touchy that he assaults any one who
asks questions. and heaves reporters
down the stairs. In my opeenion he's
just a homicidal megalomaniac with
turn for science. That's your man. Mr..
Malone! Now off you run, and see what
you can make of him! You're big enough
70 Av,U
all safe-employe liability act, you
know grinning red face turned once
more into a pink oval fringed with GIN
gerry fluff; the interview was at an end.
/ walked across to the Savage Club;
but instead of turning into it 1 leaned
upon the ratings of Adelphi terrace and
gazed thoughtfully for a long time at the
brown oily river. 1 can always think
most sanely and clearly in the open air.
took out the list of Prof. Challenger's
exploits. and read 1t over under the cleo
trio lamp. Then l had what can re-
gard only as an inspiration. AS a press
man, I felt sure from what had been
told that could never hope to get into
touch with this cantankerous professor
But these determinations twice mentioned
in his skeleton biography could mean
only that he was fanatic in science.
Was there not an exposed margin there
upon which he might be accessible?
would try.
1 entered the club. It was just after
IL, ana the Dig room was IaITly Iull,
though the rush had not yet set in I
noticed a tall, thin, angular man seated
in an armchair by the fire. He turned
as I drew my chair up to him. 1t was
the man of all others whom I should
have chosen-Tarp Henry Of the staff of
Nature" thin, dry, leathery creature
who was full, to those who knew him.
Of kindly humanity. 1 plunged instantly
into my subject.
What do you know Of Prof. Chal-
lenger?"
"Challenger?' he gathered his brows In
scientific disapproval. challenger was
the man who came with some cock and
bull story from South America"
What story?"
''Oh, 1t was rank nonsense, about some
queer animals he had discovered. l be-
Heve he has retracted since. Anyhow. he
has suppressed it all. He gave an inter-
view to Reuters. and there was such
howl that he saw it wouldn't do. 1t was
a discreditable business. There were one
or two folk who were inclined to take
him seriously but he soon choked them
off,
''How?"
well. by his insufferable rudeness and
impossible behavior. There was poor old
Wadley of the Geological Institute. Wad-
ley sent a message, The president of the
Geological Institute presents his compli-
ments to Prof. Challenger, and would
take it as a personal favor if he would do
them the honor to come to their pext
meeting The answer was unprintable."
You don't say?"
Vail