, 1916-06-08

over a~ccentuated? With your Permission
l would ask the favor of an interview. az
feel strongly upon the subject and have
certain suggestions which / could only
elaborate in a personal conversation. with
your consent, | trust to have the honor of
calling at II O'Clock the day after tomor-
row "wednesday morning.
l remain. sir. with assurances of pro-
round respect. yours very truly,
EDWARD d. MALONE.
Tarp Henry said he would have an
answer Wednesday morning and added
that 1t might be best II I never heard
from Challenger Mt all.
CHAPTER II.
Face to Face With Professor.
wv YHEN | called on Wednesday
NM there was a letter with the
West Kensington postmark
upon it and my name crawl-
ed across the envelope In a handwrit-
ing which looked like a barbed wire
railing. The contents were as fol.
lows:
Enmore Park, w.
Sir-I have duly received your note, In
which you claim to indorse my views, al
though i am not aware that they are de-
pendent upon Endorsement either from you
or any. one else. You have ventured to
use the word speculation" with regard to
my statement upon the subject of Darwin
ism, and | would call your attention to
the fact that such a word in such a con-
nection Is offensive to a degree. The con-
text convinces me, however. that you have
sinned rather through ignorance and tact
lessness than through malice, 80 | am con-
tent to pass the matter by. You quote an
Isolated sentence from my lecture and ap-
pear to have some difficulty in understand
ing II. l should have thought that only
a subhuman intelligence could have failed
to grasp the point, but IL 1t really needs
application | shall consent to see you at
the hour named, though visits and visitors
OF every sort are exceeding distasteful to
me. AS to your suggestion hat l may
modify my opinion / would have you know
that 1t is not my habit to do so after a
deliberate expression of my mature views,
You will kindly show the envelope of this
letter to my man. Austin, when you call.
as he has to take every ~precaution to
shield me from the intrusive rascals who
call themselves Journalists" Yours faith
fully,
GEORGE EDWARD CHALLENGER.
1t was nearly half past 10 before l
had received my message. but a taxi
cab took MT round in good time for
my appointment. 1t was an imposing
porticoed house at which we stopped.
and the heavily curtained windows
gave every indication of wealth on the
part of this formidable professor. The
door was opened by an odd, swarthy.
dried up person Of uncertain age.
with a dark pilot jacket and brown
leather CATERS. | found afterward
that he was the chauffeur who filled
the gaps left by a succession of fugi-
tive buffers. He looked me up and
down with a searching light blue eye
"Expected?" he asked.
IAN appointment"
Got your letter."
/ produced the envelope.
Right" he seemed to be a person
Of few words, Following him down
the passage. | was suddenly interrupt
ed by a small woman, who stepped out
from what proved to be the dining
room door. She was a bright, viva
cious. dark eyed lady, more French
than English In her type.
zone moment" she said. You IA
wait. Austin. Step in here. sir. May
l ask If you have met my husband be-
fore?"
mo. madam: | have not had the
honor"
''Then | apologize to you in advance.
| must tell you that he is a perfectly
impossible person-absolutely impossi-
BILE. IL you are forewarned you will be
the more ready to make allowances"
at Is most considerable OF you. mad
am"
Get quickly out of the room II he
seems inclined to be violent. Don't
wait to argue with him. Several peo-
pie have been injured through doing
that. Afterward there is a public scan
dial. and 1t reflects upon me and all of
US. | suppose it wasn't about South
America you wanted to see himT'
l could not lie to a lady.
Dear me! That is his most danger
GUS subject. You won't believe a word
he says. I'm sure l don't wonder. But
don't tell him so, for 1t makes him very
violent. Pretend to believe him and
you may get through all right. Re
member he believes 1t himself. OF
that you may be assured. A more hon.
est mar never lived. Don't wait any
longer or he may suspect. II you find
him dangerous-really dangerous-ring
the bell and hold him off until l come.
Even at his worst ! can usually con
troll him."
With these encouraging words the
lady handed me over to the taciturn
Austin, who had waited like a bronze
statue of discretion during our short in
terview, and | was conducted to the end
of the passage. There was a tap at a
door. a bulls below from within. and
| was face to face with the professor.
He sat in a rotating chair behind a
broad table. which was covered with
books, maps and diagrams. As l en-