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toughest and most callous skin sk more corrcetly deseribed as ahide. These stulls o his, Tor all that, permeated the house, and cropped upeverywhere oo they were ol peculiarly glistening grey colour, and had @ very o curious odour another objection 1o e for clothing i the eyes of the ladies. Among the few articles of clothing, made of the stulf, which the two girls could he persuaded to wear were hats and long cloaks for wet weather, and for this purpose the material was suitable enough: but when he suggested hall dresses ol it the givls jusit shuddered and became stontly - obdurate. The old gentleman prevailed upon my brother and me to adopt the material for our over-

coats and Toungce caps, and such-like. A

One - evening Iy ) ’v,ij\\;\\ uncle was in high 7/’%%-.7/7&\;;\;\\ spirits - quite fevers o s R

ishlv - julalant. e r T O " 1 had perfected his - i N BT TR . : : W, ;s vention and tho- LA e RN !

s f roughly tested ity and ) ! on the morrow he q intended opening conmunications with o Government depart ment on the subject. [ had never seen him in such high spirits with o heightenced colour. he talked - cessanthyand al random. e launched into the delights and potentiadities of - fame and aflluence, prattied about the mansion which his daughters should live inand the carriages they should ride e assured Pheebe (injest, which was surely not all jest) that she should marry an carl, and much more in the same strain,

While the carl talk was going ong b glanced at John. He did not try Lo conceal the fact that this talk was distasteful to him, and 1T contrived to divert the conversation ;- but the Professor would ceturn to it and at length John suddenly rosc and, excusing himsecll, left the cirele.

soon Tollowed him home with an idea of

cheering him up. but the trial was @ complete Gilure. 1 fancied 1T had never seen John so gloomy a mood before : and. when we had parted for the night, 1 heard him descend the stairs and go out —an unusual

NTW AN

Coprninan .

MAGALLNE,

thing for him to do so late at night. Next dav oy unele the Professor could not be found. He had come down o

Lreaklast as usual, and then, as usual, had retived to - his Taboratory + his lunch was placed on o table outside the door, according to custom : the dinner hour came, and my uncle did not go down to the dimmg-room hut, this being no uncommon thing, his dinner had been kept warm for him,

But when 1t came to g pan, my aunt went to the laboratory door and knocked. She was answered by the assistant, who said that the Professor was not there s nor had the assistant scen him on arriving at one o'clock that alternoon, nor subsequently. He owas under the impression that the Professor had cone, according to his tention, to Pall Mall in connec- tionwith hisinvention,

They sat up for his return - but 2 o'clock A, struck, and he had not returned.

Wi

! L0 B

v 'hen they sent the

-\ -

boy to call me up: == and 1T did what _ could, but faled to N

(nd hm. Hec never found. Therve certaily could he no reason for his cither mitting surcide, or leaving his home @ oon mquiry at the Governs ment offices, we found that no one answer- ing to his deseription had been there @ ad- and inquiries had no - fruit L Tooked as i he had been made and the question was, *hy

(Ol

vertisenments whatever. away with whom 27 looking dispassionately at the situation, one could think of but two persons who could possibly have any interest - the removal of my uncle @ and these were the assistant and oy brother. Now, the assis- tint. being presumably a sharer of asseeret which ez he worth many thousands of pounds, would certainly have an mmcentive to make away with the only person who stood Loetween himsell and the reward. No oone but my uncle and his assistant knew of this sreat sceret, that was (uite certain. But this nere fetof an incentive was hardly sutheient,