ook of great anxiety. I returned his glances calmly, but uttered not a
word.

There was a breathless suspense as the chief lifted up his hands,
touched my face, and felt my mustache and whiskers. The hair was perhaps
the strangest feature of my whole head, since there is nothing on their
human or animal species that resembles hair.

The chief then called for a certain professor who was an expert in
zoology. This intelligent man quickly came to my side and, at the
request of the chief, commenced to examine me carefully.

My manner of breathing confused him most of all. He watched my chest
rising and falling and my sides increasing and decreasing with every
breath, until he was mystified beyond all power of explanation.

When the dignitaries saw that I could be touched with safety, numerous
messages were flying to the chief, each one asking for the privilege of
a closer inspection of me.

The presiding officer was cool-headed and firmly followed his own cause.
He waited until the professor had finished his examination and was
prepared to report, whereupon he announced to the bewildered audience
that heed should now be given to the conclusion of the zoologist.

The professor mounted a throne-like elevation from which all expert
opinion is submitted. A painful silence ensued as this learned man
proceeded with his report.

Of course I pretended that I could not understand their language and
that I was oblivious to all these occurrences, but you may be assured
that I was careful not to miss a word that fell from the lips of this
noted specialist who conducted himself with a dignity both pleasing and
fascinating.

"I pronounce this creature an enigma," commenced the professor as he
pointed his bony finger toward me, "and declare him to be the strangest
problem of my life. How, and whence, and why he came to us are all alike
shrouded in impenetrable mystery."

"This perplexing specimen is totally different from any species of our
animal creation. He resembles a man more closely than any beast.
However, he cannot belong to any family of our world for he is possessed
with bodily functions unknown to us. His clothes are not the result of
any natural growth, and are far beyond our finest manufacture. Each
piece of his apparel gives positive evidence that it was made with
hands more skillful than ours."

"The most pleasing part of this perplexity is the face, which bears
indisputable marks of intelligence. It would be em