of a gate and up a curving drive,
lined with rhododendron bushes. Beyond stood a low brick house, picked
out with white woodwork, very comfortable and pretty. Mrs. Challenger, a
small, dainty, smiling figure, stood in the open doorway to welcome us.

"Well, my dear," said Challenger, bustling out of the car, "here are our
visitors. It is something new for us to have visitors, is it not? No
love lost between us and our neighbors, is there? If they could get rat
poison into our baker's cart, I expect it would be there."

"It's dreadful--dreadful!" cried the lady, between laughter and tears.
"George is always quarreling with everyone. We haven't a friend on the
countryside."

"It enables me to concentrate my attention upon my incomparable wife,"
said Challenger, passing his short, thick arm round her waist. Picture a
gorilla and a gazelle, and you have the pair of them. "Come, come, these
gentlemen are tired from the journey, and luncheon should be ready. Has
Sarah returned?"

The lady shook her head ruefully, and the Professor laughed loudly and
stroked his beard in his masterful fashion.

"Austin," he cried, "when you have put up the car you will kindly help
your mistress to lay the lunch. Now, gentlemen, will you please step
into my study, for there are one or two very urgent things which I am
anxious to say to you."

Chapter II

THE TIDE OF DEATH

As we crossed the hall the telephone-bell rang, and we were the
involuntary auditors of Professor Challenger's end of the ensuing
dialogue. I say "we," but no one within a hundred yards could have
failed to hear the booming of that monstrous voice, which reverberated
through the house. His answers lingered in my mind.

"Yes, yes, of course, it is I.... Yes, certainly, _the_ Professor
Challenger, the famous Professor, who else?... Of course, every word of
it, otherwise I should not have written it.... I shouldn't be
surprised.... There is every indication of it.... Within a day or so at
the furthest.... Well, I can't help that, can I?... Very unpleasant, no
doubt, but I rather fancy it will affect more important people than you.
There is no use whining about it.... No, I couldn't possibly. You must
take your chance.... That's enough, sir. Nonsense! I have something
more important to do than to listen to such twaddle."

He shut off with a crash and led us upstairs into a large airy apartment
which formed his study. On the great mahoga