ound with the "Elixir
of Life."]

"Well," remarked Watson, "what do you think of it?"

"Fake," answered Robinson.

"Verily, out of the mouths of babes, etc.," said Watson, "but, O learned
friend, you have not heard the whole story. Listen. I asked Rengee Sing
if he would be good enough to explain to me fully about the powder and
especially how and where he obtained it.

"'My dear sir,' he said, 'I see you are a scientific man, and it always
gives me great pleasure to meet such, and to explain to them as fully as
possible how I, Rengee Sing, obtained possession of one of the most
valuable treasures in the world, the Elixir of Life; but before doing so
I must enroll your name among the members of our Society; in fact, one
of the rules of the Society is that unless a person becomes a member we
can tell him nothing, beyond allowing him to read the circular which you
have already seen. The initiation fee is five dollars, and you are at
liberty not to take the powder if you desire not to do so after you have
become a member, but if you wish to become a member in high standing,
and to take the powder, which will insure you a length of life far
beyond that of ordinary mortals, an additional fee of twenty dollars is
charged for the powder.'

"I decided," continued Watson, "that the experience was worth five
dollars, so I intimated that I should be delighted to become a member of
the Society, and handed Mr. Sing five dollars, whereupon he wrote me a
receipt and gave me a member's card, which stated that I was a member of
the Methuselah Club of the second class, and entitled to receive the
Elixir, and to become a member of the first class upon the further
payment of twenty dollars any time within the next ten days. After
which, if I had not been made a member of the first class, my name
should be dropped from the rolls.

"Rengee Sing was the embodiment of courtesy when he bowed low and handed
me my receipt.

"'My dear sir,' he said, 'I shall now be happy to explain to you
anything that I can.'

"'I would like,' I said, 'if possible, to see the original papyrus which
I understand was found with the Elixir, and I also would like to learn
more fully the details as to how and where this Elixir was obtained.'

"Rengee Sing bowed, and, going to the corner of the room, opened a small
fireproof safe, taking from it a roll of what proved after being
unrolled to be an ancient papyrus manuscript written in the Sanscrit
language.