The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

454 ^-^^^ Highland Monthly.
" No, Dad, it was to tell you that Mr Richard has sent
me a note saying that he is to call this evening—and 1 am
afraid that he—he— means^," Julia blushed, held down her
head, and did not finish the sentence.
" To ask you a certain question ?" laughed the Professor.
" Yes."
" And don't you know how to answer him ?"
" You told me, but it's so terribly awkward to—to—
oh, Dad, I wish I had not to answer such a question."
" In the meantime, Julia, dear, you need not trouble
yourself about that. Time enough. When the fellow calls
to-night, tell James to shew him at once into my study."
"Thank you. Dad." and Julia ran off, banging the study
door behind her.
The Professor, as the hour for Richard's call approached,
made some preparations in the study, v/hich would have
struck one, knowing the circumstances, as significant. After
attiring himself in a long linen coat, which bore evidences
of being a rare visitor to the wash-tub, he carefully con-
cealed the animal carcases already mentioned ; then he
placed a mixture of herbs, dried to tinder, in a mortar, and
pestled them into snuff; he placed a leaf accurately below
one of the microscopes, which he adjusted with great pains ;
and concluded by placing an open Hortiis Siccus in the full
rays of the lamp. Until the bell rang, the Professor
amused himself with the latest newspaper, but when Mr
Richard Stuart was announced, the visitor found him
gazing into the microscope with an intensity and absorp-
tion that would have made a searcher after the elixir of life
impressive.
" Just a second, dear sir," said the Professor, ^vithout
lifting his eye from the instrument, till I complete my
inspection of this extremely interesting specimen of the
Conium viactdatiun^ as I think it is, I found the other day
ah, there is no doubt about it. You see, sir, at my age,
one's eyes begin to fail, and in making these herbal pre-
— •
parations it is necessary to be very careful. A slight