R Austin Freeman

The Uttermost Farthing R Austin Freeman

Book Excerpt: ...ed hair; the only one, I may say, that I have ever seen.""I have never seen a specimen before," said I, laying the little head down in its compartment, "nor," I added, "have I ever seen or heard of anything like these uncanny objects. Won't you tell me where you got them?""Not now," said Challoner. "You will learn all about them from the 'Archives, ' and very interesting you will find them. And now we'll put them away." He placed the lids on the boxes, and, when I had stowed them away in the cupboard, he made me replace the panel and take a special note of the position of the fastenings for future use."Can you stay and have some dinner with me?" he asked, adding, "I am quite presentable at table, still, though I don't swallow very comfortably.""Yes," I answered, "I will stay with pleasure; I am not officially back at work yet. Hanley is still in charge of my practice."Accordingly we dined together, though, as far as he was concerned, the dinner was rather an empty ceremo..