The Man Who Was Running

           IntheearlyeveningtimeDr.KempwassittinginhisstudyinthebelvedereonthehilloverlookingBurdock. Itwasapleasantlittleroom,withthreewindows—north,west,andsouth—andbookshelvescoveredwithbooksandscientificpublications,andabroadwriting-table,and,underthenorthwindow,amicroscope,glassslips,minuteinstruments,somecultures,andscatteredbottlesofreagents. Dr.Kemp'ssolarlampwaslit,albeittheskywasstillbrightwiththesunsetlight,andhisblindswereupbecausetherewasnooffenceofpeeringoutsiderstorequirethempulleddown. Dr.Kempwasatallandslenderyoungman,withflaxenhairandamoustachealmostwhite,andtheworkhewasuponwouldearnhim,hehoped,thefellowshipoftheRoyalSociety,sohighlydidhethinkofit. 

           Andhiseye,presentlywanderingfromhiswork,caughtthesunsetblazingatthebackofthehillthatisoveragainsthisown. Foraminuteperhapshesat,peninmouth,admiringtherichgoldencolourabovethecrest,andthenhisattentionwasattractedbythelittlefigureofaman,inkyblack,runningoverthehill-browtowardshim. Hewasashortishlittleman,andheworeahighhat,andhewasrunningsofastthathislegsverilytwinkled. 

           "Anotherofthosefools,"saidDr.Kemp. "Likethatasswhoranintomethismorningroundacorner,withthe''VisibleMana-coming,sir!'Ican'timaginewhatpossessespeople. Onemightthinkwewereinthethirteenthcentury." 

           Hegotup,wenttothewindow,andstaredattheduskyhillside,andthedarklittlefiguretearingdownit. "Heseemsinaconfoundedhurry,"saidDr.Kemp,"buthedoesn'tseemtobegettingon. Ifhispocketswerefulloflead,hecouldn'trunheavier." 

           "Spurted,sir,"saidDr.Kemp.