As chairman of the Ailesworth County Council, and its most prominent unpaid public official--after the mayor--Sir Deane Elmer was certainly the most important member of the Local Authority, and Challis wisely sought him at once. He found him in the garden of his comparatively small establishment on the Quainton side of the town. Elmer was very much engaged in photographing flowers from nature through the ruled screen and colour filter--in experimenting with the Elmer process, in fact; by which the intermediate stage of a coloured negative is rendered unnecessary. His apparatus was complicated and cumbrous. "Show Mr. Challis out here," he commanded the man who brought the announcement. "You must forgive me, Challis," said Elmer, when Challis appeared. "We haven't had such a still day for weeks. It's the wind upsets us in this process. Screens create a partial vacuum." He was launched on a lecture upon his darling process before Challis could get in a word. It was best to let him have his head, and Challis took an intelligent interest. It was not until the photographs were taken, and his two assistants could safely be trusted to complete the mechanical operations, that Elmer could be divorced from his hobby. He was full of jubilation. "We should have excellent results," he boomed--he had a tremendous voice--"but we shan't be able to judge until we get the blocks made. We do it all on the spot. I have a couple of platens in the shops here; but we shan't be able to take a pull until to-morrow morning, I'm afraid. You shall have a proof, Challis. We should get magnificent results." He looked benignantly at the vault of heaven, which had been so obligingly free from any current of air. Challis was beginning to fear that even now he would be allowed no opportunity to open the subject of his mission. But quite suddenly Elmer dropped the shutter on his preoccupation, and with that ready adaptability which was so characteristic of the man, forgot his hobby for the time being, and turned his whole attention to a new subject. "Well?" he said, "what is the latest news in anthropology?" "A very remarkable phenomenon," replied Challis. "That is what I have come to see you about." "I thought you were in Paraguay pigging it with the Guaranis----" "No, no; I don't touch the Americas," interposed Challis. "I want all your attention, Elmer. This is important." "Come into my study," said Elmer, "and let us have the facts. What will you have--tea, whisky, beer?" Challis's résumé of the facts need not be reported. When it was accomplished, Elmer put several keen questions, and finally delivered his verdict thus: