Challenger, Professor (Fictitious character) -- Fiction; Spiritualism -- Fiction
“Well, that’s where he impinges on you. I was thinking maybe you could
hunt in couples, and there would be copy in it. There’s a leaderette in
the _Evening Standard_.” He handed it over. It ran thus:
“A quaint advertisement in the columns of a contemporary shows that
the famous Lord John Roxton, third son of the Duke of Pomfret, is
seeking fresh worlds to conquer. Having exhausted the sporting
adventures of this terrestrial globe, he is now turning to those of
the dim, dark and dubious regions of psychic research. He is in the
market apparently for any genuine specimen of a haunted house, and
is open to receive information as to any violent or dangerous
manifestation which called for investigation. As Lord John Roxton
is a man of resolute character and one of the best revolver shots
in England, we would warn any practical joker that he would be
well-advised to stand aside and leave this matter to those who are
said to be as impervious to bullets as their supporters are to
common sense.”
McArdle gave his dry chuckle at the concluding words.
“I’m thinking they are getting pairsonal there, friend Malone, for if
you are no a supporter, you’re well on the way. But are you no of the
opeenion that this chiel and you between you might put up a spook and
get two racy columns off him?”
“Well, I can see Lord Roxton,” said Malone. “He’s still, I suppose, in
his old rooms in the Albany. I would wish to call in any case, so I can
open this up as well.”
Thus it was that in the late afternoon just as the murk of London broke
into dim circles of silver, the pressman found himself once more walking
down Vigo Street and accosting the porter at the dark entrance of the
old-fashioned chambers. Yes, Lord John Roxton was in, but a gentleman
was with him. He would take a card. Presently he returned with word that
in spite of the previous visitor, Lord Roxton would see Malone at once.
An instant later, he had been ushered into the old luxurious rooms with
their trophies of war and of the chase. The owner of them with
outstreched hand was standing at the door, long, thin, austere, with the
same gaunt, whimsical, Don Quixote face as of old. There was no change
save that he was more aquiline, and his eyebrows jutted more thickly
over his reckless, restless eyes.
“Hullo, young fellah!” he cried. “I was hopin’ you’d draw this old
covert once more. I was comin’ down to the office to look you up. Come
in! Come in! Let me introduce you to the Reverend Charles Mason.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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