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"That is really kind of you," he said heartily "But I'm afraid you'll find hly disagreeable affairs is not a desirable companion"

"You mustn't let me disturb you if you'd rather be alone," said I, with a sudden fear that I was intruding

"Oh, you won't disturb h: "It's more likely to be the other way about In fact, if I were not afraid of boring you to death I would ask you to let me talk my difficulties over with you"

"You won't boreto share another man's experiences without their inconveniences 'The proper study of mankind is--harimly "You make me feel like a microbe," he said "However, if you would care to take a peep at e for your inspection, though it is not ical studies I aent It is my poor brother who is the Deus ex rave, as I fear, pulls the strings of this infernal puppet-show"

He paused, and for a space gazed thoughtfully into the grate as if he had forgotten th he looked up, and resumed: "It is a curious story, Doctor--a very curious story Part of it you know--the , and then you will know as much as I do; for, as to the end, that is known to no one It is written, no doubt, in the book of destiny, but the page has yet to be turned

"The yman of very moderate means, a ith two children, ed to send us both to Oxford, after which John went into the Foreign Office and I was to have gone into the Church But I suddenly discovered that e that made this impossible, and just about this time my father came into a quite considerable property Now, as it was his expressed intention to leave the estate equally divided between my brother and me, there was no need for y was already the passion of my life, and I determined to devote myself henceforth toa family tendency; for my father was an enthusiastic student of ancient Oriental history, and John was, as you know, an ardent Egyptologist