the home of Miss Hamm's uncle, of
which domicile she seems to be the light and the joy. Excluding
herself--and this I would be the last to do--the only member of the
household, save and except domestic servants, is her uncle and
guardian, Mr. Hector Hamm, a widower by reason of death's ravages and a
retired business man of apparent affluent circumstances. This gentleman,
it developed, is much given to the sports of the chase. His study, into
which I was first introduced upon arriving at his domicile shortly
before seven-forty-five, abounds in trophies of his marksmanship, the
walls upon every hand being adorned with the stuffed forms and mounted
heads of birds and animals, testifying not only to his prowess afield
but to the art preservative as exercised by the skilled taxidermist.
Miss Hamm, in her quaint way, spoke of the uncle as an old dear, but
accused him of wasting all his money in the buying of new firearms. It
would appear that no sooner does he behold an advertisement touching
upon a new and improved variety of fowling piece than he is actuated by
an overmastering desire to become its possessor. Strange fancy!

Mr. Hamm is likewise the owner of a number of members of the canine
kingdom, all of them, I should assume, being docile beasts and well
meaning enough, but with an unpleasant habit of sniffing at the calves
of the legs of strangers the while emitting low ominous growling sounds.
Possibly detecting in me some natural apprehension consequent upon the
stealthy approach of one of these pets, Mr. Hamm hastened to inform me
that they rarely bit any one unless they took an instinctive dislike to
him at the moment of meeting. As I drew my limbs well under me, since it
seemed it was my legs which especially aggravated the creature,
meanwhile uttering such soothing remarks as "Good doggie" and "Nice old
Ponto," I could scarce refrain from remarking that if one felt the
desire for the presence of dumb creatures about one, why did not one
choose a cat, of which at least it may be said that its habits are
restful and its customary mien without menace to the humans with whom it
may be thrown in contact?

Presently the uncle withdrew from our society, to my relief taking with
him his pack, whereupon Miss Hamm and I repaired to the parlour
adjacent, where a most delightful evening was had. Miss Hamm's
conversation, even though marked by a levity not at all times in keeping
with the nature of the subject under discuss