There was no compromise in the set of the firm
lips, or the blue eyes beaming pleasantly from behind the gold-rimmed
spectacles; and so, with a polite sentence or two on his lips, but with
some vexation at his heart, Horace Maybold turned away and went down to
his club.

During the rest of that summer Horace was pretty much occupied, yet his
memory never relaxed its grip of the Professor and his new butterfly.
He had upon his writing-table the coloured plate from a scientific
magazine, whereon was depicted that rare species; and as he refreshed
his memory with it now and again, he determined more than ever to
possess himself of specimens of the original. As far as possible he
kept a sharp eye on the Professor's movements until the middle of
September, when, happening to return to town from a few days' shooting,
he ran across the old gentleman in Piccadilly.

"Well, Professor," said Horace, genially, "how goes the world with you?
I suppose you will be leaving England for the Cape again presently?"

"Yes," returned the old gentleman, who seemed in excellent spirits; "I
expect to be sailing early in October. I want to have a fortnight or
more in Cape Town at the Museum there. After that I propose proceeding
to my old hunting-ground of last year."

"Where you discovered the new _Achraea_?" interposed Horace.

"Exactly," rejoined the old gentleman.

"I quite envy you, Professor," went on Horace. "I am in two minds about
visiting South Africa myself this winter. The Orange River country
hasn't been half ransacked yet, or Kaffraria either, for that matter. I
haven't settled my plans; but I may have a turn at one or the other."

Now Kaffraria lies not very far to the east of the Professor's own
collecting-ground, that sacred spot which held his great secret yet
inviolate. The old gentleman's face changed perceptibly; a stiffer line
or two appeared about his mouth; he looked with some suspicion into
Horace's eyes, and said, rather shortly: "Ah, well! I am told the
Orange River is an excellent and untried region. But, entomologically,
South Africa upon the whole _is_ poor. My visits there are mainly for
health and change. But I must be getting on; I have much to do.
Good-bye, Mr Maybold--good-bye!"

The Professor passed on down St James's Street, and Horace sauntered
along Piccadilly with a smile upon his face. The old gentleman had
imparted something of his movements. Should he follow them up? Yes; he
mus