For five hours a day he buried
himself in the laboratory and amused himself with his hobby, but it was
one of his whims that no one, neither any of his servants, nor even
Laura or Robert, should ever cross the threshold of that outlying
building. Day after day he vanished into it, to reappear hours
afterwards pale and exhausted, while the whirr of machinery and the
smoke which streamed from his high chimney showed how considerable were
the operations which he undertook single-handed.
"Could I not assist you in any way?" suggested Robert, as they sat
together after luncheon in the smoking-room. "I am convinced that you
over-try your strength. I should be so glad to help you, and I know a
little of chemistry."
"Do you, indeed?" said Raffles Haw, raising his eyebrows. "I had no
idea of that; it is very seldom that the artistic and the scientific
faculties go together."
"I don't know that I have either particularly developed. But I have
taken classes, and I worked for two years in the laboratory at Sir
Josiah Mason's Institute."
"I am delighted to hear it," Haw replied with emphasis. "That may be of
great importance to us. It is very possible--indeed, almost certain--
that I shall avail myself of your offer of assistance, and teach you
something of my chemical methods, which I may say differ considerably
from those of the orthodox school.
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