Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-05-15
Il cannot imagine anything so
silly!" she retorted, p~etulantly.
The pbiloSopbar v;1b.d

g" cannot imagine anything so
silly" she retorted, petulantly.
The Philosopher sighed.
Have you any idea where we are?"
she demanded, shivering.
-" cannot clearly define our pre-.
else position" he replied, but l con.
ceive that we are proceeding in the
direction of Chelsea"
"Oh, but don't want to 60 to Chel-
SEAL" she cried in alarm. Il want to
go to Lancaster Gate! What shall |
doP" she added, clasping her hands.
The Philosopher found himself mo-
mentarily embarrassed. As far as
his W personal inclinations were
concerned, it was a circumstance of
equal Indifference whether he went
to Chelsea or Belgravia. But his
companions distress was evident,
and, in a measure, he had constituted
himself her protector. He felt, there
fore, that he must consult her preju-
dlces in the matter of a destination.
You must be aware he said, gent
ly, that no cab driver would take
you a dozen yards in this fog. Listen
to the sounds around you! They
resolve themselves into one vast uni
versal inquiry! In Piccadillv Circus
buses and cabs were locked together,
midstreet, in an ineXtricable wedge
of helpless interrogation. Here
wherever we are, it is little better.
The more venturesome of the bus
drivers are leading their horses. One
slipped past us just now. / heard the
CRATE of the wheel on the edge of the
pavement. If we were still in the
region of shops, we might step in
and investigate our locality. AS it
is"
Look, look!" she interrupted.
"Call him, quick!"
There was a sudden fare of a torch
in front of them and out of the dark
ness a link boy dashed swiftly past.
"Lucifer-Bearer of Light-stop!'
he cried.
The urchin paused, with a grin.
"Call me, guv'nor?"
81 did. If you can spare the time,
be good enough to tell me-tell us
where we are
where you are? Why, in Bond
street, o course!"
Bond street," repeated the Phil
osopher.
Bond street, echoed his compan-
ion, with a gasp of unutterable relief
at the familiar home-like sound.
Little boy, stay-don't leave us!"
Leave yer-well, wot d yer think,
Miss? I've got my bizness ter attend
to, tool" retorted the boy, impor-
family.
YOUTH" said the Philosopher, you
are master of the situation-a plebe-
ian Charon controlling the vagrant
Shades. l engage your services. If
you insist upon going home," he
added, turning to his charge, 1--WE
cannot do better than follow our
Charon to the neither world.''
But this is Bond street, she eX-
claimed, still with the ring of relief
in her silvery voice.
81 know it-at least ] am willing
to believe it, since Charon says so.
Who better than he can conduct us
to the Plutonian Realms-the Subter-
ranean regions of the 'Tnbe?'"
"The 'Tube?'" she cried. 1--WE are
quite close to it,"
"Ihe idea of distance is purely rela-
tive" he replied. when, an hour
ago, / left my club, | imagined my
self to De quite close to Trafalgar
square-yet, in the event, | found
myself to be UNNECESSARILY far from
that historic locality. Boy! lead us
instantly to the station called Bond
street. Charon shall have his fee"
"The Tube sir? Yes, I'll take
You there-Bond street; it amt very
fur, but the fog is hat thick as no.
body 'cept a mole could find is way
six yards afore him without a torch.
Five shillin'. sir!!"
Ten minutes later they paused at
the mouth of the Central railway
station. The Philosopher paid the
link boy five shillings. ION the
banks of Phlegethon you will find
many Others" he said. $50 and
search" Then turning to his COM
panion he motioned her courteously
to precede him down the steps.
Together they descended. and,
reaching once more a world of light,
by a mutual impulse stopped and
confronted each other on the thresh-
old of it.
The Philosopher started. Before
him he beheld a young girl of the
most bewilderinG loneliness. Her soft
blue eyes were directed to his with
an expression of timid curiosity, in
which there was the dawning blend
of a gratitude efficiently conveyed.
She, too, started--for she had mag
ined herself to be in the company of
a benevolent and middle-aged gentle
man of peculiar. though interesting
views, whose protection, paternafly
offered, a maiden so situated might
without loss of maidenly dignity ac-
Instead. she perceived. gazing into
her face with an admiration i'll con-
cealed, a young and singularly hand
man of 25.
Il fancied. II thought you We're
quite an old man all the time" she
faltered, "or, of course" She broke
off with an eloquent blush, and
dropped her eyes.
"Facilis descensus Averno-" muir.
INJURED the Philosopher. still gazing
IN the half-averted face before him.
"SeI raypcara urnI1p,s & Y