St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-06-28
Il cannot imagine anything so
silly!" she retorted, petulantly.

II cannot imagine anything SO
sil]y!" she retorted, petulantly.
The Philosopher sighed.
"Have you any idea where we are?''
she demanded, shivering.
Il cannot clearly define our. pre-
else position" he replied, "but I con-
ceive that we are proceeding in the
direction of Chelsea"
''Oh, but don't want to go to Chel-
seal" she cried in alarm. II want to
60 to Lancaster Gate! What shall
do?" she added, clasping her hands.
The Philosopher found himself mo-
mentarily embarrassed. AS far al
; his own personal inclinations were
concerned, it was 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-
dices in the matter of a destina ton.
"You must be aware" he said, gent
", shat no cab driver would take
you dozen yards in this fog. Listen
to the sounds around you! They
resolve themselves into one vast uni
versal inquiry! In Piccadilly 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. I 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 sudden flare of torch
| in front of them and out of the dark
ness link boy dashed swiftly past.
"Lucifer-Bearer of Light-stop!"
he cried.
The urchin paused, with grin.
Call me, guv'nor?"
II 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. counsel"
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. 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.
II know tte-at least I 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 'Tube?'"
"The "Tube?'" she cried. eve are
quite close to i'll"
''The idea of distance is purely rela-
tive" he replied. ''When, an hour {
ago, left my club, imagined my
self to be quite close to Trafalgar {
square-yet, in the event, I found I
myself to be fmmeasurably 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 that thick as no. S
body 'cept a mole could fnd is way c
six yards afore him without torch. s
Five shillin', sir!" {
Ten minutes later they paused at d
the mouth Of the Central railway t
station. The Philosopher paid the
link boy five shillings. ION the II
banks of Phlegethon you will find r
many Others" he said. eco and d
search!" Then turning to his COM 9
panion he motioned her courteously 5
to precede him down the steps.
Together they descended, and, 7
once more world of light,
oy a mutual impulse stopped and Il :
each other on the thresh- =
I'D of it. =
The Philosopher started. Before Il
lin he beheld young girl of the a
most bewildering loneliness. Her soft y
blue eyes were directed to his with ~
IN expression of timid curiosity, in q
which there was the dawning blend =
# gratitude diftidently conveyed. :,
She, too, started-for she had mag -
ned herself to be in the company of :,
) benevolent and middle-aged gentle
nan of peculiar, though interesting "
Jews, whose protection, paternally 81
'ffered, maiden so situated might h
without loss of maidenly dignity &C 81
ept. h.
Instead, she perceived, gazing into O,
er face with an admiration ill con- b,
called. a young and singularly hand d
ONE man of Is. Of
II fancied. II thought you were
ute an old man all the time" she
altered, cor, Of course" She broke
# with an e,oq1ent blush, and
ropped her eyes.