Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-02

times a port that's In plain sight
seems further off than Chiny.-The
Log Book of The Lyddy.
The embankment walks were so dimly
lighted and the fog along the river was so
dense that Parton found it difficult to keep
in the paths instead of wandering off upon
the grass plots. When, at last, he reached
the rivers edge, progress was easier, for he
could guide himself by keeping his hand
upon the low granite wall
Thus, carefully feeling his way, he event
ually reached the hill which precedes the
approach to Blackfriar's bridge, and, climb
ing 1t and crossing Blackfrar's road, found
himself In the tangle Of narrow streets
which lay beyond it-busy by day, but al
most deserted after nightfall.
After he had plunged deeply into this
darkness and found it to be puzzling, he sat
down upon stone post to think. His plans
lndennite as they had been. had so far
worked out well. The first stage Of his
night had been successfully ACCOMPLISHED.
he mad dropped out of the sight of that
part or London where he might reasonably
De expected to be found. and had not once
been questioned in the process.
BY what he considered, as he sat there
on the post. rather clever maneuvering he
had left distinct suggestion of a trail to
faras by booking his bag and his passage
fected. were matters of record, and in case
inquiries were made at Charing Cross sta
ton those records would be found.
where he was really bound for he did not
quite know. He had chosen the West India
docks az the starting point of his flight
from London. He had decided purely for
purposes of prudence, that 1t must be some
land over which there flew flag other than
the Union Jack, because of the danger of
extradition in case he fled to a British
colony.
He reflected, bitterly, that England no
longer held for him any binding ties A
meeting suggestion OF an interest which,
even In his then unpleasant pass he wished
were binding tie, he tried to put out of
his mind as being too absurd for considera-
ton. He realized that the fact that he had
falien In love with a girl almost at first
sight was poor basis from which to argue
that she might have fallen in love with him
as suddenly. And the fact that this girl
would In all likelihood be taught to regard
MS night as the sequel to fraud upon her
self was bitter to him.
He knew very little about that part Of
London into which he had wandered, but
he was certain in a general way. that he
mad been going in the direction of the
docks. The points of embarkation for most
or those who go as passengers from Eng
land are Liverpool, Southampton and
portsmouth; though London itself is the
greatest British port for the reception and
embarkat1on of ocean freight. Parton ar
gued that the police would be unlikely to
look to the docks in London for a fugitive
who had plenty of money and whose desire
would naturally be to flee from England
as rapidly as he could
But as time passed after he had again
started on his wanderings he became more
and more impressed with the fact that find
ing the docks without making INQUIRIES
would be matter of Unexpectedly serious
difnculty. Many times he became so con-
fused In the smother of the fog and the
labyrinth of twisting thoroughfares that he
10 yr,n1
whether he might not be turned about and
passing back over the track which he had
already followed.
Then suddenly man approached him
and blue clothed arm reached out toward
him. The hand at the end of the discon-
certing sleeve had lightly caught his arm
before he had time to shrink back, almost
faint from shock.
Involuntarily he clinched his fist o,,icl,,v
resolved to make a fight of 1t, and then cut
and run If he succeeded in getting away.
taking his chances on being able to elude
his pursuer in the fog.
Parton was ready for the words which
should have followed this grip from a blue
coated arm:
Il arrest YOU in the name of the law"
The words which really came to him were
Inherent. The stranger said to him in a
voice which had both pleading and COM
plant in 1t:
''Hi begs your pardon. but were in ellis
Blackfriar's bridge?"
WIN d ichcI WIiCH cOulu De scarcely eX-
aggerated in description. Parton told the
stranger how to get to Blackfriar's bridge,
The mere feeling that the man was not his
enemy reacted on him and made him re-
gard him as a friend.
He commented on the thickness of the
weather. He found that 1t was exceedingly
good to talk to some one. Also, as he saw
that the blue OF the strangers coat was that
of the somewhat faded uniform Of steam
ships petty officer instead OF the smart ap-
parel OF a policeman. 1t occurred to him that
the stranger might be able to return his
service by making clear the way to the
distant docks. He suggested that they ad-
5ourn to discuss the streets OF London at
their leisure in nearby public house
whose lights were glimmering family
through the fog.
Parton had decided that he would leave
London. II possible, on sailing vessel, be-
cause he argued that their passengers would
be less carefully scrutinized than those who
sailed on the more important steamers
The sailor told him that one Of the best
of the few sailing vessels still in the trans
Atlantic trade was In port at that moment.
although he thought that she was to sail In
q day or two Her name was the Lydia
Skolfeld.
Parton made q mental note Of this and