Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-10-23
CHAPTER I.

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 CT by results, marked the night 0 of Jan. 23. On that night the
 blackest fog within four years mem- ory fell upon certain portions of Lon don and also on that night came the first announcement of the border ris- ings against the Persian government in the province of KhorasSan-the an- nouncement that, speculated upon, even smiled at, at the time, assumed such significance in the light of after events.
 At 8 o'clock the news spread through the house of commons, but at xen in the inner lobbies were gossiping, not so much upon how far Russia, while ostensibly upholding the shah. had pulled the strings by which the insur- gents danced, as upon the manner in
 which the St. Georges Gazette, the Tory evening newspaper, had seized upon the incident and shaken 1t in the faces of ths government.
 More than once before Lakely, the owner and editor of the St. Georges, had stepped outside the decorous circle of tradition and taken a plunge into modern journalism, but tonight he es- saved deeper waters than before and under an almost sensational heading declared that in this apparently inno- cent border rising we had less an out come of mere racial antagonism than a first faint index of long cherished Russian scheme, growing to a gradual maturity under the drift policy of the present British government.
 The effect produced by this pro- nouncement, if strong. was varied. Members of the opposition saw, or thought they saw, reflection of it in the smiling unconcern on the minis terial benches, and the government had an uneasy sense that behind the newly kindled interest on the other side of the house lay some mysterious scenting of battle from afar off. But though these impressions ran like cleo tricity through the atmosphere, noth- ing tangible marked their passage and the ordinary business of the house pro- ceeded until half past II, when an ad- journmert was moved.
 The first man to hurry from his place was John Chilcote, member for East Wark. He passed out of the house quickly, with the half furtive quick ness that marks self absorbed man. and as he passed the policeman stand ing stolidly under the arched doorway of the big courtyard he swerved lit tie, as if startled out of his thoughts. He realized his swerve almost before 1t was accomplished and pulled him. self together with nervous durability.
 ''Foggy night, constable" he said, with elaborate carelessness.
 ''Foggy night, sir, and thickening up vest responded the man.
 "Ah, indeedw Chilcote's answer was absent. The constable's cheery voice jarred on him. and for the second time he was conscious of senseless irrita- tion. Without further glance at the man, he slipped out into the courtyard md turned toward the main gate.
 At the gateway two cab lamps show ed through the mist of shifting fog like the eyes of a great cat, and the familiar Hanson, sirT came to him indistinctly.
 He paused by force of custom and. stepping forward. had almost touched the open door when new impulse caused him to draw back.
 "No.' he said hurriedly; mo. I'll walk"
 The cabman muttered, lashed his horse and, with chatter of hoofs and harness. wheeled away. while Chilcotc. still with uncertain hastiness, crossed the road in the direction of Whitehall.
 About the abbey the fog had par tially lifted. and in the railed garden l that faces the houses of parliament l the statues were visible in q spectral | way. But Chilcote's glance was unsta- ble and indifferent. He skirted the ! railings heedlessly and, crossing the | road with the speed of long familiar | ity, gained Whitehall on the left hand | side.
 There the fog had dropped. and. look ing upward toward Trafalgar square. 1t seemed that the chain of lamps ex- | tended little farther than the Horse guards and that beyond lay nothing.
 Unconscious of this capricious alter nation between darkness and light. Chilcote continued his course To a close observer the manner of his going had both interest and suggestion. for though he walked on. apparently self engrossed. yet at every dozen steps be started at some sound or some touch, like a man whose nervous system is painfully oyerstrung
 Maintaining his haste. he went de li5erately forward. oblivious of the fact that at each step the curtain of darkness about him became closer. damper. mere tangible: that at each second the passersby jostied each other with greater frequency. Then. abruptly. with a sudden realization of what had happened. he stood quite still Without anticipation or prepa- ration ke had walked full into the Thickness of the fog-a thickness So dense that. as by an e1chanter's wand. tbe figures of a moment before melted. tlre street lamps were sucked up into tfse night.
 His first feeling was a sense of panic 1t the su,lsisn iSOIlti11. his second a thrill cf ne-yOgs apprehension at the arsF7rEs.~s sNNs H4..V a s-rFz---N n.F... .. T.. =