Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-12-06

thrill OF nervous apprehension at the
oblivion that had allowed him to be so
entrapped. The second feeling out
weighed the first. He moved forward,
then paused again, uncertain of him
self. Finally. with the consciousness
that inaction was unbearable. he
moved on once more, his eyes wide
open, one hand thrust out as Il protec-
ton and guide.
The fog had closed in behind him rs
heavily rs in front. shutting Off all pos
Sibility of retreat. All about him in
the darkness was 4 confusion of voices
cheerful. dubious. alarmed or angry.
Now and then a sleeve brushed his or
a hand touched him tentatively. 1t
was a strange moment, q moment of
possibilities. to which the %crunchine
wheels, the oaths and laughter from
the blocked traffic of the roadway,
made q continuous accompaniment.
Keeping we'll to the left Chilcote still
beat on. There was a persistence in
his movements that almost amounted
to fear-a fear born of solitude filed
with ~innumerahle sounds. For Il space
he CROPPED about him without result.
then his fingers touched the cold sur
face Of a shattered shop front and a
thrill of reinsurance passed through
him. With renewed haste and clinging
to his landmark as a blind nal might,
he started forward with fresh impetus.
For Il dozen PAGES he moved rapidly
and %unevenly. then the natural result
| occurred. He colliaed with a man com
ing in the opposite direction.
The shock was abrupt. Both mon
swore simultaneously, then both laugh,
ed. The whole thing was casual. hut
Chilcote was in that state of mind
when even the commonplace becomes
abnormal. The other mans eXclama-
ton. the other mans laugh, struck on
his nerve Coming out of the dark
ness, they sounded like a repetition Of
his own.
Nine out of every ten men in London,
given the same social position and the
same education, might reasonably be
expected to express annoyance OF
amusement in the same manner. posi-
bly, in the same tone of voice. and Gill
cote remembered this almost at the
moment of his nervous jar.
"Beastly fog he said aloud. I'm
trying to find Grosvenor square. but
the chances seem rather small"
The other laughed again, and again
the laugh upset Chilcote. He wonder
ed uncomfortably if he was becoming
a prey to illusions. But the stranger
spoke before the question had solved
itself.
I'm afraid they are SMALL" he said.
ut would be almost hard to find ones
way to the devil on a night like this"
Chilcote made a murmur of amuse.
ment and drew back against the shop.
Eyes. We can see now where the
blind man scores in the matter of sal
walton. This is almost a repetition OF
the fog of six years ago. Were yor
out in that" 1t was a habit of his
to jump from one sentence to another
a habit that had grown Of late.
NO" The stranger had also gropeC
his way to the shop front. mo. l was
out of England six years ago."
You were lucky" Chilcote turned
up the collar of his coat. 1T was al
atrocious fog, as black as this, bu'
o universal. l remember it well
1t was the night Lexington made his
great sugar speech. Some of us were
found on Lambeth bridge at 3 in the
morning, having left the house at 12.'
Chilcote seldom INDUCED in reminis
cenceS. but this conversation With III
unseen companion was more like I
soliloquy thar a dialogue. He wa!
almost surprised into an exclamation
when the other caught up his words.
"Ah! The sugar speech" he said
odd that ! should have been lookin:
it up only Yesterday. What a mag
nificent dressing up of a dry subject !;
was! What Il career Lexington prom
ised in those days"
Chilcote changed his position.
You are interested in the mudGli
down at Westminster?' he asked sar
~cas9ically.
"I?' 1t was the turn of the strange
to draw back a step. ooh, read N,
newspaper with the other 5000, OOC
that is all. am an outsider Hi
voice sounded curt. The warmth tina
admiration had brought into it a mo
ment before had frozen abruptly.
IAN outsider" Chilcote repeated
what an enviable word!'
POSSIBLY, to those who are well in
side the ring. But let us 60 back t
Lexington. What q pinnacle the MAJ
reached, and what a drop he had! l
has always seemed to me an extraor
binary instance Of the human leavel
running through us ali. what was til,
real of his collapse" he aske,
suddenly. 'Was it drugs or drink?
have often wished to get at the truth"
Again Chilcote changed his attitude.
us truth ever worth getting att" H.
asked !rrclcvantly.
oh the case Of a public man-yes
He exchanges his privacy for the int,
est Of the masses. If lie gives til!
masses the details OF his success. VIII,
not the details OF his failurei But WA
II drink tlat sucked him underT"
"Nnp ('hllrnta's p~npnnngn .n ,n an sea.