The Red Cloud chief., 1906-12-07

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other with greater frequency. Then.
abruptly, with II sudden realization of
what had happened. he stood quite
still. without anticipation or prcpl-
ration he had walked full into the
thickness of the fog-a thickness so
dense that, as by an cnchantcr's wand,
the figures Of Il moment before melted.
the street lamps were sucked up into
the night.
His first feeling was a sense Of panic
It the sudden isolation, his second n
thrill of nervous apprehension at the
oblivion that had allowed him to he 50
entrappcd. The second feeling out
weighed the first. lie moved forward,
then paused again. uncertain of him.
self. Finally, with the consciousness
that inaction was unbcarable, he
moved on once more, his eyes wide
open. one hand thrust out as a protec-
ton and guide.
The fog had closed in behind him rs
heavily as in front, shutting off all pos
sibility Of retreat. All about him In
the darkness was II confusion of voices
cheerful. dubious. alarmed or angry.
Now ana then a sleeve brushed his or
q hand touched him tentatively. 1t
was II strange moment, a moment OF
possibilities, to which the crunching
wheels, the oaths and laughter from
the blocked traffic of the roadway,
made n continuous accompaniment.
Keeping well to the left Chilcote still
beat on. There was a persistence In
his movements that almost amounted
to fear-a fear born Of solitude filled
with innumerable sounds. FOr a space
he CROPPED about him without result.
then his fingers touched the cold sur
face Of q suffered shop front and a
thru Of reinsurance passed through
him. With renewed haste and clinging
to his landmark as a blind man might.
he started forward with fresh impetus.
For a dozen PAGES he moved rapidly
and u%nevenly. then the natural result
occurred. He collided with a man COM
ing in the opposite direction.
The shock was abrupt. Both men
swore simultaneously, then both laugh
ed. The whole thing IA casual, but
SIlltOlt "HS III 'i"t 4" w '''''
when even the commonplace becomes
abnormal. The other mans cXclama-
ton. the other mans laugh. struck on
his nerves. Coming out of the dark
ness, they sounded like a repetition of
his own.
Nine out OF every ten men in London,
given the anne social position and the
same education, might reasonably be
expected TO express annoyance or
amusement in the same manner. posi-
bly, in the same tone of voice, and Chill
cote remembered this almost ut 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 Chllcote. He wonder
ed uncomfortably If he vas becoming
a prey to illusions. But the stranger
spoke before the question had solved
itself.
TN afraid they are small" he said.
1T would be almost hard to find ones
way to the devil Oh a night like ibis"
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 II repetition Of
the fog of six years ago. Were you
out in thatT" 1t was u habit OF his
to Jump from one sentence to another,
a habit that had grown of late.
mo" The stranger had also CROPPED
his way to the shop front. NO, l vas
out of England six years ago"
You were lucky" Chilcote turned
up the collar of his coat. 1T was an
atrocious fog, as black as this, but
more 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 -"
Chilcote seldom INDUCED in reminis,
cences, but this conversation with an
unseen companion was more like O
+, soliloquy than a dialogue. He was
almost surprised into an exclamation
when the other caught up his words.
"Ah! The sugar speech!' he said
: "Odd that / should have been looking
:, 1t up only yesterday. What a mag
4 niicent dressing up of a dry subject II
3 was! What a career Lexington prom
r Used In those days!"
( Chilcote changed his position.
E you are interested In the middle
!, down at Westminster" he asked sar
s castically.
III" 1t was the turn of the stranger
= to draw back a step. "Oh, l read my
Q newspaper with the other 5000, 900
Z that Is all. am an outsider" Hi,