The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-20
Continued from Page One.)

caused him to draw back.
NO" he said hurriedly; mo. II
walk"
The cabman muttered, dashed his
horse and, with a clatter of hoofs and
harness. wheeled away, while Chilcote.
still with uncertain hastiness, crossed
the road in the direction of Whitehall.
About the abbey the fog had par
TALLY lifted, and in the rallied garden
that faces the houses of parliament
the statues were visible in a spectral
way. But ChiIcote's glance was unsta-
BILE and Indifferent He skrted the
ratings heedlessly and, crossing the
road with the speed of long familiar
fly, gained Whitehall on the left hand
side.
There the fog had dropped, and, look
ing upward toward Trafalgar square,
it 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
close observer tie manner Of his going
had both interest and suggestion. for
though he walked on, apparently self
engrossed, yet at every dozen steps he
started at some sound or some touch.
like man whose nervous system is
painfully overstrung.
Maintaining his haste he went de
liberately forward, oblivious of the
fact that at each step the curtain of
darkness about him became closer
damper, more tangible; that at each
second the passersby jostled each
other with greater frequency. Then.
abruptly, with a sudden realization of
what had happened, he stood quite
still. Without anticipation or prepa
ration he had walked full into the
thickness of the fog-a thickness so
dense that as by an enchanter's wand.
the figures of a moment before melted,
the street lamps were sucked up into
the night.
His first feeling was sense of panic
at the sudden isolation. his second
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 a protee-
ton and guide.
The fog had closed in behind him as
heavily as in front shutting off all pos
sibility of retreat. All about him il
the darkness was confusion of voices
cheerful. dubious, alarmed or angry.
Now and then Il sleeve brushed his or
a hand touched him tentatively. 1t
was strange moment, a moment of
possibilities. to which the crunching
wheels, the oaths and laughter from
the blocked traffic of the roadway.
made 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 filed
with innumerable sounds. For space
he CROPPED about him without result
then his fingers touched the cold sur
face of suffered shop front and a
thrill 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 n dozen PAGES he moved rapidly
and unevenly. then the natural result
occurred. He collided with man com
ing in the opposite direction.
The shock was abrupt Both men
swore simultaneously. then both laugh
ed. The whole thing was casual, but |
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 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 same 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 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
1T would be almost hard to find one.
way to the devil on night like this"
Chilcote made a murmur Of amuse
ment and drew back against the shop
Yes. We can see now where L.
blind man scores in the matter of s..
vatton- This is almost a repetition
he fog OF SIX years ago. Were yo.