Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-30


memory fell upon certain portions of Lon
DON and also on that night came the first
announcement Of the border risings against
the Persian government In the province of
Khorasan-the announcement that, specu-
lated upon. even smiled at, at the time. as
sumed such significance in the light OF
after events.
AT o'clock the news spread through the
house Of commons. but at men in the
inner Hobbies were gossiping, not so much
upon how far Russia. while ostensibly up
holding the shah. had pulled the strings by
which the insurgents 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 the government
More than once before L.akely-the owner
and editor Of the St Cfeorge's-had stepped
outside the decorous circle OF tradition and
taken plunge into modern journalism. but
tonight he essayed deeper waters than be-
fore and under an almost sensational
heading declared that In this apparently in
noCent border rising had less an out
come of mere racial antagonism than
FIRST faint index of a ng-cherished Rus
sian scheme growing to be a gradual ma
turIty under the drift policy of the pres
ent British government
The effect produced by this pronounce
rnent II strong. was varied. Members of
the opposition saw, or thought they saw, a
reflection Of it In the smiling unconcern on
the ministerial benches; and the govern
rpent had an uneasy sense that behind the
newly kindlsd interest on the other side of
the house lay some mysterious scenting OF
battle from afar off. But though these I'M
pressions ran Ike electricity through the
atmosphere. nothing tangible marked their
passage. and the ordinary business OF the
house proceeded until half-past eleven
when an adjournment was moved.
L. f-r,rr, h rN1-r rr-1G
John Chilcote member for East Wark. He
passed out of the house quickly. with the
half-furtive quickness that marks self
absorbed man; and as he passed the police
man standing stolidiy under the arched
doorway of the big courtyard he swerYed
little, as If startled out of his thoughts.
He realized his swerve almost before 1t was
accomplished, and pulled himself together
with nervous irritability.
i'Foggy night eonstabier' he said, with
elaborate CaTeleSSneSs.
"Foggy night, sir. and thickening up
west" responded the man
"Ah, indeed" Chilcote's answer was
absent. The constable's CHEEKY voice Jared
on him, and for the second time he
was conscious of senseless irritation.
without further glance at the man, he
slipped out into The courtyard and turned
toward the main gate.
AT the gateway two cab lamps showed
through the mist OF shifting fog like the
eyes of a great cat. and the familiar Han
som. sir?" came to him indistinctly.
He paused by force OF CUSTOM and step
ping forward, had almost touched the open
door when a new Impulse caused MN 10
draw back.
No he said. hurriedly. mo. I'll walk
The cabman muttered, dashed his horse,
and with clatter of hoofs and harness
wheeled away. while Chlcote. still with I'M
certain hastiness, crossed the road In the
direction of Whitehall
About the abbey the fog had partially
lifted, and in the rallied garden that races
90 .arlI ant
visible in spectral way. But Chileo'as
glance was unstable and Indifferent; he
skirted the ratings heedlessly, and, cross
ing the road with the speed of long fanli-
iarity, gained Whitehall on the ieil-haho
side
There the fog had dropped. and, looking
upward toward Trafalgar Square 1t seemed
that the chain of lamps extended little TAR
Their than the Horse GUARDS, anu mat oe-
yond lay nothing
Tnconscious of this capricious alienation
between darkness and light, Chllcote con-
tinued his course. To a close observer the
manner of his going had both interest and
suggestion: for though he walked on, APP
pareutly self-engrossed yet at every dozen
steps ne started al some sound or some
touch Ike a man whose nervous system =
painfully overstruug
Maintaining his haste, he went deitb-
erately forward, Oblivtous OF the fact ina
at each step the curtain of darkness ABOUT
him became closer, damper, more tanslpte!
that at each second the passers-by 1ostled
each other with greater frequency. Ihen,
abruptly, with a sudden realization of what
had happened. he stood quite still. Nlthout
anticiDatiOn or preparation he hau Walkeu
fuu into the thickness of the fog-a thlck-
ness so dense that, by an enchanteT
wand the figures OF a moment before melt
ed. the street lamps were sucked up INTO
the night
His first feeling was a sense Of panic at
the sudden isolation. his second thrill OF
nervous apprehension at the oblivion tnat
had allowed him 10 be so entrapped, ne
second feeling outweighed the first. lie
moved forward. then paused again. uncer-
Tain or himself Finally, with the con
eciouSuess that inacttcn was unbearaDie, ne
moved on once more. his eyes wide open,
one hand thrust cut as a protection ana
guide ,,.,,
fly as in front shutting of all possipihty OF
retreat all about him in the darkness was
a confusion of voices - cheerful, dubious
alarmed, or angry: now and then sleeve
brushed his or hand touched MN tehIa-
lively. IL was d strange moment, mo
rneut Of possibilities 10 which the crunchinS
wheels the oaths and laughter from the
blocked traffic OF the roadway, made con-
tinuous accompan.menL
EeaDinR we'll 20 the left, Chilcote still beat
on. there was a persistence in his move
,,,eurs that almost amounted 10 fear--a fear
horn of the solitude filed with innumeraole
sounds For a space he CROPPED about MN
w hotIt result then MS fingers touched the
cold surface OF a suffered shop-front,
and a thrill OF reinsurance passed through
him with renewed haste, and cling
tnr to his landmark as a blind man might
he started forward with fresh impetus
For a dozen PAGES he moved rapidly ana
ureveuly then the natural result occurred.
He colltded with man coming In the OPP
pcsite direction
The shock was abrupt. Both men swore
simultaneously. then both laughed The
whole thing was casual. but Chilcote was
In that state OF mind when even the com
Inonplacs becomes abnormal. The other
man : excla mat!ou, the other man laugh
struck on his nerves. coming out of the
darkness they sounded like repetition or
his own.
Nine out OF every ten men in London.
given the same social position and the
same education, might reasonably be eX-
pected 20 express annoyance or amusement
in the same manner possibly in the same
tone OF voice, and Chilcote remembered
this almost at the moment of his nervous
tar
"Beastly fogr' he said aloud TIN try
Ing 20 find Grosveuor square. but the
chances seem rather small
The other laughed again, and again the
laugh upset Chiicote. He wondered uncom-
fortably II he was becoming prey TO
Illusions But the stranger spoke before
the question had solved itself.
I'm afraid they are small he said. 1T
he al M ha RI To fn5