Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-03-04

him. With renewed haste and clinging
to his landmark as blind man might,
he started forward with fresh impetus.
For a dozen PAGES he moved rapidly
and unevenly, then the natural result
occurred. BE 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 OF
amusement in the same manner, posi-
bly, in the same tone Of voice, and Chill
cote remembered this almost Mt the
moment Of his nervous jar.
"Beastly fogr' 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
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 night like this"
Chilcote made murmur Of amuse-
ment and drew back against the shop.
'Yes. We can see now where the
blind man scores in the matter of sal
walton. This is almost repetition of
the fog Of six years ago. Were you
out in that?" 1t was habit Of his
to jump from one sentence to another.
habit that had grown OF late.
NO" The stranger had also CROPPED
his way to the shop front. "No, was
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
luOAC u0lN CIo0l. ACllCAhOCA ~ NCAA.
It 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 IL"
Chilcote seldom INDUCED In reminis-
cences but this conversation with an
unseen companion was more like a
soliloquy than a dialogue. He was
almost surprised into an exclamation
when the other caught up his words.
"Ah! The sugar speechp' he said.
odd that should have been looking
1t up only yesterday. What mag
nificent dressing up of dry subject 1t
was! What career Lexington prom
Used in those days!"
Chilcote changed his position.
"You are interested in the middle
down at Westminster? he asked sar-
castically.
'IY' It was the turn Of the stranger
to draw back step. "Oh, read my
newspaper with the other 5000, 600.
that is all. am an outsider" His
voice sounded curt. The warmth that
admiration had brought into it mo-
ment before had frozen abruptly.
can outsider" Chilcote repeated.
What an enviable wordv'
Possibly. to those who are well In
side the ring. But let us go back to
Lexington. What pinnacle the man
reached, AVID what drop he had! 1t
has always seemed to me an extraor-
binary instance Of the human leaven
running through lis all. What was the
real cause of his collapseY' he asked
suddenly. WAS it drugs or drink?
have often wished to get at the truth"
Again Chilcote changed his attitude.
t'Is truth ever worth getting aty' he
asked irrelevantly.
"In the case Of public man-yes.
He exchanges his privacy for the inter
est of the masses. II he gives the
masses the details of his success, why
not the details of his failure? But was
II drink that sucked him undery'
mo" Chilcote's response came after
pause.
"Drugs?"
Again Chilcote hesitated. And at
the moment of his INDIGESTION woman
brushed past him laughing Doisterous-
~. The sound Jared him.
'eWas 1t drugs?" the stranger went on
easily. II have always had theory
that 1t vas
Eyes. 1t was morphia." The answer
came before Chilcote had realized 1t.
The woman's laugh at the strangers
quiet persistence had contrived to
draw 1t from him. Instantly he had
spoken he looked about him quickly,
like one who has for moment for
gotten a necessary vigilance.
There was silence while the stranger
thought over the information just given
him. Then he spoke again, with new
touch of vehemence.
$50 imagined" he said, Though, on
my soul, never really credited it. To
have gained SO much and to have
thrown it away for common vice"
He made an exclamation Of disgust.
Chilcote gavs an unsteady laugh.
"You Judge hardly" he said.
The other repeated his sound OF con-
tempt. "Justly SO. No man has the
right to souander what another would
give his soul for. 1t lessons the gen.
eral respect for power
"You are believer in power? The
tone was sarcastic, but the sarcasm
sounded thin.