Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-08-06

. CHAPTER l.
He nodded vigorously at the naval officer and the American,
after first glancing d%oubtfuly toward the servants at the far end of
the room, leaning forward across the table. The others drew their
chairs nearer and bent toward him. The baronet glanced irresolutely
atads watch, and|with an exclamation of annoyance snapped down the
lid "They can wait" he muttered. He seated himself quickly and
nodded at Lieutenant Sears. ~m~t~ "a, ..@z-
IF you will be 50 kind as to begin, sir" he said impahently.
"Of course" said the American, "you understand that I under
stand that | am speaking to gentlemen. The condolences of this Club
are inviolate. Until the police give the facts to the public press, Il
must consider you my confederates. You have heard nothing, YOU
know no one connected with this mystery. Even I must remain anonv-
NOUS" ~~-~~p-rrTasnr47~m
Ihe gentlemen seated around him nodded gravely.
"Of course" the baronet assented with eagerness, "of course"
eve will refer to it" said the gentleman with the b]acl, noar1 "as
The Story of the Naval Attache'"
81 arrived in London two days ago." said the American uand r.
engaged a room at the Bath Hotel. I know very few people in Lon
don, and even the members of our embassy were strangers to me. But
IN Hong Kong [ had become great pals with an officer in your navy.
who has since retired, and who is now living in a small house in Rut:
land Gardens opposite the Knightsbrdge Barracks. 1 telegraphed him
that 1 was in London, and yesterday morning I received a most hearty
invitation to dine with him the same evening at his house. He is q
bachelor, S o W e dined alone and talked over all our old days on the
Asiatic Station, and of the changes which had come to u since " had
last met there. As I was leaving the next morning for my post at
Petersburg, and had many letters to write, I told him, about 10
O'Clock, that I must gt. back to the hotel, and he sent out his servant
to call a hanson.
"For the next quarter of an hour, as we sat talking, we could hear
the cab whistle sounding violently from the doorstep, but apparently
with no result.
"It cannot be that the cabmen are on strike' my friend said, as
he rose and walked to the window.
"He pulled back the curtains and at once called to me.
"'You have never seen a London fog, have you g he asked. well.
come here. This is one of the best, OR, rather, one of the worst, of
them [ joined him at the window, but I could see nothing. Had I
not known that the house looked out upon the street I would have
believed that I was facing a dead wall. I raised the sash and stretched
out my head, but still [ could see nothing. Even the light of the street
lamps opposite, and in the upper windows of the barracks, had been
smothered in the yellow mist. The lights of the room in which I stood
penetrated the fog only to the distance of a few inches from m Y ewes.
"Below me the servant was still sounding his whistle. but I could
afford to wait no longer, and told my friend that I would try and find
the way to my hotel on foot. He objected, but the letters I had to
write were for the Navy Department. and, besides, L had always heard
that to be out in a London fog was the most wonderful experience,
and / was curious to investigate one for myself.
'My friend went with me to his front door and laid down q course
for me to follow. [ was first to walk straight across the street to the
brick wall of the Knightsbridge Barracks. I was then to feel nv wv
along the wall until I came to a row of houses set back from the side
walk. They would bring me to a cross street. On the other side of
this street was a DIV of shops which I was to follow until they joined
the iron ratings of Hyde Park. I was to keep to the ratings until [
reached the gates at Hyde Park Corner, where I was to lay a diagonal
course across Piccadily, and tack in toward the ratings of Green
Park. At the end of these ratings, going east, / would find the Wal
singham, and my own hotel.
'To a sailor the course did not seem difficult; so I babe my friend
goodnight and walked forward until my feet touched the paving. I
continued upon it until I reached the curling of the sidewalk. A few
steps further, and my hands struck the wall of the barracks. I turned
in the direction from which [ had. Just come and saw a square of faint
light cut in the yellow fog. [ shouted all right and the voice of my
friend answered, Good luck to you The light from his open door
disappeared with a bang, and 1 was left alone in a dripping, yellow
darkness. I have been in the Navy for ten years, but I have never
known such a fog as that Of last night, not even among the icebergs Of
Behring Sea. There INC at least could see the light of the pinnacle,
but last night l could not even distinguish the hand by which I guided
myself along the barrack wall. At sea a fog is a natural phenomenon.
It is as familiar as the rainbow which follows a storm, it is IS proper
that a fog should spread upon the waters as that steam shall rise from
a kettle. But a fog which springs from the paved streets, that rolls
between solid housefronts, that forces cabs to move at half speed, that
browns policemen and extinguishes the electric lights of the music
hal, that to me is incomprehensible. 1t is Is out of place as a tidal
wave on Broadway.
GAS I felt my way along the wall, I encountered other men who,
were coming from the opposite direction. and each time when We