The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER IV.-(Continued

"dIllnS IN DeF drawing room lot the
rest Of the people who were coming
TO what she called "a small and early
but which always degenerated or ex-
banded into quite a smart and crowd
ed ball.
At eleven the admiral appeared,
trotting round among the guests with
a word for every one and a smile OF
congratulation for his son.
Basil was feted. He had been so
long away from London life that he
was quite a rarity. Everybody was
glad to see him, he renewed a thou
sand friendships; and, as the hours
wore on and his father had long since
made his bow and departed, the
young sailor experienced hat com
plete joy and satisfaction of a young
man whose place in society is as
sured, who has been absent from it
for a long time, and who m back
to be welcomed with smiles and open
arms.
Everybody was simply delighted,
and the brilliant evening, the flowers,
Wv lNEib VI Nllc holl'Ng Nh' Nh1l III
girls who waltzed with him and asked
him of the great ship which ploughed
the northern waves, and which he di-
reCted and ordered, finally robbed his
mind of the strenuous and sad sound
Of the North Pacific waves which for
three years had been the only music
in his ears.
In short, he was quite a success. II
a like coming homecoming home
indeed. Everybody welcomed him,
important people came up and said
how glad they were that he had re-
turned: he felt a sense of we'll being
with all the world, and he blessed his
old father, whose celebrity in London
life had secured such a fine welcome
for the sailor home from the sea.
1t was quite 2 O'Clock when he left
Mrs. Isaacs' house to walk home. 1t
was a fine night; there was a moon,
and. the outside air was gratefully
cool after the hot rooms where he
had been. He walked down Half
Moon street into P~icCadilly. Most Of
Nllt Ndllio5to NhlIh NiS ANbNliS NiA'
hail drove the other way, and at this
moment London seemed swept, clean,
and empty. The air was pure, the
moon shone and the soft pad, pad"
of his pumps made almost the only
immediate sound as he turned into
the great empty thoroughfare bound
ed by the green park.
He came into Piccadilly and turned
TO the left on his short progress to
Jermyn street. Piccadilly lay straight
and empty TO his right and left, brill
iantly lit, and without a moving soul
upon the silver ribbon that the lamps
made of it at this late hour of the
night. He had almost come to the
great blank facade of 100a-which he
remembered was the house of the
duchess of London-when, far away
behind him, at Hyde Park corner, he
heard a mufled chorus Of shouting.
He turned and looked down to the
street.
The shouting grew louder, and then
he heard whistles being blown-those
keeen-sounding, and yet muffied, whis-
ties which the police use to summon
help. AS he stood there-his opera
hat on the back of his head, and his
light black cloak thrown back-a huge
policeman, who seemed to spring sud
denly from nowhere, came running
past him and crashed down towards
the gates of Hyde park.
What can ii be-" he wondered.
Thege was obviously some big row
| just outside st. Georges hospital.
We'll, it's no business of mine" he
concluded, and turned eastwards
| towards st. James street.
Yet the distant noise, which seemed
to grow in valume, attracted him still,
and once more he hesitated and halt
ed, looking westwards. He was now
about ten yards beyond the house of
| the duke of London. He could see far
down ~Piccadilly, and nothing OBJ.
scured his view save only a great
wagon of produce, drawn by two
horses, and with a sleepy driver high
| up above them, which was making its
| slow way towards Covent Garden mar
ket. The huge, sturdy animals plod'
ded on; the man upon his high seat
held the reins loosely In n hand
while his head nodded in sleep.
Suddenly Basil Marriott stopped, as
he was about to turn and go home
| He stopped and remained still, not
looking down the long length of emp
ty Piccadilly from where the sounds
| of the miniature riot reached him. but
looking directly above his head in
| wild establishment.
The great wagon had halted exactly
in front Of the duke Of London's
house.
What was this huge black thing that
seemed swinging In the middle air?-
| swinging, floating. falling. while the
| honey-colored sickle of the moon was
behind it-a vast, black, falling
swinging thing?
Crash!
1t all went away from him in a mo
| ment. He saw a sudden constellation
| of brilliant yellow lights-an incredi
| BILE splendor Of fireworks! And ther
| he fell back unconscious. while thu