The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-24

lessly into space. twisting his eye
brows out of alignment and crookedly
protruding his lower lip.
If Brentwick were only In town!
But he wasn't, and wouldn't be, within
the week.
No good waiting here" he concluded
Composing his face, he re-entered the
station. There were his trunks, OF
course. He couldn't leave them stand
ing on the station platform forever
He found the baggage room and in
terviewed a mechanically courteous at
tendant, who, as the result OF profound
elaboration, advised him to try his
luck at the lost luggage room across
the station. He accepted the advice;
1t was foregone conclusion that his
effects had not been conveyed to the
Tilbury dock; they could not have been
loaded into the luggage without his
personal supervision. Still, anything
was liable to happen when his unlucky
star was in the ascendant.
He found them in the lost luggage
room.
A clerk helped him identify the arti-
cles and ultimately CLICKED with a per-
functory note: "Sixpence each, please"
'T-ah-pardon?'
"Sixpence each, the fixed charge, sir.
For every "a hours or fraction thereof,
sixpence per parcel"
wood sweetIy. 81 will call tomorrow"
Very good. sir. Thank you, sir"
Five times sixpence is two and SIX"
kirkwood computed, making his way
hastily out of the station, lest q worse
thing befall him. NO bless your hearth
not while two and eight represents the
sum total OF my fortune"
He wandered out into the night; he
could not linger round the station till
dawn; and what profit to him If he did?
Even were he to ransom his trunks, one
can scarcely change ones clothing in a
public waiting room
Somewhere in the distance a great
clock chimed single stroke, freighted
sore with melancholy. 1t knelled the
passing of the half hour after midnight;
a witching hour, when every public
shuts up tight and gentlemen in top
hats and evening dress are doomed to
pace the pave till day (barring they
have homes or visible means of sup
port)-till day, when pawnshops open
and such personal effects as watches
and hammered silver cigar cases may
be hypothetical.
Sable garments fluttering. Care fell
into step with Philip Kirkwood; Care
the inexorable.- slipped a skeleton arm
through his and would not be denied;
Care the Jade chung affectionately to
his side, refusing to be Tilted.
All. you thought you would forget
MOI" chuckied the heshless lips in HIS
ear. But no. my boy; I'm with you
now, for ever and a day. Misery loves
company, and 1T wouldn't be pretty of
me to desert you in this extremity.
would it? Come, let US beguile the
hours till dawn with conversation.
Here's sprightly subject: What are
you going to do. Mr.. Kirkwood? What
are you going to do?"
But Kirkwood merely shook q stub
born head and gazed straight before
him. walking fast through ways he did
not recognize, and pretending not to
hear. None the less the sense of Cares
solicitous query struck like pain into
his consciousness. What was he to
do?
An hour passed.
Denied the opportunity to satisfy It's
beast hunger and thirst, humanity goes
off to Its beds. In that hour London
quieted wonderfully; the streets
achieved an effect of deeper darkness.
the skies, lowering. looked down with
blush less livfd for the shamelessness
OF man; cab danks lengthened; solitary
footsteps added unto themselves loud,
alarming. offensive echoes: policemen,
strol1ing with lamps blazing on their
breasts, became as lightships in a
trackless sea- each new found street
unfolded It's perspective like can
yon of mystery. arid yet teeming with
hundred masked hazards; the air ac-
quired a smell, more clear and clean.
mist thickened until 1t studded ones
attire with myriads of tiny buttons,
bright as diamond dust.
Through this long hour Kirkwod
walked without . pause