Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER Iv.-(continued 4.

lHeH dressed. ABOUT a quarter TO ten
| he left his rooms and drove to Half
Moon street He was one of the first
people to arrive, and he had rather a
long talk with Mr.. Isaacs, who was
waiting in her drawing room for the
rest of the people who were coming
but which always degenerated or ex-
panded into quite smart and crowd
ed ball
At eleven the admiral appeared,
trotting round among the guests with
a word for every one and 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 that 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 comes back
to be welcomed with smiles and open
arms.
Everybody was simply delighted,
and the brilliant evening, the flowers,
the music of the dance, the charming
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. 1t
was 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 sense of well 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 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 Piccadilly. Most of
the carriages which were leaving the
hall 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 moving soul
upon the silver ribbon that the lamps
made of it at this late hour of the
night. He had almost CONE 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 muffled 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 mufEad. 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 it be-" he wondered.
There was obviously some big row
Just outside st. Georges hospital
well, 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
land 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 fal
down Piccadilly, and nothing OBJ
scured hts 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 seal
held the reins loosely in one hant
while his head nodded In sleep.
Suddenly Basil Marriott stopped, as
1 he was about to turn and go home
He stopped and remained still, mo-
looking down the long length of emp
ty Piccadilly from where the sounds
Of the miniature riot reached him. bu
looking directly above his head IL
i wild astonishment.
The great wagon had: halted exactl.
In front Of the duke Of London
i house.
What was this huge black thing tina
seemed swinging In the middle air?-
lsswinging, floating, falling, while th,
\ ney-cplored sickle OF the moon wa
behind ita vast, black, falling
Isswingtng thing?
Crash
It ali went away from him IN a me-
y /.