Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-12-04
CHAPTER l.

AAE VOICE ~ lHE FOG.
~ Ut OF the uuromantic night
out OF the somber burrine
January fog. came a voice
- ufted In song. soprano.
rich. fun and round. young set ma
tured. sweet and mysterious as
night birds. haunting and elusive as
the murmur OF the sea 10 a shell-a
lit frOm la File dc 81 me Augot" a
Hight opera long since forgotten Ia
New York. HIliard genuinely aston
tshed. lowered his pipe and listened
The voice rose and sank aud SCARED
again. drawing nearer and nearer. II
was Joyous and unrestraiued. and
there was youth 60 &C.. the touch OF
spring and the breath OF towers The
music was LeCocq Is 60 say
Freuch-but the tongue was OF a coun-
try which billiard knew 20 be the gar
den OF the world. Presently be OBJ
served shadow emerge from the vel
low mist. 20 come within the circle OF
light which, faint as q was. limned IN
against the nothlngncss beyond the
form OF woman She walked direct
~ under his window.
% the future 20 assume distinct pro
portions which either make or mar Us.
so did this unknown cantatrice come
out OF the fog that night and enter into
Hlllard's life. 10 readjust its ambi-
lions. 10 divert its aimless course. 10
give impetus 20 IL and direcmess
which hitherto IL had not known.
"Ahw
He leaned over the sin al a perilous
angle. the bright coal Of his pipe spill
ing comet-wise 10 the areaway below
He was only subconscious OF bavlng
spoken. but this syllable was sufficient
TO spot the enchantment The voice
ceased abruptly. with an odd break
The singer looked up Possibly her
establishment surpassed even that Of
her audience. For a few minutes she
bad forgotten that she was In New
York: she had forgotten the pain in
her heart: there had been only an ir-
resistibie longing 20 sing
Though she raised her face. he could
distinguish 10 feature. for the light
was behind However. he was a nan
who made up his mind quickly Bru-
II needed but a moment to End out
Even as this decision was made be
was IN the upper hall. taking the stairs
two at a bound He ran out into the
night bnrehraded Up the street be
saw dying shadow. Plainly she had
anticipated his impulse. She was
gone lie cupped bis ear with bis
hand in vain. There was nothing but
FOG and silence
We'll. II this doesn't beat the
Dutcb" he murmuFed
He laughed disappoIntedly. II did
not matter that he was three and thir-
ty. He still retained youth enough TO
feel chagrined at such a trivial defeat
Here had been something like a gen
nine adventure and II had slipped Ike
water through his clumsy fingers.
Deuce take the fog. But for that
I'd have caught her"
Bot reason promptly asked him
what be should have done had he
caught the singer Yes. supposing he
had. what excuse would he have had
10 o1er? Who could she be? What
peculiar whimsical freak had semi her
singing past bis window at I O'Clock
OF the morningl grand opera singer
returning home from a late supper?
But be dismissed this opinion even as
be advanced IL. He knew something
about grand opera singers. They at.
TEND late suppers. 1t is true. but they
ride home In luxurious carriages and
never risk thrir golden voices In this
careless II romantic fashion AS for
peing comic opera star, be refused