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EVENING LEDaER-PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY. AUGUST 5, 1916.
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1
fif CHAPTER I
LfL. nncumenta in the
Documents in the Case"
HAVE chosen to place them
here, at the head of the story,
since they nro In a way respon
sible tor It, Its excuse, Its rnlson
d'etre Had they not been col
lected, clipped, as they were,
one by one from tho back flics
of newspapers, In part by Mr.
Rvranco and In part by myself.
. iong and patient searching In our
::..n fields ! had they not been as-
dbirf thus to lend their authority to
V truth of Mr. Train's remarkable state
,L I should lhavo hesitated lone ere
imUkin this my task of editing, If, In
i I could have secured my own con
ol'to the lending of my namo to a story
, TWlomly extraordinary. 4
It Is, tnev "tno docunents In tho
,(. Reading them, one Is Impressed that
..i.um tha world Bhould know the truth.
Irwiver tardily It may be presented ( should
.enabled, figuratively, to sit at caBO In
Ztitn of blank mystery which for so lone
I id hidden from us the causo which
ouiht about that moving succession of
riiie events, In thomsclves seemingly so
wnlngless, which at tho time of tholr pub
atlon furnished such amplo reason for
. ...- AMA iln flnvn' -wnnrlormAnt.
tore inai uliw " '
rier are, unfortunately, few far too few;
mtfe handful of old clippings. One who
EM not Know, wjiif hiiiibuii. nut u!c
Itlleged to peep behind tho drop, can
tculate but vaguely concerning them, per
M recalling those hours of fruitless
,,,( th time of tholr appcaranco, when
ot h alone. but a" tho worl(1 besides, and
lUT BO, nve worm rowcra were uu uy
,. ,.r, nn tho saying Is, to guess tho bo-
Ket of their enigmatic continuity, to divine
W truth time nas, to mm uay, ipm niuucn
t the bottom of a fathomless well of mys-
v'a me. however, they toll a moving and
aherent story. As I thumb them over, pon
ding which may bo tho fittest, first to
Iter to your consideration, my oyo caught
nd held now and again by a chanco word,
j a name of a phraBe, I seem to see, even
I Traill saw mem in iiesii, ino uviut; uuiurs
this drama.
I see her ladyship, Julia Miss Lelght
it our Richmond remembers with a sigh
ir the loss of her wltn Her. uainty neaa
!i1 hlBh and nroudly and her eye3 that
ere so calm and clear and sweet, ns Gor
on Traill tells us ; oho whose heart was a
ritery more entrancing, a rld'llo far less
lAflibla than audit In tho odd chain of
rtumstanco that follows. ".Heart's Deslro"
rtlll loved to call her; and In some way
i uoh she figures to mo. somehow by that
earnated, bodied forth to the Imagination
rween tho lines of dingy, blurred typo;
ar and lovablo girl that sho waB. for all
r wifehood and her widowed youth.
As clearly I see tho Ilerr Captain, Kurd
on Holzborn; dark and sot of Jaw, with
III maskllko, Impasslvo faco and his deep
lit, opaque eyes that could bo steady
Biough when he choose, but had tholr tell
Kile trick of tho quick, the Ilghtnlng-quick,
Hdoways glance. A big man and strong
Ike In his body and his passions; good
look upon and fascinating with his mag-
tie charm of manner: big and strong and
ithlcss black as midnight at tho heart of
m.
And I see Monslgnor de Notze, the astuto
A furtive cool, debonair, fertile of ex
dtent; with his lofty, pallid forehead and
III Tandyko beard; distinguished of np-
einnce and bearing ; lover of the devious
nd its underhand ; that arch plotter, that
dmlrable and amiable conspirator, true to
ia thing only tho loyalty ho held to his
alter, his most gracious majesty, the Czar
: an tne Itusslas.
There are others, many others, passing
Tore me In phantasmal review as I con
It little packet of cllpplnc. Thero Is Cal-
han, the engineer, a man, were ho sober
ruaaied I Grady, tho gontleman's gentle
in. the resourceful and tho fearless : Sov-
anee, the Englishman, whom Traill loved
Is a brother, and who was worthy, true as
Irled steel, and a. gallant gentleman ; Cap-
in iveen, witn nls raise tongue and waver
J loyalty; nnd others, strange to Imagine
r the most Dart odd-seeminsr faces of a
brelgn cast to our Anglo-Saxon eyes, brutal
aces and kindly, evil and honest a ghost
r rabble, with glaring eyeballs In hollow
kets, features drawn and hair matted, as
ecoraes men who slumber In the ooze of
at ocean's bed.
nut, clearest of them all, I see Traill
iunlf Gordon Traill, nf Nn Vnrir. ir. B
If you please ; gallant and audacious,
pasiderate and determined, facing Fate and
lumce with his laugh and that upward
ft of hU head ; a man frail like the rest
M. but flne-gralned as the best of us,
Wing in hla breast a faithful, dauntless
u uui ot we throng he bulks big and
umanly: custnmnHiv with hiu i,n nn h.
v ? Is .hea(! '8et Bpart' hnds In his
, hair tousled, brows thoughtful
wmgh, but with his ready laugh lurking
ijne corners of hla mouth and with eyes
wry save when he faces his Heart's De-
Aft yOU SaV. thtn ia wnnAKnM 9 . M
'the documents in tho , tiu, h
K. then I give them you' as the world
ES'.W' wlth "either comment nor ex-
'Uordon Train v.. i. ... -., i i.i.
ot I ?eelnff tbe clty when u KeU too
'!' ""'a him. Every season a certain
r of dowagers, mothers pf promising
S3 camp on tna tra of ,ha Tram m,
.aod then "Oaudy" finds It convenient
ep a pressing engagement to kill some-
,6mwhere. Some time last week
2 h tent ard silently stole away ;
Ion W T J: ,nat na "as sought the seclu
oof the Maine woods. "Bocv Ooittp,"
' " ICUrrilni ltr. v-u ....,... j-,..i
(Wstory Xgij ' w..,, u.
k TT
m?f ttKement oi ay Herbert, widow
!5X '"T Herbert. K. C. S. I is rumored.
"iM conflrmation is Jacking, but It Is
(ethr. JSU "f00"1 authority that the pros-Er-n'ferroom
Is a young attach- of
German Embassy at the Court of St,
iStf1T??brt the, beautiful Miss
fei nb' ot Richmond, Va,, whose fa
wan ,r1 Thorpe Leigh, acquired an
vT.v . un" wrough operations In the
U4 .ISW U flld- Sir Henry Herbert
and
I
l2&. Xtto York BeraU, January lUh.
Ill
JARmotttit t ., ,... ...-,.
j.f,..la hero aS '" Pee"
SSv !n the WpbuIldlng district of
ui . an ar'y hour this morning
l&M . ..?' armed ruffllans forced an en
Sraizie.;hlp3raTd t Rogers & Greer,
S?2ri d th watchmen and successfully
5jj team yacht which had been on
fZ. "if final stages of construc-
p mung'tiut, frOKdon Dally Ohron-
TV
SjgON. Jan. mh, IleporU from Har.
Jr"T iate tnat the English torpedo
itroyer H. M. S. .dtp entered rthat
?' aai night ln a crippled condition.
, irentiy sunered severely n a
wtucathe. a reoort. however, has
tp the ",aiit4ty tvuich with-1
. Pt4il. la ruMwrca that th
m LOUIS JOSEPH
i -zzzzzz if -.--:
Asp was attacked by a Russian battleship
of the first class and, desplto official denials
of tho most positive nature, great crowds
ore clamoring Indignantly In front of the
Admiralty Omee. Cnbia dispatch to the
Sun, New York.
V
HULTj, Jan. 30th. The Hull fishermen
who recently figured so conspicuously In
tho public oye na victims of tho Russian
Baltic squadron wero today thrown Into n
Btato of wild excltcmont by rumors of a
naval engagement on the Dogger Dank In
the North Sea. Captain iBnao Bull, of tho
steam trawlor Bullinch, nnd Captain J. M.
Eaves, of the Enferprtje, are responsible
for the rumor, which became publto prop
erty upon the unexpected return of tho traw
lors to Hull this morning. They state that,
at a late hour yesterday evening, the weath
er being muggy and foggy, tho crews of
both vessels, which were fishing near each
other, becamo aware of heavy firing In a
northeasterly direction. Fearful of a repeti
tion of the Battle squadron outrage, the
anchors wero hastily weighed nnd tho
trnwlera prepared for flight. In Uio mean
time the fog lifted Bllghtly, disclosing a
battleship of tho first class at a distance
of somo flvo mlleB, with every gun In action.
According to tho statements of some wit
nesses, tho battleship flew the Japaneso flag.
The light was bo murky that no other ship
was seen by the trawlers and tho fog Im
mediately closed ln again. The trawlers at
onco shapod for Hull nnd state that tho
firing continued for about an hour, ter
minating ln a tremendous explosion. No
furthor details are obtainable. London
Dally Telegraph.
VI
LONDON, Jan. Slat. Popular Indignation
Is responsible for an attempt to conneet
the appearance of a. Japaneso battleship
In tho North Sea, ns reported by tho Hull
trawlers, with tho crippled condition of
II. Til. S. Aap, now at Harwich. The Ad
miralty, however, has cxpllclty stated that
tho Injuries to the .Asp were caused by
an explosion of ammunition during tnrgct
practice and the story of the Hull fisher
men Is gonorally discredited ln ofllclal
circles, tho presence of a Japanese warship
In European waters being regarded as Im
probable. Coble tlUpatch to the Jfew York
Iter aid.
VII
LONDON, Feb. 1st. In connection with
tho Asp Incident, as previously reported. It
Is stated that tho flrst-clasi battleship
Qfennuo and tho protected cruiser Vianet
left Shecrness hurriedly at midnight last
night, sailing with sealed orders. Ibid.
VIII
BERLIN, Feb. 10th. Desplto ofl1cla,l con
tradiction from a high quarter, tho report
has leaked out and Is generally credited,
to tho effect that the German torpedobont
destroyer Vistula Is missing. The Vhtula
left AVllhelmshavcn with sealed orders on
January 26th, sinco when she Iihb not been
heard from. Ibid.
IX
Alarmed by his continued absence, tho
family and friends of Mr. Anthony Sov
rnnce, a barrister, and ono of tho well
known Sevranco family of Susscc, havo
advertised for news concerning him. Mr.
Sevrance left his rooms In Lord's Chnmbers
on the morning of Sunday, January 18th,
In compnny with his valet, n person by the
namo of Grady, and a young man of un
known Identity, who had been his guest
for a day or two; none of the party has
since been seen or heard from. Mr. Sev
ranco was a gentleman of means, well known
to a large circle of acquaintances, and a
member of four prominent clubs. Foul
play Is npprehonded by his friends, who,
nevertheless, assert that he had not an
enemy In tho world. The advertisement,
giving details of his personal appearance,
and with a description of the man Grady,
appears In another column. .London Eve
ning Mall.
X
"WILHELMSHAVEN, Feb. 11th. The
protected cruiser Dantla and the destroyer
Etna, both attached to tho North Sea squad
ron of tho German navy, sailed from this
port yesterday under scaled orders. It Is
conjectured that they are commissioned
with tho Investigation of the loss of the
destroyer Vistula, which has not been heard
from since January 26th. Preaa cable to
various American newspapers.
XI
LONDON, Feb. 15th. The unaccountable
disappearance of Captain Kurd von Holz
born, altocne of the aerman Embassy at
the Court of St. James, Is responsible for
rumors of his suicide. Captain von Holz
born left his apartments on the seventeenth
of January, and has not since been heard
from. It Is known that he was financially
embarrassed at the time of his disappear
ance. Cable dispatch, Jfeto York Preaa.
XII
LONDON, Feb. ff. Much curiosity
has been expressed here In connection with
the latest vagary of the beautiful Lady
Herbert, who was formally Miss Julia
Leigh, of Richmond, Va., and whose
marriage to the late Sir Henry Herbert,
K.C.S.I., In 1800, was on event of the New
York social season. Sir Henry died in 1802,
without Issue, leaving his Lincolnshire
estates SaltacreB to his widow, he being
the last of his line. Since she discarded
mourning. Lady Herbert has been a prom
inent figure In the London Boclal swim,
her great wealth enabling her to Indulge
her whims to the full of her fancy.
It Is, however, only Just to say that none
of her pranks has resulted harmfully, and
that no Iota of scandal clings about the
dainty skirts of the little American lady.
But bo odd, unprecedented and outre have
been many of her freaks that society has
stood aghast and breathless, able only to
wonder what she would choose to do next.
Her most grave breaches of Mrs. Grudy's
code, however, are attributable to nothing
more serious than the effervescent spirits of
a young and mischlef-lovlng girl tor Lady
Herbert is nine more. hoyh&
(against her wishes. It is whispered) at the
age of eighteen. Hardly more than an
awkward but promising debutante when
Sir Henry brought her to England as his
wife, she has since developed Into roost
beautiful and brilliant woman.
Her latest exiravaBenco w jjva"7 .
pllcable, In that It consists of a total dis
appearance from the face of the known
earth o fa "t la8t- M her 'riend are
concerned. Shortly after the recent an
nouncement of her engagement to the
dashing young qerman attache Captain
Kurd von Holiboro, she chose to vanish
completely, leaving not a word of explan
ation. Inquiries have been made at her
country estate and of her solicitors, but
both servants and lawyera remain mute;
If they know anything, they won't tell It.
The fact that her ladyship's private
yacht, the UyosotU, was recently put Into
commission and sailed from Portsmouth
for parts unknowp. colncldently with the
disappearance of (Its owner, on January
17 th seems significant, when coupled with
the simultaneous vanishing of the gallant
German captain. The worldly-wise are
shaking their heads knowingly and whisper
ing that Lady Herbert had made up her
mind to dispense with the pomp and cere
mony M a "lty wedding": la plain
EnrlUb. she Is supposed to nave eloped
with her fascinating fiance and Is probably
now spending a honeymoon on the yacht,
perhaps la tho Mediterranean.
But nobody really knows and nobody
. " .. -.n..-lr.1 tulth Ladv Herbert.
y hBn.niiiv ranvlneed hM mlsht feel
qftka truth, of, UU hypothesis, WQttJAI
PRIVAT
y - "w.iiivmsMah,,sviu1jjauawur iT"P'frtffTFltTfffff,l1f11 B wmih gnu nmnw ihmmi tm iw
"VANCE
vonturo to back his opinion with any con
siderable sum of money. Her lndyshlp's
mind Is an uncertain quantity, you know.
London correspondence published in the
scurrilous A'cio York weekly first quoted.
That Is not all, but I think it Is enough.
Thero aro other clippings, 20 odd more of
them, but their interest is but passing;
they tell us nothing now. Somo aro mere
duplicates of thoso which I havo quoted,
duplicates In essence, that Is.
Others, again, aro of later dates than
the last above, nnd furnish only a con
tinuation or, rather, a confirmation of their
Intelligence. I road In one, dated March
30, that nothing has been heard of Mr.
Anthony Sevranco, well-known barrister,
"who disappeared" and so forth.
From another I learn that tho Com
mander von Somethlng-or-other has been
ordered from Kiel to the Court of St.
James, to replace Captain Kurd von Holz
born, nbscnt without leave. This Is Home
threo months nfter tho event
Again wo hear that It Is believed that
Lady Herbert and her yncht, tho Myosotls,
shared In the fnte that overtook tho hapless
Vktufci In the North Sea. This Is under tha
date of April 18, up to which time the
Myosotls had not been reported, But flsher
men had brought Into Lynn Regis the por
tion of the sternpost of a lifeboat, -which
they had picked up far out at sea. The
fragment showed three letters, presumably
part of tho name of the vessel to which
the boat belonged. They wore: "STU."
Which Is held fairly conclusive proof of
tho sinking of the Vistula.
The matter of the stolen yacht was drop
ped by Its owners, Messrs. Rogers & Greer,
shipwrights ot Barmouth. Tho search In
stituted for the -teasel and Its crew of ruf
natta was reported fruitless. Tho world
followed the example of the worthy builders
and ceased to concern Itself with the mat
ter; In a fortnight It was become ancient
history.
As for the Japanese battleship, the wags
made merry oer the visions of the hys
terical Hull trawlers for a week or so
who, as one says, "went down to the sea
in ships to catch haddocks and caught
hallucinations." And then that subject, too,
lost flavor for tho public palate. The
trawlers lapsed Into sullen silence, as befits
true men whose word Is doubted without
sufficient cause.
But last of all the little stack of clippings
comes one from the same source as the
first and only other concerning Mr.
Traill.
It Is now three months since Mr. Traill
has vanished from the haunts of men
which Is to say, has left New York. He has
sent home no word. His relatives, with
their minds' eyes on the Traill income, are
anxious and perturbed on his account His
lawyers profess Ignorance of hla "where
abouts, though they are obviously not dis
tressed. He Is in danger of being forgotten
of the world that part of the world, that
is, which lies within the limits of Man
hattan Island. So the scandalroongerlng
sheet rushes valiantly to the rescue, sound
ing his name for the last time In many a
day.
A mere line, this:
"Where, oh, where. Is Gordon Traill, Es
quire our "Gaudy" Traill?"
But the query has lain long enough un
answered; doubtless, even Us author has
forgotten the penning of it. Yet I fancy
that even he will take an interest in the
reply, from Traill's own lips, belated though
It comes. Here is his story.
CHAPTER II
Traill's Narrative
Dear Traill I tell you. Gordon, faint
heart ne'er will win fair Julia. My
dear fellow, you aro delinquent In your
duty. And why? For the life of me, r
cannot determine. Surely, If ever a
prlre.was worth the winning, it Is this
same Lady Herbert And you, you
have, as you tell me, loved her from
the days when you played together as
boy and girl you linger Idly In New
York, letting the precious minutes slip
by, permitting the prize you covet to
slip through your nerveless fingers I
I am all out pf patience with you.
What do you fear 7 I tell you the girl
at heart is still a girl. Sir Henry oh,
I can see him clearly; I knew the man
like a book Count me blind and wit
less If It Is not true that he was more
father than husband; Btolld. kind,
courteous an English gentleman. Hla
affection for the girl was paternal,
purely. I doubt If even her sweet
beauty ever stirred hla withered heart
other than with Its appeal for protec
tion. But ha la now a negligible
factor. There are living men. men of
flesh and blood, who are likewise alive
to her loveliness and, frankly, I am
not the least of them.
So I counsel you to bestir yourself.
Time and a woman's heart wal( for no
man- She is young and all for love.
She dreams of loveI'll swear she does
I, who hava looked la her eyes
traitorously to sea if cos. gave me her
When, at last, the light waxed strong nnd
lightest thought. She Is vibrant with
her new-found freedom and, woman
like, only too eager to put her pretty
neck In the yoke of another master. If
not you then another.
Who? Why not myself, for ono. Oh,
I'm nil for candor. If you show your
self disposed to let slip tha chance, I'll
throw our friendship to tho winds, dear
boy, nnd go in for my own hand. Thero
you havo It
And there are others unbound by the
chains of friendship. Havo you heard
the rumors that aro afloat to the effect
that sho Is engaged to the German
naval attache? Both her ladyship and
Captain Kurd von Holzborn (that's his
namo) are busy denying tho fact today.
Tho chances arc. then, that It Is truth,
nnd that the news will bo published,
the engagement nnnounccd, within the
next fortnight So you seo what your
timid dalliance Has meant for you or
what It may mean. You'd best tako
ship nt once nnd make up for lost time,
regain lost ground
I did not care to read farther. Sov
ranco's letter slipped from my fingers and
fluttered to the floor, while I stared out of
the window.
It snowed gustily; ln tho park opposite,
the trees were like shivering ghosts, swaying
nnd flopping In gray shrouds of whirling
Hakes.
Later I remembered them; but at the
moment I saw nothing but my Heart's De
sire, separated from me by many leagues
of cold and storm-swept ocean: Julia
Leigh as I remembered her making In
her loneliness for the protection of an
other's arms!
The thought was Intolerable. I chose my
course, In the few moments that I stood
there gazing abstractedly out at tho dismal
wilderness of Central Park, bleak and deso
late. When I stooped and plckod up the
letter, feeling myself faintly warmed by
gratitude for Sevrance'a kindliness. It was
all settled; I way for England for the first
time In many years. My heart was young
nnd hot within me, and I pictured myself
very chivalrously and gallantly winning my
love back to me. As for the German, there
was to bo the devil to pay with him, had
he Indeed forestalled my suit
But, at the time, I had pot the pleasure
of Kurd von Holzborn's acquaintance. I
figured him to myself as the self-sufficient
boor In uniform, with the ferocious Kaiser
Wllhelm mustaches: the type with which
I had been familiar enough In my student
days at Municn a swaggering, unmernm.
Insolent Prussian naval officer. Nor could
I easily Imagine Julia giving him a second
thought.
As I say, however, I did not know the
captain then.
Timmlns was Instructed to pack my
trunk nnd procure me passage on the first
steamer leaving New York. After my de
parture, his duty was to consist In staying
In my apartments and Informing all In
quiries that Mr. Traill was gone moose
hunting In the Maine woods. I understand
that he has performed his duties faith
There were things to be attended to, and
I had a brisk time of it for a day; the
cab fares, I remember, were considerable;
but 21 hours sufficed and gained me my end
I Was able to sail on the following morn-
Ins
Sevrance'a letter with its startling Intel
ligence had been necessary to stir me to ac
tion. Well. It had accomplished that pur
pose. It had been like a draft upon the
emberr of my lovo; and now, behold, there
was a flame in my breast and a consuming
U. .. A . ,. m..
The steamer was an " 'u w "
the five and a half days were so many
ages. I hurried down the gangplank, n the
end, almost before it was made fast to
the pier. I was preoccupied, ever looking
ahead, into the future like a roan pos
sessed of a demon. Indeed. I retain but the
vaguest of recollections of that disembarka
tion, of my cab ride through the grimy
streets of Liverpool, of ray taking passage
on the London and Northwestern.
Even when In my otherwise empty com
partment, I was whirled on Londonward
wrapt In dreams. I only wakened when
we drew in at the Euston Square Station,
and then only for a moment.
Incontinently I was plunged into an odd
adventure; and In a way I seemed to
have been prepared for it My state of
mind was appropriate; I was ready for
anything A rnad dash acrostf an ocean
and an Island In the pursuit of a dream
had fitted me to step promptly into the
coll of medieval deviltry wherein I was
presently to find myself entangled.
At the time, you must know that I was
to all Intents and purposes a stranger in a
strange land; my knowledge of the geog
raphy of London was of the slenderest! I
had not seen the city since my sixteenth
year. Time bad bleuded the impressions of
that visit Into a dismal, dingy memory of
wet and shining pavements, of hollow, clap
ping hoofs, and of long stretches of drab
dwelUnga, one like to Its fellow as
So, properly, I needed the ferrfcea. pt
h . WAK1L
UtLAfCntH vl C f jJt jnuVErclft KYT7Z&iExw-afcf.xwiVi,rJii! rAfi-VMiMt' 0 I
clear, I saw that the man was dead.
a guide though If It Ii objected that a
keeper would have been mora useful, I
shan't contend tho point.
Morcocr, 1 returned to And tho town
fog-bound
I handed my bnggnge checks to a runner
for tho Cnrleton nnd Immediately ntepped
out into tho Btrect and the fog stepped,
In a way, from tha crude realities of today
Into a. mystlc.il mldreglon of Romance:
from tho twentieth to the eighteenth cen
tury. This was nt night, you understand. I
believe tho hour was verging toward 10.
Tho swinging doors of the tarmlnal slapped
together. I slipped on a wet nnd slimy
stop and lurched forward into the fog's
dank embrace. In that lnstnnt I was lost.
When I turned the terminal was van
ished swallowed up In tho omnivorous maw
of that cursed mist; I was instantly unde
termined na to whether or no I had turned
squarely about. I was dazed. If tho truth
Is to bo told, nnd swung Blowly around on
my heel, glaring Into an nlmost impene
trable obscurity.
Here and thero lights glowed feebly
roseate, seemingly at considerable dis
tances; what they stood for was a riddle.
I mado for one, struggling with a ridicu
lous deslro to stretch out my arms and
thrust the fog behind with the palmi of
my hands much as one swims. On the
way I blundered Into tho arms of an Indi
vidual who first clasped me ardently to his
bosom, then thrust mo aside with a mut
tered oath or an apology. It was diffi
cult to determine which. I did not greatly
care.
Presently I was embracing a lamp-post,
and, reasoning logically that a curb must
be near at hand, I put out a tentative foot
and verified this sage surmise. Then cast
ing adrift, I began to follow tho curb, with
tho comfortable nnsurance that It would
eventually lead me somewhere. In tha
gloom men passed mo liko shadows some
what as I have seen a steamer loom hugely
from a fog on the Newfoundland Bank and
slip silently on Into the unknown.
And after a bit I lost my guiding curb
and was utterly nt sea. Presently, however,
I stumbled smack Into the rear wheols of
a coupe, and Incontinently gave heartfelt
thanks. A London fog Is an interesting
thing; It teems with an Infinity of possi
bilities ; but, even to the fascinated stranger,
sufficient unto one day Is a sample there
of, For my part I was heartily sick of it
all, and desired nothing better than my bed
room at the Carleton.
Pawing the wheels and sides of the ve
hicle for I was determined not to get
out of touch with it under any circum
stances I made my way around to the
shafts and there, looking up, beheld In the
dim Illumination furnished by a lamp
toward which I had evidently been progress
ing, but which seemed to poke itself sud
denly out of the obscurity I beheld, I
say, on a level with my eyes, a pair of
shoes and a knee-high length of frayed
trousers, conceivably a section ot the
driver.
At once grumbled protests became
audible. His words, however, were unin
telligible, being delivered Into a stratum of
atmosphere Boveral feet above roy head.
At length, however, a round, red counte
nance, resembling somewhat a drowsy har
vest moon, was lowered Jerkily toward me.
Two sleep-blinded eyes' blinked Into mine,
and a breath, foul with a stench of liquor,
caused me to step back to a respectful dis
tance. "Wot?" said the driver surily,
"Are you engaged?" I demanded.
His answer seemed tp be in the nega
tive. "Can you take me to the Carleton?'' I
pursued tenaciously.
He nodded.
"The Carleton I" I shouted, hoping to
drill my desired destination Into his head
y sheer force of repetition.
He seemed to come to himself abruptly.
His voice, husky and thick, was suddenly
and surprisingly strong and distinct
"HI said yesl' he told me resentfully.
"Qw many toimes 'ave HI got to tell yer?"
Then in a quieter, more respectful tone:
"Climb In. gov'ner."
I obeyed meekly, sure that I had accom
plished my end, seeing the white coverlet
of the bed ln near prospect a grateful
thought
I had no notion as to the Carleton's place
upon the map of London; it might have
been within half a block or miles awa,
for all I could say; and I realized that
I was at the mercy of my guide, and
must bide my time with what composure I
had at ray command. "
And we crawled. Today I could not rec
ognize the horse that drew that superan
nuated vehicle were I to meet him face to
face, but I am willing to wager recklessly
that he was a mere wornout rack of hide
and bones. Throughout the whole aden
ture he showed but once tbe slightest evi
dence of speed; only once did he seem fa
miliar with a, trot, or even on speaking
terras with, a rapid walk.
Minutes dressed" on IntQ I know not aow
many tens; aftor somo time I struck a
match and examined tho dial of my watch.
It was twenty minutes nfter ten. Somo
time later I resorted to tho samo device.
In tho Interim I must have nodded dozed
for forty winks ; for It did not seem such a
very long time. Yet it was then a little
past oleven ; nnd still wo progressed through
tho heart of London at a snail's pace. Hav
ing failed to attract tho driver's attention
by repeated knocks on the roof of the
coupe, I thrust my head out of tho door
and yelled at him.
Ho had been nseep! He woke up, yawn
ing and Ill-tempered.
'The Cnrleton?" I asked appcallngly.
He started aR If shot.
"Vesslr," ho said again, with that amaz
ing quality of voice, penetrating ns the
rasping of a file. "Brought yer right to
tho door, guv'ner."
Ho picked up the rolns nnd admonished
tho horse "Glddapl" We moved again,
delving Into profoiindltles of fog. I gave up
liopo with a sigh.
Yet -within ono minute at tha most, we
paused again. I looked out, Incredulity ln
my heart
Wo had stopped at a curb ; the arch of
an Illuminated nwnlng. extending down
across the sidewalk, confronted me. Beyond
there was n glow of greater light, together
with hushed strains of music.
We had arrived! Personally, I harbored
doubts aB to the place being nctuatly the
Carleton ; but that mattered little ; it was a
hotel a place to rest my confused head and
weary body. In a fever of impatience I
Jumped out and paid the man what he
asked two or three shillings adding a
handsome but totally undeserved gratuity;
and dismissed the memory of that intermln
ablo Journey from my mind forevor, I
fondly anticipated.
As I strode eagerly up the strip of camet.
I was forced to step aside and give way
to a party of three who came down the
steps of tho building arm ln arm. For an
Instant something queer In their manner
puzzled me ; and then I recognized that two
were acting the roles of Samaritans to the
third, tho fellow In the middle, who was
repulsively Intoxicated.
As they passed, making their way with
some difficulty because of the dead weight
of the central figure, I caught a glimpse of
his face not an unhandsome face, of a
foreign, Slavlo type, ghastly pale, wholly
stupid, brutalized and made disgustingly
sensual by excesses. It was gone In an
Instant; yet I felt myself shudder a bit
and I am not squeamish.
A moment later I was at the top of the
stairs; and there a bitter disappointment
awaited me. In the person of the most
magnificently plus-upholstered lackey, with
the stodgiest British calves, radiant In white
stockings, that It has ever been my privilege
to view
He stepped suddenly from behind the door
and barred the way with a majestlo arm.
'"Oom," he Inquired precisely, "do you
wish to see?"
I paused, aghast, realizing the bitter
truth.
"This Is a private house r
"Hit Is," he returned without emotion.
I hesitated, stammering something about
a mistake. A gleam of suspicion lightened
the dull surface of his eyes. He shook his
head, firmly compressing his lips. I turned
and fled, conscious that his unfriendly glare
remained concentrated upon the small of my
back.
As I had suspected, the cab had not
stirred. I poked the cabby with ray cane
and again succeeded In rousing him.
"The Carleton!" I told him desperately.
'Do you think you can take me to the
Carleton?"
He touched his hat stiffly this time.
'The Carleton," he agreed with wistful
patience. "Climb in, gov'ner."
What choice had I? I climbed In. It
was either that or a night's wandering
about the streets of an unknown city, 1
chose what I fancied the lesser evil.
I pulled open the door, and at the same
moment the horse started forward. The
movement was slight enough, In all con
science, and jet It was enough to make
me stumble and to tangle up my feet. By
the time I got them straightened out the
vehicle was converging toward the middle
of the street I caught bold of the side of
the door and, with a spring, threw myself
in.
Lunging in upon my knees, I thrust out
both hands to save myself a nasty fall,
expecting to land upon the cushions of tbe
scats. To the contrary, my fingers encoun
tered, on the one side, the warm flesh, of a
hand, on the other, a trousered leg, and,
simultaneously, a man swore with vigor
"You damned fooll" he cried, "do you
desire to bring the police about our ears?"
"I beg pardon " I faltered, recovering,
but pardonably amazed.
My voice apparently betrayed to tbe
speaker bis mistake. I heard bun shut hU
teeth together with a sharp, unpleasant
click, and before I could' make another
move a blinding glare of light was la my
eyes;
I suppose. I blinked like an owl ; certain
ly I saw nothing beyond the buUseye of
that pocket-sUa electrls band lamp. It w4
like gazing full-eyed at the sun Itself for a
moment. And then, ns nbwptly, It was
switched nfr, tho Interior of the coupe again
wrapped In total darkness.
"Get up and sit down," said the voice
a rich nnd heavy voice, w'ell modulated, Its?
accents those dt a man of cultivation, yet
tinged faintly with a foreign Intonation, aa
though the speaker Used his English with
knowledge, yet without cruel facility.
"I havo no wish to intrude " I began.
"Sit down I" said the man peremptorily.
"I fancied tho carriage vacant "
"Sit down and hold your tongue l"
"Who tho devil" I expostulated hotly.
A hand clnpped Itself across my mouth
so sharply as to cause n momentary sensa
tion of pain, and as unceremoniously some
thing cool nnd hard was pressed against
my temple. Tho voice came again, charged
with nn Inflexible resolution:
"Sit down, sir, and bo quiet i"
I recognized tho contact of cold steel
agntnnt my Bkln and know that my Hf
waB threatened with a revolver.
CHAPTER III
A Swift Descent Into Melodrama
BREATHLESS with astonishment
stupefied, Indeed, for the time being
I obeyed without question; and sinking;
limply Into tho vacant seat with my back
to the horse, I caught a whiff of alcohol
laden breath that brought to mind the
drunkard whom, with his friends, I had
encountered within tho past few moments.
Sitting quietly nnd puzzling tho matter
out ns best I might, I sensed something
of tho nature of this predicament wherein
I found myself. The fellow by my sde was
plainly sleeping off the effects of a debauch;
his heavy and stertorous breathing testified
to that fact ho was not to bo reckoned
with.
It was with the man, the armed man on
the opposite sent, that I had to deal: and
ho was entirely an unknown quantity. What
his mottvo was In that strange affair X
could not even conjecture. Why I Should
bo permitted to enter tho vehicle at all under
the circumstances was an enigma. Evidently
I hnd stumbled upon somo project of a.
criminal at least of an undorhAnd char
acter, having for Its victim the drunkard.
Robbery offored Itself as tho moat plaus
ible explanation: and yet, if that were the
man's Intent, why Bhould he detain me there
to be n witness? The affair brlBtlcd with
Incongruities, not tho least of which was
tho presence of the pair (whnt had become
of the third member?) ln the coupe which
I hnd vacated only temporarily.
And yet thoro existed a most unevadable
determination not to permit mo to with
draw at this stage of the game. When X
moved restlessly, feeling for the other's
position with the too of my shoe, he under
stood the ruse, and put a period to It with
out ceremony.
I heard the sound of a swift change of
position from the quarter where tho sober
man sat masked In darkness, and guessed
that he was bending over nnd going through
the pocketB of tho drunkard. The latter
grunted dully, swinishly, but as It In pain.
Here wns my opportunity, ready to rar
hand, dared I grasp It. While tho other
wan thus occupied, I might grapple .with
him. Unthinkingly, perhaps, I took the
chances, dared tho odds and they were
long.
I reached across tho drunkard, and at ono
my groping Angers fastened tenaciously
about the wrist of the other. I believe he
Bwore ; but I gritted my teeth and tightened
ray grip. ,
Ho was a man of tremendous strength
and Infinite resource, however. No sooner
had I touched him than ho had turned on
me with a snarl and thrown me off by
clover, upward twist, of his arms. I was
slammed back against the seat with a crash
that rattled the windows of the coupe; and
Instantly I kicked out with all the Ill-will
In the world kicked with all the strength
that was In me.
I landed, feeling his flesh give beneath
my boot heel, and heard him groan. Some
thing thumped upon tho floor. An Instant,
and we were at hand grips again. For a
time we fought madly, striving each for the
mastery, there In the pitch-black Interior of
that ramshackle cab.
I was gradually shifting my hold ; ln the
end I got ono hand firmly clinched about
his throat, forcing his head back. I fancy
that he was then belaboring me with hla
one free fist, but I cannot remember
distinctly.
Somehow I can't say how I pulled my
self together and flung him from me. Hla
shoulders crashed agalnat the door. There
was a snap, sharp and metallic, and It flew
off Its hinges, letting h'-ri out.
He fell heavily to the paving, but seemed
to possess all the agility of a rubber ball.
The man actually bounced up from the
cobbles. He was on his feet in a trice, and,
before I could reach the street, was off
gone Into the fog.
Meanwhile, I found myself trudging with
absurd stolidity by the, side of the vehicle,
which maintained a progress as deliberate
as unabated. The folly of It struck me
after a moment, and I Jumped lightly in
again, with a passing consideration for the
condition of the drunkard.
He was as we had left him, motionless as
though drugged. But It seemed to ma that
his breathing had become less labored. X
bent to listen and failed to catch the least
sound of respiration.
With a sickening fear In my heart. I put
a hand to his breast; It cams away moist
with a liquid both warm and sticky.
In my horror I think I must have cried
out aloud, for the coupe stopped at once,
I rem'embar pulling out a handkerchief, wip
ing my hands and throwing it into the
street before feeling for my match safe.
With tremulous fingers, I managed to strike
a light The tiny flame sputtered and flick
ered feebly; I shielded it with my hand,
bending over the recumbent figure.
When at last the light waxed strong and
clear, and I might see for myself, X saw
that the man was dead, stabbed, apparently,
to the heart
On the bottom of the carriage the light
caught the sheen ot nickeled steel, it was
the revolver, I stooped and gathered It In.
As I rose, fingers closing over the rough
ened, hard rubber butt of the weapon with
a feeling somehqw comfortable, I heard the
voice of my cabman. ,
"Wot's hup, gov'nort' he asked with dif
ficulty. He looked me up and down, slowly
enough, as I stood stooping, of course
wjthln the vehicle; and he waited doggedly
for his answer
He spoke again, thickly aa though his
tongue had swollen.
"Wot'8 hup?"
I started to Jump from the cab, but tha
cabby's burly figure Interposed. The besot
ted fool, with drunken perversity, had seized,
upon the glimmering of a notion that some
thing was wrong; he was' bound to see it
righted ere he proceeded or let me past,
HU band caught me upon the chest, holding
me back,
"No, yer don't" he growled "Wot's hujS
wy don't yer tell mer b Woeoagbed.
ContiniuHL in
Monday
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