A fast train drew into Albany, on the New York Central, from the West.

It was three-thirty of a chill March morning in the first year of peace.

A pall of fog lay over the world so heavy that it beaded the face and

hands and deposited a fairy diamond dust upon wool. The station

lights had the visibility of stars, and like the stars were without

refulgence--a pale golden aureola, perhaps three feet in diameter, and

beyond, nothing. The few passengers who alighted and the train itself

had the same nebulosity of drab fish in a dim aquarium.

Among the passengers to detrain was a man in a long black coat. The high

collar was up. The man wore a derby hat, well down upon his head, after

the English mode. An English kitbag, battered and scarred, swung heavily

from his hand. He immediately strode for the station wall and stood with

his back to it. He was almost invisible. He remained motionless until

the other detrained passengers swam past, until the red tail lights of

the last coach vanished into the deeps; then he rushed for the exit to

the street.

Away toward the far end of the platform there appeared a shadowy patch

in the fog. It grew and presently took upon itself the shape of a man.

For one so short and squat and thick his legs possessed remarkable

agility, for he reached the street just as the other man stopped at the

side of a taxicab.

The fool! As if such a movement had not been anticipated. Sixteen

thousand miles, always eastward, on horses, camels, donkeys, trains, and

ships; down China to the sea, over that to San Francisco, thence across

this bewildering stretch of cities and plains called the United States,

always and ever toward New York--and the fool thought he could escape!

Thought he was flying, when in truth he was being driven toward a wall

in which there would be no breach! Behind and in front the net was

closing. Up to this hour he had been extremely clever in avoiding

contact. This was his first stupid act--thought the fog would serve as

an impenetrable cloak.

Meantime, the other man reached into the taxicab and awoke the sleeping

chauffeur.

"A hotel," he said.

"Which one?"

"Any one will do."

"Yes, sir. Two dollars."

"When we arrive. No; I'll take the bag inside with me." Inside the cab

the fare chuckled. For those who fished there would be no fish in the

net. This fog--like a kindly hand reaching down from heaven!




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