St. James’ Square

St. James’ Square is a fogbound London setting where Billy Deener ambushes Dorothy Keeble and Jack Owlesby. Its obscured paths and nearby alley give Deener cover as he attempts to abduct Dorothy and recover a box, while the public setting ensures that the attack draws witnesses and alarm.

Setting and Atmosphere

The square lies under fog and chill through the morning. Weak sunlight briefly thins the murk before it closes in again, and cabs passing along Pall Mall appear and disappear behind the haze. The changing visibility makes the square feel at once public and difficult to read: its paths remain in use, but figures and landmarks can vanish from view.

Deener’s Vigil

In a nearby alley, Billy Deener waits beneath a chimney-pipe hat perched on a bandage around his forehead. He considers going to a tavern for a drink, but holds back because he expects a girl to pass on her Thursday-morning schedule. His patience is sharpened by the pressure of returning from Harrogate without the box; he fears another failure and decides that waiting is worth the delay.

The Ambush

At eleven o’clock, footsteps emerge through the fog. Deener recognizes Dorothy, but is surprised to see Jack with her—and to see him carrying the box Deener recognizes. He steps out behind the couple, grabs Dorothy, and strikes Jack, who falls unconscious. Dorothy resists and calls out, and a woman nearby reacts to the attack; her alarm sets off further cries and attracts attention toward the alley.

Escape and Significance

Deener tries to drag Dorothy toward a door left open for his escape, but the commotion threatens to bring the crowd and police upon him. When he sees the box on the ground, he abandons the attempt to carry Dorothy away and takes the box instead. He and an accomplice then drag the inert Dorothy through the doorway as people gather at the alley mouth, unwilling to enter. The episode makes the square a point where Deener’s two aims—abduction and possession of the box—collide, and where public alarm disrupts his plan without preventing Dorothy’s removal.