Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-22

camp and passed on half way up the mountain,
but he could see no sign Of the man-of-war.
He came back more restless than before and
Leeniy disapPointed. III :omething don't hap
second esblegrsm viii have to consist Of glitter
ing generalities and lengthy interview with
King Tallaman by himself" Nothing did hap
pen. Olypybus AND Messenwah began TO
breathe more freely. They believed the new
king had succeeded in frightening the German
vessel away forever. But the new king upset
their hopes by telling them that the Germans
had undoubtedly already landed and had prob
bly, killed the three messengers.
"Now, then" he said, with pleased sxpecta.
ton - Stedman and he seated themselves in the
cable Office at o'clock, "open IL up and let's
find out what sort Of . hit We have made"
Stedmans face a. the answer came In to his
first message OF greeting was one Of marked
whats he say ?" demanded Gordon.
He hasn't done anything but swear yet"
answered stedman grimly.
whats he swearing about?'
HE wants to know why left the cable YES
terday. He says he has been trying to cali me
up for the last twenty-four hours; ever since
sent my message at o'clock. The home Office
is jumping mad and want me discharged.
They won't do that. though" he said in q
cheerful aside, because they haven't paid me
my salary for the last eight months. He says
great Scott-this will please you Gordon-hs
says there has been over 200 queries for matter
from papers all over the United States and
from Europe. Your paper beat them on the
news and now the home Office is packed with
San Francisco reporters and the kilograms are
coming In every minute and they have been
giving him fits for not answering them, and he
says that I'm fool He wants as much % you
can send and all the details He says all the
papers will have to put BY Yokohama Cable
Company on the top Of each message they
print, and that that is advertising the company
and Is sending the stock up. It rose fifteen
points on Change in San Francisco today, and
the president and the other officers
'Oh. don't want to hear about their old
company Pa snapped out .,x Gordon, pacing up
what 1 want to know Here 1 have the
whole country stirred up and begging for
news. On their knees for it, and cable all to
myself and the only man on the spot and
nothing to say: I'd just like to know how long
that German idiot intends to wait before he
begins Smelling this town and killing people.
He has put me in most absurd position"
Here's message for you, Gordon" said
stedman, with business-like calm. 1t reads:
albert GoRDoN, Correspondent: Try
American consul. First message .. K; beat
the country; can take all you send. Give
names of foreign residents massacred and
fuller account blowing up palace.
.DopoE"
The expression on Gordon's face as this
message was slowly read off to him had changed
from one OF gratifed pride to one of puzzled
CONSERVATION.
whats lie mean by foreign residents mas
sacred and blowing up Of palace?" asked Sted-
man looking over his shoulder anxiously.
who is Dodges"
dodge is the night editor" said Gordon
nervously. "They must have read my message
wrong. You sent just what gave you, didn't
you?" he asked.
"Of course did," said Stedman Indignantly.
81 didn't say anything about the massacre Of
anybody, did I?' asked Gordon. II hope they
are not improving on my account What am 1
out and kill a few people myself Oh, why
don't that Dutch captain begin to do some
thing. What sort of fighter does he call him
self! He would shoot at a school Of porpoises.
He's not
Here comes q message to Leonard T. Travis,
American consul, Opeki,' read Stedman. It's
raining messages today"
Send full details massacre of American
citizens by German sailors.
SECRETARY Or
himself and gazing at his instrument with hor-
rified fascination, 1.-THE Secretary of State"
That settles it," roared Gordon, pulling at
his hair and burying his face in his hands. 81
have got to kill some Of them now"
Again stedman read impressively like the
voice of fate.
ALBERT GORDON. Correspondents: Is Col. Thos.
Bradley commanding native forces at Opeki
Col. Sir Thomas Kent-Bradley, Of Crimean war
fame?
coRsrsroSDESr London Times San Fran
cisco Press Club.
go on go onr' said Gordon, desperately.
I'm getting used to it now. Go on"
AMERICAN Consul, Opeki: Home secretary
desires you furnish List Of names Of English
residents killed during shelling Of Opek by
ship of-war Kaiser, and estimate Of amount Of
property destroyed.
STouoHToS, Office Of English consul, San
Francisco.
''Stedman," cried Gordon, Jumping TO his
feet. there's mistake here somewhere. These
people cannot all have made my message read
like that. Some one has altered it. and now l
have got to make these people here live up to
that message, whether they like being massacred
and blown up or not. Don't answer any of
those things, except Dodge's. Tell him things
have quoted down bit and that I'll send
1000 words on the fight Of the natives from
the village and their encampment at the foot
OF the mountains and Of the party we have
sent out to look for the German vessel and now
l am going out to make something happen.
Gordon said he would be gone for two hours
at least, and as Stedman did not feel capable OF
receiving any more nerve-stirring messages, he
cut off all connection with Octavia by saving.
'Good-by for two hours" and running away
from the office. He sat down on a rock on the
beach and mopped his face with his handker-
SAiSA. 1AeSh Luah Los diAcH uOtulilX more
exciting than weather reports from Octavia for
year." he soliloquized. its bit disturbing
to have all the crowned heads of Europe and
their secretaries bowling at you for details of u
massacre that never came off," At the end Of
two hours Gordon came back from the con-
sulate with mass Of manuscript in his hand.
"Here's 5000 words" he said, desperately.
II never wrote more and said less in nv life
1t will make them weep at the office. had to
pretend that they knew all that had happened SO
far; they apparently do know more than we do
and l have filled it full of prophesies of more
trouble ahead and with interviews with myself
and the two ex-kings. The only news element
in it ID that the messengers have returned to
report that the German vessel is not in sight
and that there 10 no news. They think she has
gone for good. Suppose she has Stedman," he
groaned, looking at him helplessly, "what am I
going to do?''
"Well, as for me-" said stedman, I'm afraid
to 60 near that cable. It's like playing with a
live wire. My nervous system won't stand
many more such shocks as those they gave us
this morning"
Gordon threw himself down dejectedly in a
chair in the Office and Stedman approached his
instrument gingerly. as though ii might sud
denly explode.
Hes swearing again" he explained sadly,
in answer to Gordon's look of inquiry. HE
wants to know when am going to stop running
away from the wire. He has a stack of mes
sages to send, he says, but I guess he'd better
wait and take your stuff first, don't you think
so?''
r l. -