The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-08

recollection Of the track was that there
were rev smooth and many bad. He
would be lucky then II he reached Sar-
ras anywhere from twelve to one. Then
the messages took a good two hours to
60 through. for they had to be tran.
scribed at Cairo. At the best he could
only hope to have told his story in Fleet
street at two or three in the morning.
1t was possible that he might manage
it, but the chances seemed enrmously
against him. About three the morning
edition would be made up. and his
chances gone forever. The one thing
clear was that only the first man at the
wires would have any chance at all, and
Anerley meant to be first II hard riding
could do it. So he tapped away at the
birdlike neck, and the creatures long.
loose limbs went faster and faster at
every tap. Where the rocky spurs ran
down to the river. horses would have
to go round, while camels might get
across, so that Anerley felt that he was
always gaining upon his companions.
But there was a price to be paid for
the feeling. He had heard Of men who
had burst when on camel journeye,and
he knew that the Arabs swathe their
bodies tightly in broad cloth bandages
when they prepare for long march.
1t had seemed unnecessary and ridicu-
lOus when he first began to speed over
the level track. hut now. when the got
on the rocky paths. he understood what
1t meant. Never for an instance was he
at the same angle. backwards. for
wards he swung, with tingling jar at
the end of each sway, until he ached
from his neck to his knee. 1t caught
him across the shoulders, 1t caught him
down the spine. it gripped him over
the loins. it marked the lower line of his
ribs with one heavy dull throb. He
clutched here and there with his hand
to try and ease the strain upon his
muscles. He drew his knees. altered
his seat and set his teeth with a grim
determinations to 60 through with IL
should it kill him. His head was split
ting, his flayed face smarting and every
joint in his body aching as II it were
dislocated. But he forgot all that
when. with the rising Of the moon. he
heard the clinking Of horses hoofe
down upon the track by the river, and
ready got we'll abreast Of his compan-
ions. But he was hardly halfway and
the time already eleven.
whats the time?" he cried, in q
voice that appeared to be the only So
ber thing about him.
1t was OH the clerks lips to say that
1t was time that the Questioner was In
his bed. but 1t Is not safe upon a cam
paign to be ironical at the expense OF
kharki-clad men. He contented himself
therefore with the bald statement thas
1t was after two.
1.-TWO o'clock! I'm done after ALL"
said he. His head was tied up In =
bloody handkerchief. and his face was
crimson, and he stood with his lego
crooked as If the pith had all gone out
of his back. The clerk began to realize
that something out Of the ordinary
was in the wind.
How long does 1t take to get wire
to London"
About two hours"
"And It's two now / could not get II
there before four"
Before three
"But you said two hours
Eyes. but there's more than an hours
difference in longitude"
by heavens. I'll do it yeti" cried
Anerley. and staggering to u packing
case he began the dictation OF his ia
nous dispatch.
And so it came about that the Ca
zette had Il long column. with head
lines like an epitaph. when the sheets
of the Intelligence and the Courier were
as blank as the faces Of their editors.
And so. too, it happened that when two
weary men, upon two fOundered horses.
arrived about four in the morning at
the Sarras postotfice they looked at
each other in silence and departed
nOiselessly with the conviction that
there are some situations with which
the English language is not capable Of
dealing.
THE END.