Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-08-19
WHY | LEFT SANTIAGO De CUBA.
BY A CABLE OPERATOR.

II y
lish."
Certainly" replied. ''Wbat do
you want herep"
''The news"
'What news?"
care the Spanish warships, Vizcaya
and Oquendo, still at Puerto Rico2
Has the torpedo fotilla arrived there,
or has IL gone to st. Vincent, at Cape
de Verde?"
ut Is contrary TO the rules of the
cable company for me to give such in
formation" / replied. Besides, all
these Spanish government messages
are in cipher, which am not supposed
to know anything about"
Don't lot the cipher trouble you"
he replied, laughing. 81 have the
key to their cipher all right"
Gas to who am" be continued,
"my names Macomber. /, am the
correspondent Of the -" He
named an American journal. "News
as to the whereabouts OF the Spanish
torpedo boats and those cruisers
would be valuable just now, not only
to my paper, but to the American
navy at Key West. Now you are an
American and good patriot, dare
say. Will You not help us out?"
'T'm a good patriot" said /. "And
am also an honest man, employed
here to do certain duty, which will
not betray."
"You will not help m then9 Very
well, I shall examine your tapes by
force"
ut is not my business to fight for
SPAIN" said i. 81 have no force to
resist you, but Twill not help YOU"
Thanks. That's all 1 ask. just
you sit quiet"
''Do you think you can read our
tapes?" asked, incrsdulously.
Sure. was cable operator three
years."
''But where did you get your cipher
keyf"
That's O matter that was arranged
in Havana three months ago. Your
tape bobbins for the current week
are in the table drawer, / presumed"
Look for yourself" I said. "But
my fellow-operator here is a Spaniard.
l do not speak for him."
"Senor Merode, said in Spanish,
"these gentlemen wish TO see the rec
ord tapes"
Merode had stood listening, making
out what we said with difficulty.
"Nunca" (NeverD he exclaimed, ex-
citedly, and made jump for the big
table drawer, with some notion, /
think, of destroying the tapes. He
was q plucky fellow, but the Cuban
seized him by the collar before he
could open the drawer. flung him vio-
lently backward on the floor and drew
his machete.
Don't hurt him, Luizp shouted
Macomber, and then, after steady
glance at me, he stepped TO the drawer
himself and took out the rolls Of tape.
This will be somewhat long and
tedious business" he remarked, be-
ginning TO unroll one Of them. "You
might help me, il you would; but at
least oblige me by turning mp the
lamp little and placing it on the
table here"
Thanks" he went on, when had
complied and began rapidly unrolling
the tape through his fingers. He
read well and fast, and his running
comment amused me.
"Oh, this is dandy siphon Of
x-..~. ,,.st ,kt,s ssvrtok III. ..~...
mouse mill?" ''Say. friend, your rec
ord here looks like the teeth OF an old
dull buck-saw." ''Your inks eoagu-
lated"
sat back and quietly looked on.
Merode still lay on the floor. The
Cuban stood watching us both; il
Merode stirred, he shook his machete
at him. Thus, fally an hour passed;
it seemed much more than an hour,
indeed, before our American visitor
found what he sought.
"Ahl' he exclaimed at last. "Here
we arel So the vizcaya and Oquendo
left Puerto Rico for ST. Vincent last
Sunday. Goodi Blanco is informed
that the torpedo Hotilla is going to
st. Vincent, too, instead of coming to
Havana"
That's all wanted to know" he
continued, turning to me. "Sorry to
leave your tapes in such mess, but
really cannot stop TO roll them up
again, for / must be we'll out to sea
before daylight. Oblige us now, both
of you, by remaining quiet here after
We bid you good night"
But just then there was a new noise
outside. The door opening to the
street was flung back, and there stood
q Spanish lieutenaa. from the fort