The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-02-14

" Auf IL
some hollands. Gradually my frame
OF mind grew more sociable and be-
nignant. 1 turned to the electrician,
who stood near me.
This is all very wonderful" said I,
apropos of the new biography.
1.-The wonder is that it was not dis
covered ages ago." he replied. think
of the marvels of science that have vet
to be grasped! Their name is legion"
The man was an enthusiast and be-
gan to talk of his ideas.
is that all your apparatus?" l
asked, pointing to the indicator.
20, no." the operator said, pointing
to the top of the mainmast. "There
is a temporary terminal fixed up yon-
der"
"Umph!" said Schmidt; "this is get
ting a bit too high-falutin' for me.
How goes the time, Carey?"
Ten minutes to H." 1 said, remem.
boring, with a start, what mission we
were bound on.
Everything is quite ready, Mr..
Barre"
Perfectly in ORDER" replied the op-
orator.
"The time is pretty near now, SO
keep a sharp lookout"
We stood a little apart, watching him
anXiously. A little curious as to the
matter in hand, some of the crew
looked on from a distance.
1t wanted n minute to the time!
"Hist!" said the operator, warningly,
as Schmidt turned to speak to him.
There was a faint, rippling sound, just
distinguishable from the apparatus,
then the indicator began to work. "
We scarcely dared to breathe as the
operator took down the message anx.
iously and. carefully. Schmidt could
not restrain his excitement.
got it, Barr; got it?" he exclaimed.
"Yes," said the operator. "Wait a
minute"
Where is the key to the cipher? ]
gave it to you, Carey" said Schmidt, in
a tense whisper.
I fumbled %nervously in my breast
pocket. If I had lost it! But no! ]
held it up triumphantly.
AAN we iiS opPd1 q LuS.
Here it is; but it is not in cypher.
after all. 1t is very plain English"
"What?" from Schmidt.
The operator read from the slip Of
paper in his hands: ITO Mrs. Dunlop,
Hotel Marie, Ostend-Return at once.
Bobbie very i'll with measles" 90
l looked at Schmidt. Schmidt looked
at me. He recovered the power of
speech first, and l shall never forget
the ebullition that followed. Sailors
are supposed to be pretty well seasoned
that way; but even the captain looked
aghast.
In the middle of his roaring and riot
ing, the operator put up his hand
warningly.
"Hark! What is that?"
Schmidt subsidized a little.
There goes another!" exclaimed
Barr. THE coherer sympathized
again."
Catch it! catch it," cried Schmidt,
franticafly waving his arms melodra-
matically in the air as if he would "hold
up" all the sensitive particles of ether
and restrain them from passing on the
message.
"Too Late, sir! What a pity you did
not tell me to be on the lookout for
two m~essages!"
"Pity!" roared Schmidt, stamping on
the deck in an impotent fury. "How
should I know that that donkey of an
operator at Dover had a child down
with measles? How should I know that
he would send a message to his wife at
Ostend just at the time he ought to be
beeping the coast clear for the foreign
office? By George! what business had
he to be tampering with the govern
ment wires?"
But it is best to draw a veil over the
proceedings of the next few hours.
With regard to myself the whole bust
ness had turned out SO quantity that
was c%huckling inwardly. I will not say
that was not chagrined at the result
of our enterprise, but as l had not been
so sanguine as Schmidt my disappoint-
ment was proportionately smaller. Be-
sides, he had been so beautifully sold.
1t was a mean advantage, perhaps,
but I could not resist chatting him as to
the accuracy Of his chart.
"You said we were placed exactly in
a position to intercept a message be-
tween Dover and Antwerp. How could
one to Ostend reach us?'
Don't you know geography" he
growled. "Look on your map, and YOU
will see hat Ostend and Bruges too are
in the line of communication with Ber-
lin. That is why they are obliged to
change the cipher so often"
"All right" I said, severely; "you
need not lose your temper again. If
you had put more restraint on yourself
at the time we should have caught the
second message, too. 1t was simply
lost in an exhibition of vocal fire.
works."
"And it might have made our for.
tunes!" he said, sadly.
This is how it happened that u fore.
warned agents in Paris and Berlin did
not get their expected instructions that
day, neither did a certain pair of astute
financiers become millionaires at that
particular juncture of their careers
Sketch.
Won't He!
Ethel-What foolish things a young
man will do when he is in love!