The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-04-04
.,Never mind. ola chap" was his re-


joinder There's a good time COM
ing. Wen have htn out and washed
aAd dressed and sitting at table with
us an hour after the old tub let's her
anchor drop. And I'll wager you a
tenner that there won't be a miss in
any part Of the programme"
When, at breakfast, l told Evelyn
the good news-omitting, Of course.
all reference to the coalhAndling sug-
gestion-she demanded that hunt up
Hartley, at once, and present him.
Discretion, however, seemed to me in
this instance, the better part Of obedi-
ence. did hunt Hartley up and l
did present him, but not until had al
lowed time for the first flush of Eve
lyn's fervor to cool
He was a very good-looklng young
chap; Evelyn was both grateful and
impulsive, and Twas in love.
Our landing at Port Said was made
on the morning Of Saturday, the ifth
OF December, and all that day and the
next, we waited in more or less con-
slant expectancy and boiling temper
AZURE for tidings Of the tardy Glamor-
ganshire
Hartley, meanwhile, was a model of
hospitality, but Port Said is primarily
coaling station on the sea-edge Of
the desert, and aside from the con-
crete docks, the ships, the light house,
and the nearly naked Nubians that
swarmed everywhere, It proved utter
| ly lacking in objects OF interest.
Sunday night brought some small
relief from the intolerable heat, and
grateful for the respite. all four of our
little party were early to bed. Grad
ually we had come to believe that our
waiting was likely to be prolonged.
The earthquake at Malta having de-
layed one vessel would in all probable
ity delay others as well, including that
which we had come so far to intercept
So, utterly worn out by nervous ten
sion and the fatigue Of the tropical ell
mate, we found rest grateful, and slept
soundly. Just how soundly was dem
onstrated when, at an hour after mid
night, three resounding knocks on my
hotel chamber door only reused me,
DULY, and left Evelyn and her maid
and DR.. Addison, who occupied ada
cent rooms, in deep slumber. totally
undisturbed.
With what seemed almost superhu-
man effort, spurred myself to con-
seriousness and struggled up on elbow.
Who's there?" called.
Hartley" came the answer. open
the door. thought you'd died Of Port
Said appY,i And uuhAr had SlaQni1V
risen and admitted him he went on
hurriedly. Make haste, now. old
chap! The bally freighter has Just
come in, and, ! don't propose to lose
that tenner through dilatory methods
on your part"
But l needed no urging. Wide awake
at his first sentence, was already
iinging on my clothes. He still chat
tered on in his chatting way, but l
scarcely heard him. Conscious only
Of the murmur of his pleasant, CHEEKY
English voice, my thoughts were out
in the night, across the waters Of the
harbor, down in the inferno Of rusty
ocean tramp, where a sweating stoker
was giving battle to despair sweat
ing stoker who, In far-away America,
owned a pleasure craft almost as big
as the ship whose fires he had been
feeding for forty days across two seas.
How about the doctorT Hartley
asked, as slipped my arms into my
coat sleeves and snatched a cap from
a closet peg.
Its too late now" was my an
swer. you should have reminded me.
forgot all about him." And 1t was
true. l had forgotten everything. ex-
cept the imminence Of the rescue and
the urgency OF haste. To one in Cam.
eron's plight every fretting minute
must count a drop of torture.
The heavens were splendid with
tropic stars, and faint breeze from
the sea gently ruffied the spangled
black harbor waters, as Hartley's
launch, guided by a pilot of expert
ence, headed for the twinkling lights
Of the recently anchored freighter.
Silently l sat, with gaze straining
watching the indicated sparks grow
larger and brighter, moment by mo-
ment, until at length their CLEANS re-
fected In the waves, and their back.
ground emerged in a great dark
shadow, which silhouetted itself
against the less Opaque sky.
There she isl" Hartley cried In en-.
thusiasm, as her funnel and masts
somberly defined themselves above
the black of her hull. Wen be able
to hail her in another minute"
Then / heard the voice of our
helmsman ring out. and presently
there was an answering shout from