The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1913-04-03

.NSNPoAA'
AS good fortune would have it, we
made the train with fifteen minutes to
spare, and the run to Brindisi was ac.
complished without accident or I'M.
Feemly delay.
Here, however, we were compelled
to wait six hours. The steamer was
late, owing to some seismic disturb.
ance off the coast Of Malta, and fear
OF encountering and necessarily
%uncharted volcanic islands, which had
demanded slow and cautious sailing.
However sinister had been the game
Fate played with us in the earlier
stages of our quest, the favor of its
present mood could not be gainsaid.
That WI were now reasonably sure OF
reaching Port Said in advance of the
Glamorganshire was in itself a wei,
come relief from trying anxiety; but
that was only a small part of the
banquet of good things provided for
US.
l was still exercised in a measure
over the steps which must be taken to
secure Cameron's release. Without
proper introduction to the authorities.
1t was becoming more and more a
question in my mind whether, after
all, l should be able to accomplish my
end in the brief time to which / was
restricted.
With this fell possibility of failure
dinging in my reflections, 1 was strid.
Ing the white deck of the P. and O,
steamer, in the early morning follow.
ing the night Of our departure from
Prindisi, when a hand, dropped heavi.
~ on my shoulder, spun me round to
face a laughing, sun-browned, young
Englishman in white %flannels.
Fol just a moment / was literally,
rs we'll as fgurateively, taken aback.
for the tone of the ringing voice which
greeted me carried me five years al
least into the past, when Lionel Hart.
ley and l had ridden to hounds to.
Eether at Melton Mowbray, while fel.
iow guests at a house-party in the
aeighborhood.
"You bally Yankee!" he was shout.
ing. Fancy running into you in this
Fashion,! I'm jolly glad to see you,
pld chap!"
Though my delight at seeing him
was at that moment tempered by abb
sorbing interest in my mission, it rose
q few minutes later to unauthorized
ecstasy, when I discovered that he was
stationed at Port Said, and occupied
what seemed TO me just then one of
the most important posts in the Brit
ish Foreign Service-secretary to the
Governor General for the Suez Canal.
You're going to Cairo, I suppose?"
he hazarded.
NO." l replied. I'm going with
you, and / shall not let you out Of my
sight, my friend, until you have proved
you're something more than a figure
head stuck up in the egyptian sands >
If there's any little thing l can do
- be began; but Interrupted him.
There's a very big thing you can
DO" l corrected. And then l told him,
What a lark!" he cried, refusing
to recognize the serious side Of it.
Fancy n Of your American multi.
millionaires passing coal on a British
freighter."
Passing coal!" l exclaimed. What
rot! Surely they wouldn't"
oh, wouldn't they?" he broke in.
That's just what they would do. He
isn't an a%ble-bodied seaman, Is ne?
You can safely wager he's an expert
enced stoker, or at least a trimmer by
this time"
Don't. Hartley, DON'T" l protested.
Its too cruel to think Of"
Never mind, old chap" was his re-
1oinder. There's a good time com.
ing. Well have him out and washed
and dressed and sitting at table with
US an hour after the old tub lets 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 coal-handling sug-
gest1on-she demanded that I hunt u D
Hartley. at once, and present him.
discretion, however, seemed to me in
this instance. the better part of obedi-
did hunt Hartley up and
did present him, but not until I had all
lowed time for the first flush Of Eve