The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1913-04-03
lyn's fervor to cool.

1mpulsive, and WAS in love.
Our landing at Port Said was made
on the morning Of Saturday, the fifth
of December, and all that day and the
next, we waited in more or less con-.
slant expectancy and a boiling temper
allure for tidings Of the tardy Glamor-
ganshire.
Hartley, meanwhile, was a model OF
hospitality, but Port Said Is primarily
a coallng station on the sea-edge of
the desert, and aside from the con-
crete docks, the ships, the light house.
n 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 n 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 eli
mate, we found rest grateful, and slept
soundly. Just how soundly vas 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, I spurred myself to con.
seriousness and struggled up on elbow.
who's there?" 1 called.
Hartley" came the answer. "Open
the door. l thought you'd died of Port
Said ennui." And when. I had sleepily
risen and admitted him he went on
h%urriedly. MAKE haste, now, old
chap! The bally freighter has lust
come in, and I don't propose to lose
that tenner through dilatory methods
on your part"
But needed no urging. Wide awake
at his first sentence, l was already
Ringing on my clothes. He still chat
tered on in his chatting way, but I
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 a 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 e
"How about the doctor??" Hartley
asked, as I slipped my arms into my
coat sleeves and snatched a cap from
a closet peg.
TITS too late now" was my an
swer. "You should have reminded me.
forgot all about him.. And it 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 a faint breeze from
the sea gently ruf1ed 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 I sat, with gaze straining,
watching the indicated sparks grow
larger and brighter, moment by mo-
ment, until at length their CLEANS re-
Elected 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-
thrsiasm, as her funnel and masts
somberly defined themselves above
the black of her hull. We'll be able
to hail her in another minute"
Then l heard the voice of our
helmsman ring out, and presently
there was an answering shout from
above, and an exchange Of greetings,
succeeded by directions; and the next
moment, I was following Hartley up
a swaying rope-ladder to where an
outheld lantern glowed overhead.
Eyes, Secretary to the Governor
General" | heard my friend saying. as
l put foot on the iron deck. you're
Captain Murchison, I suppose"
The captains affirmative was more
than d~eferential; it was obsequious.
He was not a tall man, but broad, rug
ged and bearded, with long, powerful,
gorilla-like arms out of all proportion
to his stature. I could readily fancy
him an ugly antagonist. Unaided by
Hartley, | concluded, l should have
had small chance indeed of success.
But the low-born Briton's respect for
official authority was evidently strong
In him, and 1 felt that if Cameron was
aboard we should be able to effect his
rescue with a minimum of effort.
II should like to see you in your
cabin, Captain" Hartley proposed, and
when we were closeted there, he con-
tinued: There is a report that you
have among you crew a United States
subject who was brought aboard.
drugged, and forced to remain aboard
against his will. His government has
interested itself in his behalf, and un-
less he is restored at once to his
friends serious complications will un.
doubtedly ensue."
The captain. desnita his resnoo+ eor