The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-01-03
leaa pluck up n the .EryptLan aandl ),

DOL corrected. And then told him
what a lark!" he cried, refusing
10 recognize the serious side Of it
Fancy one OF your American multi
milIiOnairas passing coal on a British
freighter."
Passing coal!" 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 able-bodIed seaman, 10 ne?
You can safely wager he's an expert
ehced stoker, or at least a trimmer by
this time"
Don't, Hartley, DON'T" protested,
''It's too cruel to think Of"
Never mind, old chap" was his re-
ioindeF There's a good time com
ing. Wen have him out and washed
and dressed and sitting at table with
las an hour after the old tub let's her
anchor drop. AnG I'll wager you a
tenner that there won't be miss In
sny part OF he programme"
When, at breakfast, told Evelyn
the good news-omitting, OF course.
all reference to the coal.handling Eug.
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
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.lOoking young
chat; Evelyn was both grateful and
impulsive, and Twas 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.
stant expectancy and boiling temper.
sture for tidingS Of the tardy GlamOr.
ganshire
Hartley. meanwhile, was a model OF
hospitality. but Port Said Is primarily
a 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
swarRed everywhere. It proved utter
y 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.
uelly 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 probabiI.
ity delay others as well. including that
which we had come 30 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
Roundly. 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 sroems. in deep slumber, totally
iindisturbed.
With what seemed almost superhu,
nan EFFORT, | spurred myself to con.
seriousness and struggled up on elbow.
who's there?" l called.
Hartley" came the answer. "open
Ahe door. ! thought you'd died Of Port
said emil" And when | had sleepily
risen and admitted him he went on
huFEledly. 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 needed no urging. Wide awake
at his first sentence, was already
Singing on my clothes. He still chat
tered on. In his chatting way, but
scarcely heard him. Conscious only
Of the murmur of his pleasant, CHEEKY
English voice. my thoughts were out |
IN the Hight, across the waters OF tho
haFbOF. down In the inferno of rusty
ocean tramp. where a sweating stoker
was giving battle to despalr--R sweat
ing stoker who, In far-awny America,
owned a pleasure craft almost as big
- the ship whose Ares he had been
feeding for forty days across two seas,
How about the doctor?" Hartley
asked, az slipped my arms into my
coat sleeves and Snatched cap from
a closet peg.
tits too late now" was my an,
ewer, You should have reminded me,
! forgot all about him" And Il was
true. had forgotten everything, ex.
oept the lmminence OF the rescue and
fbS urgency OF haste. To one In Cam,
eron's plight every fretting minute
ninSt count q drop Of torture.
The heavens were splendid With
tTople stars. and faint breeze from
the sea gently RULED the spsngled
black bAr0oF waters, as HaFtley's
hupch, guided by pilot OF expert.
enee, beaded for the twipklIpg lights
Of the recently anchored freigbteT.
Silently / eat, with gaze stRaIpIlg,
watching the Indicated sparks grow
larger aud Brighter moment by mo.
mept. until ut length their CLEANS re,
oscted 10 the waves, and their back.
ground emerged IN great dark
shadow, which silbopetted itself
agaipst the less OPAQUE sky.
There she To-" Hartley cried In en-.
thusIasm, a. her funnel and masts
eomberiy defined themselyes ahova