The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-12-03
CHAPTER !.

Aaere was hybteriOuB analr last
night. signore."
Obi" I exclaimed. Anything that
interests us?"
Yes. signore." replied the tall. thin
Italian consular clerk. speaking with
strong accent. An English steam
yacht ran aground on the Meloria
about ten miles out, and was discov-
cred by fishing boat that brought
the news to harbor. The admiral sent
out two torpedo boats, which managed
after lot Of difficulty to bring in the
yacht safely. but the captain Of the
port has q suspicion that the crew
were trying to make away with the
vessel
To lose her. you mean?"
Francesca nodded
Sounds curious" l remarked.
Since the consul went away on leave
things seem to have been humming-
two stabbing ARRAYS, eight drunken
seamen locked up. q mutiny on a
tramp steamer. and now q yacht being
cast away fairly decent list! And
yet some stay-athome people COM
plain that British consuls are only
paid to be ornamental: They should
spend a week here, at Leghorn. and
they'd soon alter their opinion"
Yes. they would. signore," respond
Cd the thin-lipped old fellow with 4
grin. a. he twisted his fierce gray mus
tache: Franceso Carducci was a we'll
known character In Leghorn. An
honest. good-hearted, easy-going fell
low, who for twenty years had occu-
pied tho same position under half 4
dozen different consuls
, Ny old friend, Frank Hutcheson, his
Britannia majesty's vice-consul at the
port OF Leghorn, was away on leave
In England. his duties being relegated
to young Bertram Cavendish. the pro-
consul. The latter. however. had gone
down with a bad touch OF malaria. and
!. the only other Englishman in Leg
horn, had been asked by the consul
general in Florence to act as pro-con-
sui until Hutcheson's return.
1t was mia-July. and the weather
was blazing In the glaring sun
blanched Mediterranean town II you
the consulate, q large, handsome suite
OF huge. airy Offices facing the cathe-
oral. Tho legend painted upon the
door. Once hours, 10 to g." gives
one the idea Of an easy appointment,
but such IL certainly not the case, for
. consul's life at q port of discharge
must necessarily be = very active one
Carducci had left me to the CORE
spondence for a half an hour or so,
when he re-entered. saying:
There is an English signors wait
ing to see you"
Who 10 he?"
Il don't know him. He will give no
name, but wants to see the signore
console"
ly. and a few moments later a tall,
smartly dressed. middle-aged English.
man entered. and bowling. inquired
whether was the British consul.
When he had seated himself ex-
planned my position. whereupon he
said: Il couldn't make much out Of
your clerk. He speaks SO brokenly.
and l don't know a word of Italian
But perhaps | ought to first introduce
myself My name is Philip Horribly"
and he handed me a card bearing the
name with the addresses "Woodcroft
Park, Somerset - Brooks" Then
he added: Il am cruising on board
my yacht, the Lola, and last night we
unfortunately went aground on the
Meloria. Very fortunately for us a
fishing-boat saw our plight and gave
the alarm at port. The admiral sent
out two torpedo-boats and a tug, and
after about three hours they managed
to get US on"
And you are now in harbor?"
Yes. But the reason I've called is
to ask you to do me favor and write
me a letter OF thanks In Italian to the
admiral, and one to the captain of the
port-polite letters that can copy
and send to them. Yo- know the kind
OF thing"
Certainly" ! replied, the more In
terested in him on account OF he Gu
rious suspicion that the port .thori-
ties seemed to entertain. He was evil
IDENTIFY q gentleman. and after l had
been with him ten minutes ! secuted
the idea that he had endeavored to
east away the Lola.
scrubbed ii drafts Of two letters.
Fort, lily. left my wife in Eng
land, or she would have been ter
ribly frightened he remarked pres
emily. There was nasty wind blow
ing all night. and the fool OF cap
tain seemed to add to our peril by
every order he gave"
examined him critically as he sat
facing me- He was abou. forty-f1ve.
with merry, round, od-natureo
face, red with the southeA sun. blue
eyes, and a short fair beard His
speech was refined and cultivated,
and as we chatted he gave me the I'M
..>..1on thot "a an enthu ala site lover