The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-07-30
CHAPTER |.
His Britannia Majesty's servjc.

might, signore."
OH" l exclaimed. "Apythjng tina,
interests u.s."
ies' signore," replied the tall, thin
Ataiian consular clerk. speaking with
strong accent, AN English steam
Sacht ran aground on the Meloria
ABOUT ten miles out, and was discoy.
sreo by fishing boat that brought
me news to harbor. The admiral sent
"ut TWO torpedo boats, which managed
after lot of difficulty to bring in the
facht safely, but the captain of the
port mas a suspicion that the crew
we're Trying to make away with the
vessel"
10 lose her, you mean"
francesca nodded.
Sounds curious" remarked
oince the consul went away on leave
anings seem to have been humming-
tWo stabbing ARRAYS, eight drunken
seamen locked up, mutiny on a
"amp steamer, and now yacht being
cast away-a fairly decent list! And
yet some stay-at-home people COM
plain that British consuls are only
paid to be ornamental! They should
spend week here, at Leghorn. and
sheyd soon alter their opinion"
Yes, they would, signore," respond.
ed the thin-lipped old fellow with a.
sF1n' as he twisted his fierce gray mus
eache. Franceso Carducci was a we'll
sne"n character in Leghorn. An
nohest, good-hearted, easy-going fel.
COW, who for twenty years had occu-
pied the same position under half a
dozen different consuls.
My 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 bad touch Of malaria, and
]. the only other Englishman in Leg
morn, had been asked by the consul
general in Florence to act as pro-con-
sui until Hutcheson's return.
n was mid-July. and the weather
was blazing in the glaring sun
blanched Mediterranean town. II you
know Leghorn, you probably know
ehe consulate, a large. handsome suite
OF huge, airy offices facing the cathe.
dral. The legend painted upon the
door, Office hours, 10 to g." gives
one the idea of an easy appointment.
but such Is certainly not the case, for
a consul's life at port of discharge
must necessarily be very active one. |
Cardacci had left me to the CORE
spondence for half an hour or so,
when he re-entered, saying:
There Is an English signore wait.
ing to see you"
Who Is he?"
u don't know him. He will give no
name, bat wants to see the signore
console"
"All right, show him in" said lazi-
sy, 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 / don't know a word of Italian.
But perhaps ought to first introduce
myself. My name is Philip Horribly"
and he handed me card bearing the
name with the addresses "Woodcroft
fark, 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
fishing boat saw our plight and gave
the alarm at port. The admiral sent
put two torpedo.boats and a tug, and
after about three hours they managed
to get US off,"
And you are now in harbor?"
Yes. But the reason I've called is
10 ask you to do me favor and write
me letter Of thanks in Italian to the
admiral, and one to the captain of the
port-polite letters that can CODY
and send to them. You know the kind
of thing"
Certainly" l replied, the more In.
!erested in him on account of the Gil.
Tious suspicion that the port authori.
lies seemed to entertain. He was eyi.
IDENTIFY a gentleman, and after | had
been with him ten minutes | secuted
The idea that he had endeayored to
East away the Lola.
l scrubbed the drafts of two letters
Fortunately. left my wife in Eng
land, OF she would have been ter.
'ibly frightened" he remarked pres.
entity. There was a nasty wind blow.
ing all night. and the fool of a CAP
lain seemed to add to our peril by
every order he gave" i
examined him critically as he sat
sc'S@ ~s He was about forty.fve,
with a merry, round, good-natured
lace. red with the southern sun, blue
syes. and short, fair beard. His
speech was refined and cultivated,
md as We chatted he gave me the i'm.