The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-10-02
Running
A Gantlet
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN

A number of Britishers were recent
ly talking about the question of Eng
lands maintaining supremacy over
! tie Suez canal when one Of them said:
They may be able to take IL away
from us by force Of arms, but they
can't do 1t by process of law"
How sou asked one Of the party.
81 was a member of the British en-
/ bassy at Berlin when the ambassador
received a cipher telegram from Lon
don saying that a big block OF stock of
the Suez canal had been offered for
sale at Cairo. He was directed to send
some one there to make the purchase
at any price He called me into his
private Office. showed me the dispatch
and told me 10 leave at once to do the
lob. He said further that every large
power would be glad TO control tho
canal In this way. and If ii were
known to the others there would be
race as to who would get there first TO
make the purchase. The Germans
would DO surely after 1t. II 1t were
known that ] was going to Cairo !
might be waylaid by the German Sc
cret service | considered this highly
probable, and instead of leaving Berlin
in my own proper person I stole out
after dark.
1.-THE route l chose was by rail to
Genoa. thence by sea to Cairo. On the
.ro3, 4, ,ba eop,a royn nm ~ mani with
me was a lady who from her cast of
features, her dark eyes and hair set
down as being Turkish. She was
certainly of an oriental type and a
very beautiful woman. 1t is quite a
Journey from Berlin to Genoa, and the
lady and ! were In the same compart-
ment together for long while. Smok,
ing was not allowed in the compart-
ment. but when ut certain time all
had left 1t but she and she took out
a box of cigarettes and asked me III
French-the medium between different |
on the continent-if OBJ !
jected to her smoking. l said no, and |
she offered rue the box declined the |
offer, whereupon she took out one, |
lighted 1t and began to smoke.
MY suspicious were aroused by see
ing her every few moments apply her
to her mouth and nose, |
fancying that she did so TO inhale
on II that would counteract
an effect. Ny suspicious were con-
frmed by peculiar odor in the smoke
and a languor stealing over me I at
tempted to lower a window beside me,
but was already so benumbed that |
couldn't get 1t down. had just
enough command of my forces to
smash the glass with my fist. The
fresh air revived me, and when turn
ID again to the Turkish lady she. In
we'll affected surprise, said:
monsieur is sensitive to tobacco
smoker
Very l replied.
81 was satisfied that she had been
ent TO delay me, and since by my man.
Ter I indicated that / was on my
-uard she made no further attempt to
interfere with me. When we left the
rain at the border to take another l
.ept my eye on her and saw her head
ng for telegraph office. l did not
oubt that she would send a message
o announce her failure, and some one
lse who stood ready would take up
er work where she had left off.
1.-THE lirst night out from Genoa was
the deck. taking my usual
moke before turning in. II was quite
lte. and there were but few persons
TIL up. was near the stern Of the
essel when a gentleman came from
he taffrail and as he reached me srop-
ed and said in French with an Italian
ccent:
Z" The PHOSPHORUS illumination IL
be wake of the ship Is very beautiful
without forethought l went the few
ards between me ard the taffrail and
as looking over when the man who
al followed me seized me and lifted
lie to throw me over. Luckily for me ~