Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 169, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1912 — Copyright, The Frank A. Munsey Co. [ARTICLE]

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CHAPTER ILL The Fulfillment. A blare of noise smote the captain’s ears as he pushed open the door and entered. The room was filled to the brim, so to speak, by a score of excited men all talking at once. Above; the chattering confusion a hoarse voice was bawling an endless string of meaningless words and syllables, which another voice, still more aggressive, was translating into intelligible, if disconnected, sentences. Through and under the racket sounded a monotonous, steady clicking, strident and insistent, like the chirring of a huge insect. Half the room was partitioned off by a wooden wall, from behind which the shouting made itself heard. In the wall there was a small window, and through this Captain Glenney could see the back of a red-haired man in shirt sleeves who sat bending over a desk. At intervals be shouted loudly, without turning his hestd, to a frenzied young man, also in shirt sleeves, who held a battered code book. At every shout the latter pawed furiously at the leaves of his book and shouted in his turn at a third man who was pounding a typewriter in a .corner. The clicking of the machine mingled intermittently with the steady undercurrent of that clicking, and both at times were drowned in the uproar nf the men outside. It was pandemonium in full swing. The captain pushed his way through the crowd up to the Jittte window. “I say, I want to gg t a message to Ayr!” he ctfed above the hubbub. “Western coasts flooded and waters steadily rising!” shouted. “In seaboard provinces inhabitants are fleeing for their lives. Destruction of property enormous ” ■“Can’t you get hold of Cherbourg?” some one cried anxiously. A man pushed through the crowd, elbowing right and left, and thrust his head through the window. “Say, for God’s sake send this off to Liverpool! I’m Sanborn, of Sanborn & Ramsey, and I’ve got to know what’s happening over there ” The captain twitched him back. “See here, you! I got here first!” he cried angrily. “I want to send a message!” The man Jerked his coat out of the captain’s hands and wheeled. They glared at each other furiously; over their ip»aii« the shouted itsfunending tale of disaster. X “Lan’s End via Breste,, reports Scilly Islands submerged; lightship off Pollard’s Rock broken adrift and cast ashore on Guetenbas Point. . . . Feared Dover chalk cliffs will crutnble under action of waters ” A fresh outburst from the. room drowned his voice, each man striving to make himself heard above hie fellows.

“Get Cherbourg! Can’t you get word from Cherbourg?” “Hasn’t my answer come yet? It was due three hours ago!” “I say, did you send my message?” “See hete, friend, can’t you slide this in for me? Two of my ships are on their beam ends off Langley Island here, with their cargoes shifted—and the goods are under contract to be delivered— Sanborn, of Sanborn & Ramsey, shook his fists in an ecstacy of rage. “Oh, stop your drooling—who cares about your infernal ships ” the red-haired man shouted suddenly. He exploded a string of syllables at his assistant who strove manfully with the code-book. The man who wanted Cherbourg fought his way through the press, rudely displaced the dapper man, and crowded as much of himself as possible through the narrow window, stretchipg over on the tips of his toes that he might better hear what went on within. ~ “Cherbourg reports via Breste situation desperate. Small towns along coast* wiped out Seine rising, -but thought Paris will escape. Lighthouse on Isle de Qnessftnt in danger of being swept away; shows no light; keeper probably perished. HambnrgAmerican liner Moltke, one day from Cherbourg, caught by tide; unable to make headway in spite of powerful engines, and cast back on Cape de ly Hague. Ship so far uninjured, although if water rises higher may shift position and be lost Abandoned in panic, sixteen lives lost Rush report by wire Associated Press ” The man who was wedged tightly in the window struggled as though in .sudden convulsions. ! “The Moltke! My God! My wife and daughter are on her! What’s the

list of killed —can’t you find out? What have they done with the reet of the passengers? Oh, man alive, can’t you find out something?” .His anguish was pitiable; he was approached by two or three sympathetic friends, all talking at once. “Trend of tide somewhat northeast; northern coasts will suffer more than southern.” \ b . Again came interruption, this time from the captain and Sanborn, who yelled simultaneously through the window for England and Scotland. The red-haired man, goaded at last to desperation, jumped up and started for the window. “My Lord! Will you quit braying out there! Ayhatd'you think this is—a telephone exchange? Cut it out or I’ll shut the window!” The man with the code-book then stopped his dictation long enough to call for help...

But the captain clutched the redhaired man’s arm through the window and shook a slip of paper, scrawled over with variouaJtneainpeneil.beneath hls nose. “I want to send this, and I want to send it quick!” he exclaimed. .'.'.4 The red-haired man snatched the paper and shook off the captain’s grasp. - I The door opened to admit three newcomers, who promptly found themselves the center of a whirlwind of questions. Through sheer inability to keep it up longer, there came a lull in the medley of voices. The typewriter clicked steadily from behind the partition, but the red-haired man was taking a much needed rest, though not for long.

The captain, becoming impatient, thrust his head through the window. “Do you intend to send my message within the next twenty-four hours, or do* you not?” he demanded with dignified sternness. “I want to find out what’s hapening in Scotland, do' you hear,” “Yes, I hear!” snapped the operator. “You’ve said so once or twice before, I believe! I haven’t a thing to do but listen to your blooming jaw, have I, This wire isn’t red hot with the .biggest news that’s come over it in a century, it is? Ive got plenty of room for your buzzing “ “Be careful, young man!” warned the captain, and turned purple with emotion. “I don’t care whose messages come first or,go first!” said the operator. “I take ’em or send ’em as fast as I can get them on or off the wire and if you were the king himself I couldn’t do more for you. Now, for the Lord’s sake, keep quiet UntilS! get a chance to wade into some of this stuff. Hurry up, Al; here’s a cipher for ‘Colwain,’ St. Johns.

At intervals the captain descended upon the window, to peer suspiciously through and each time the operator swore. News from the north began to come unexpectedly over the wire. At the first worcT of the captain crammed himself through the window and in the face of open vituperation held his position against all comers. “Power Head* Station, Cork Harbor, Ireland, via Land’s End, via Mrest, reports three first-class battleships flying British colors, names unknown, maneuvering off Hook Head, overtaken by flood. Ip attempting to escape one rammed the Saltee lightship, sent it adrift from moorings and sank from injuries received, it is believed, with all on board.

“Cork and Kerry Counties flooded; people have fled to Macgillicuddy Reeks, Mullaghareirk, Garrickfadda, and other mountains until waters subside. Flood-Breaches along southern coast as far as Wexford. Business entirely demoralized ” “Get over to Scotland, can’t you!” cried the captain. His face was eager and excited; his hot blue eyes were very bright. “Point of Rinn’s Station, Scotland!” called the operator. 7 “Now your’re talking!” shouted Captain Glenney Jubilantly, and then squeezed still farther inside the window to hear. “This station in constant danger of being swept atfhy by flood,” the tireless voice recited, r “North Channel turned to raging fury of waters. Ax--gyle, Ayr, Wigtown flooded; loss to counties many millions pounds.” “What does he say about Ayr? Find out about Ayr!” called the captain anxiously. - - ~ “Ayr, most exposed, in greatest danger. Damage along water-front frlghtful-^f*”..' "Ha, ye old devil! I said it would not do a thing to you!” the captain cried, so that men looked at him in amazement, of which he was oblivions, being too much absorbed to heed it ’ - (To Bs Continued.!