Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 3).djvu/203

 in the evening you grudge us a little recreation!"

"Stitch in your side, forsooth!" cried I. "And do you think I can afford to be idle? Within an hour I must knock off an article for The Morning Dispatch—something new and thrilling; but while you make such a row my best ideas go."

"Ideas! ideas!" sneered my friend. "As if ideas were still needed in the nineteenth century! Nowadays, if you wish to write romances, you no longer invent, but experience them. I could write volumes from the facts that have come under my own notice. How many sighs, wishes, and hopes have I destroyed, accomplished, and buried! How many great and noble, how many small and mean transactions have I promoted and prevented!"

"Well, then, if you know so much," said I, mollified, "give me some of your experiences. I am all ears."

"All right," said the Wire. "I shall tell you the little history of Alice Parker and George Duff."

"What! George Duff? Dear, foolish old George, the friend with whom I travelled all through Italy, and with whom I made the bet in Sorrento that within a year he would be a happy husband! I heard afterwards that he had lost his heart in America, and, with his usual vagueness, only became aware of the fact when he was back in Europe."

"The same man," nodded the Wire, "and it is his story you are about to hear. I shall give you the seventeen telegrams relative to the affair, exactly as they passed through my hands. But if you are going to make use of my communications for your newspaper, you must mention no names. These are State secrets."

"Of course not," I promised, and so the Wire began its tale as follows:—

To, Banker, Baltimore. From, London.

During stay in Baltimore, seized with fancy for your daughter Alice. Feel now I love her. Cannot live without her. Believe Alice reciprocates affection. Am independent. My mother consents. Beg for hand of your daughter. If no, answer unnecessary. If yes, wire. Shall start directly for Baltimore.

To, London. From, Baltimore.

Alice loves you. Give my blessing. Come.

To, Banker, Baltimore. From, London.

Start to-morrow, six o'clock, per passenger steamer Britannia. Much love, and many kisses.

Passenger steamer Britannia, bound for New York, during dense fog on Sunday came into collision with the packet-boat Sultan (Captain Johnston). Sultan severely damaged. Lies in Liverpool docks. Britannia sunk. No passengers saved.