THE RED RUGS OF TARSUS
I have had other visitors in this first week. Most welcome was the chaplain of the British cruiser Swiftsure, of whom we had seen some- thing before Scrappie arrived. (Note how I date everything by Scrappie?) Scrappie was about fifty hours old when he turned up with a bottle of old brandy under his arm. I was glad to have his call and the bottle just as Herbert was going off once more. And with my door open it could not be shut all the time I could hear those dreadful telegrams being read that kept coming from Kessab, Dortyol, Had j in and other towns of our vilayet and of Northern Syria. Everywhere it was the same story.
Yesterday a second American battle cruiser arrived. It was the Montana. The North Carolina came in Several days ago. The first officer to land from the Montana was Lieuten- ant-Commander Beach. When he came to the Mission to call, I asked Miss Talbot to bring him in. He stayed some time, and would [179]
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