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She halted +before a door at the end of the hall and laid her hand on the +knob. She stood hesitating, her head bowed. It was evident +that this mission was to require great fortitude. + +At last she opened the door. " Father," she began at once. +There was disclosed an elderly, narrow-faced man seated at a +large table and surrounded by manuscripts and books. The +sunlight flowing through curtains of Turkey red fell sanguinely +upon the bust of dead-eyed Pericles on the mantle. A little +clock was ticking, hidden somewhere among the countless +leaves of writing, the maps and broad heavy tomes that +swarmed upon the table. + +Her father looked up quickly with an ogreish scowl. + +Go away! " he cried in a rage. " Go away. Go away. Get out " +" He seemed on the point of arising to eject the visitor. It was +plain to her that he had been interrupted in the writing of one +of his sentences, ponderous, solemn and endless, in which wandered +multitudes of homeless and friendless prepositions, adjectives +looking for a parent, and quarrelling nouns, sentences which no +longer symbolised the languageform of thought but which had about +them a quaint aroma from the dens of long-dead scholars. " Get out," +snarled the professor. + +Father," faltered the girl. Either because his formulated +thought was now completely knocked out of his mind by his +own emphasis in defending it, or because he detected +something of portent in her expression, his manner suddenly +changed, and with a petulant glance at his writing he laid down +his pen and sank back in his chair to listen. " Well, what is it, +my child ? " + +The girl took a chair near the window and gazed out upon +the snow-stricken campus, where at the moment a group of +students returning from a class room were festively hurling +snow-balls. " I've got something important to tell you, father," +said she, +but i don't quite know how to say it." + +"Something important ? " repeated the professor. He was +not habitually interested in the affairs of his family, but this +proclamation that something important could be connected +with them, filled his mind with a capricious interest. "Well, +what is it, Marjory ? " + +She replied calmly: " Rufus Coleman wants to marry me." + +"What?" demanded the professor loudly. "Rufus Coleman. +What do you mean? " + +The girl glanced furtively at him. She did not seem to be able +to frame a suitable sentence. + +As for the professor, he had, like all men both thoughtless +and thoughtful, told himself that one day his daughter would +come to him with a tale of this kind. He had never forgotten that +the little girl was to be a woman, and he had never forgotten +that this tall, lithe creature, the present Marjory, was a woman. +He had been entranced and confident or entranced and +apprehensive according' to the time. A man focussed upon +astronomy, the pig market or social progression, may +nevertheless have a secondary mind which hovers like a spirit +over his dahlia tubers and dreams upon the mystery of their +slow and tender revelations. The professor's secondary mind +had dwelt always with his daughter and watched with a faith +and delight the changing to a woman of a certain fat and +mumbling babe. However, he now saw this machine, this self- +sustaining, self-operative love, which had run with the ease of a +clock, suddenly crumble to ashes and leave the mind of a great +scholar staring at a calamity. " Rufus Coleman," he repeated, +stunned. Here was his daughter, very obviously desirous of +marrying Rufus Coleman. " Marjory," he cried in amazement +and fear, "what possesses, you? Marry Rufus Colman?" + +The girl seemed to feel a strong sense of relief at his prompt +recognition of a fact. Being freed from the necessity of making a +flat declaration, she simply hung her head and blushed +impressively. A hush fell upon them. The professor stared long +at his daugh. ter. The shadow of unhappiness deepened upon +his face. " Marjory, Marjory," he murmured at last. He had +tramped heroically upon his panic and devoted his strength to +bringing thought into some kind of attitude toward this terrible +fact. " I am-I am surprised," he began. Fixing her then with a +stern eye, he asked: "Why do you wish to marry this man? You, +with your opportunities of meeting persons of intelligence. And +you want to marry-" His voice grew tragic. "You want to marry +the Sunday editor of the New York Eclipse." + +" It is not so very terrible, is it?" said Marjory sullenly. + +"Wait a moment; don't talk," cried the professor. He arose +and walked nervously to and fro, his hands flying in the air. He +was very red behind the ears as when in the Classroom some +student offended him. " A gambler, a sporter of fine clothes, an +expert on champagne, a polite loafer, a witness knave who edits +the Sunday edition of a great outrage upon our sensibilities. +You want to marry him, this man? Marjory, you are insane. This +fraud who asserts that his work is intelligent, this fool comes +here to my house and-" + +He became aware that his daughter was regarding him coldly. +"I thought we had best have all this part of it over at once," she +remarked. + +He confronted her in a new kind of surprise. The little keen- +eyed professor was at this time imperial, on the verge of a +majestic outburst. " Be still," he said. "Don't be clever with your +father. Don't be a dodger. Or, if you are, don't speak of it to me. I +suppose this fine young man expects to see me personally ? " + +" He was coming to-morrow," replied Marjory. She began to +weep. " He was coming to-morrow." + +" Um," said the professor. He continued his pacing while +Marjory wept with her head bowed to the arm of the chair. His +brow made the three dark vertical crevices well known to his +students. Some. times he glowered murderously at the +photographs of ancient temples which adorned the walls. "My +poor child," he said once, as he paused near her, " to think I +never knew you were a fool. I have been deluding myself. It has +been my fault as much as it has been yours. I will not readily +forgive myself." + +The girl raised her face and looked at him. Finally, resolved +to disregard the dishevelment wrought by tears, +she presented a desperate front with her wet +eyes and flushed cheeks. Her hair was disarrayed. "I don't see +why you can call me a fool," she said. The pause before this +sentence had been so portentous of a wild and rebellious +speech that the professor almost laughed now. But still the +father for the first time knew that he was being un-dauntedly +faced by his child in his own library, in the presence Of 372 +pages of the book that was to be his masterpiece. At the back +of his mind he felt a great awe as if his own youthful spirit had +come from the past and challenged him with a glance. For a +moment he was almost a defeated man. He dropped into a chair. +" Does your mother know of this " " he asked mournfully. + +"Yes," replied the girl. "She knows. She has been trying to +make me give up Rufus." + +"Rufus," cried the professor rejuvenated by anger. + +"Well, his name is Rufus," said the girl. + +"But please don't call him so before me," said the father with +icy dignity. " I do not recognise him as being named Rufus. +That is a contention of yours which does not arouse my +interest. I know him very well as a gambler and a drunkard, and +if incidentally, he is named Rufus, I fail to see any importance +to it." + +" He is not a gambler and he is not a drunkard," she said. + +" Um. He drinks heavily-that is well known. He gambles. +He plays cards for money--more than he +possesses-at least he did when he was in college." + +" You said you liked him when he was in college." + +" So I did. So I did," answered the professor sharply. " I +often find myself liking that kind of a boy in college. Don't I +know them-those lads with their beer and their poker games in +the dead of the night with a towel hung over the keyhole. Their +habits are often vicious enough, but something remains in them +through it all and they may go away and do great things. This +happens. We know it. It happens with confusing insistence. It +destroys theo- ries. There-there isn't much to say about it. And +sometimes we like this kind of a boy better than we do the-the +others. For my part I know of many a pure, pious and fine- +minded student that I have positively loathed from a personal +point-of-view. But," he added, " this Rufus Coleman, his life in +college and his life since, go to prove how often we get off the +track. There is no gauge of collegiate conduct whatever, until we +can get evidence of the man's work in the world. Your precious +scoundrel's evidence is now all in and he is a failure, or worse." + +" You are not habitually so fierce in judging people," said +the girl. + +"I would be if they all wanted to marry my daughter," +rejoined the professor. " Rather than let that man make love to +you-or even be within a short railway journey of you, +I'll cart you off to Europe this winter and keep you there +until you forget. If you persist in this silly fancy, I shall at once +become medieval." + +Marjory had evidently recovered much of her composure. +"Yes, father, new climates are alway's supposed to cure one," +she remarked with a kind of lightness. + +" It isn't so much the old expedient," said the professor +musingly, "as it is that I would be afraid to leave you herewith +no protection against that drinking gambler and gambling +drunkard." + +" Father, I have to ask you not to use such terms in speaking +of the man that I shall marry." + +There was a silence. To all intents, the professor remained +unmoved. He smote the tips of his fingers thoughtfully +together. " Ye-es," he observed. "That sounds reasonable from +your standpoint." His eyes studied her face in a long and +steady glance. He arose and went into the hall. When he +returned he wore his hat and great coat. He took a book and +some papers from the table and went away. + +Marjory walked slowly through the halls and up to her room. +From a window she could see her father making his way across +the campus labouriously against the wind and whirling snow. +She watched it, this little black figure, bent forward, patient, +steadfast. It was an inferior fact that her father was one of the +famous scholars of the generation. To her, he was now a little +old man facing the wintry winds. Recollect. ing herself and +Rufus Coleman she began to weep again, wailing amid the ruins +of her tumbled hopes. Her skies had turned to paper and her +trees were mere bits of green sponge. But amid all this woe +appeared the little black image of her father making its way +against the storm. + + +CHAPTER II. + +IN a high-walled corrider of one of the college buildings, a +crowd of students waited amid jostlings and a loud buzz of talk. +Suddenly a huge pair of doors flew open and a wedge of young +men inserted itself boisterously and deeply into the throng. +There was a great scuffle attended by a general banging of +books upon heads. The two lower classes engaged in herculean +play while members of the two higher classes, standing aloof, +devoted themselves strictly to the encouragement of whichever +party for a moment lost ground or heart. This was in order to +prolong the conflict. + +The combat, waged in the desperation of proudest youth, +waxed hot and hotter. The wedge had been instantly smitten +into a kind of block of men. It had crumpled into an irregular +square and on three sides it was now assailed with remarkable +ferocity. + +It was a matter of wall meet wall in terrific rushes, during +which lads could feel their very hearts leaving them in the +compress of friends and foes. They on the outskirts upheld the +honour of their classes by squeezing into paper thickness the +lungs of those of their fellows who formed the centre of the +melee + +In some way it resembled a panic at a theatre. + +The first lance-like attack of the Sophomores had been +formidable, but the Freshmen outnumbering their enemies and +smarting from continual Sophomoric oppression, had swarmed +to the front like drilled collegians and given the arrogant foe the +first serious check of the year. Therefore the tall Gothic +windows which lined one side of the corridor looked down +upon as incomprehensible and enjoyable a tumult as could +mark the steps of advanced education. The Seniors and juniors +cheered themselves ill. Long freed from the joy of such +meetings, their only means for this kind of recreation was to +involve the lower classes, and they had never seen the victims +fall to with such vigour and courage. Bits of printed leaves, +torn note-books, dismantled collars and cravats, all floated to +the floor beneath the feet of the warring hordes. There were no +blows; it was a battle of pressure. It was a deadly pushing +where the leaders on either side often suffered the most cruel +and sickening agony caught thus between phalanxes of +shoulders with friend as well as foe contributing to the pain. + +Charge after charge of Freshmen beat upon the now +compact and organised Sophomores. Then, finally, the rock +began to give slow way. A roar came from the Freshmen and +they hurled themselves in a frenzy upon their betters. + +To be under the gaze of the juniors and Seniors is +to be in sight of all men, and so the Sophomores at this +important moment laboured with the desperation of the half- +doomed to stem the terrible Freshmen. + +In the kind of game, it was the time when bad tempers came +strongly to the front, and in many Sophomores' minds a +thought arose of the incomparable insolence of the Freshmen. +A blow was struck; an infuriated Sophomore had swung an +arm high and smote a Freshman. + +Although it had seemed that no greater noise could be made +by the given numbers, the din that succeeded this manifestation +surpassed everything. The juniors and Seniors immediately set +up an angry howl. These veteran classes projected themselves +into the middle of the fight, buffeting everybody with small +thought as to merit. This method of bringing peace was as +militant as a landslide, but they had much trouble before they +could separate the central clump of antagonists into its parts. +A score of Freshmen had cried out: "It was Coke. Coke punched +him. Coke." A dozen of them were tempestuously endeavouring +to register their protest against fisticuffs by means of an +introduction of more fisticuffs. + +The upper classmen were swift, harsh and hard. "Come, now, +Freshies, quit it. Get back, get back, d'y'hear?" With a wrench of +muscles they forced themselves in front of Coke, who was +being blindly defended by his classmates from intensely earnest +attacks by outraged Freshmen. + +These meetings between the lower classes at the door of a +recitation room were accounted quite comfortable and idle +affairs, and a blow delivered openly and in hatred fractured a +sharply defined rule of conduct. The corridor was in a hubbub. +Many Seniors and Juniors, bursting from old and iron discipline, +wildly clamoured that some Freshman should be given the +privilege of a single encounter with Coke. The Freshmen +themselves were frantic. They besieged the tight and dauntless +circle of men that encompassed Coke. None dared confront the +Seniors openly, but by headlong rushes at auspicious moments +they tried to come to quarters with the rings of dark-browed +Sophomores. It was no longer a festival, a game; it was a riot. +Coke, wild-eyed, pallid with fury, a ribbon of blood on his chin, +swayed in the middle of the mob of his classmates, comrades +who waived the ethics of the blow under the circumstance of +being obliged as a corps to stand against the scorn of the whole +college, as well as against the tremendous assaults of the +Freshmen. Shamed by their own man, but knowing full well the +right time and the wrong time for a palaver of regret and +disavowal, this battalion struggled in the desperation of +despair. Once they were upon the verge of making unholy +campaign against the interfering Seniors. This fiery +impertinence was the measure of their state. + +It was a critical moment in the play of the college. Four or +five defeats from the Sophomores during the fall had taught the +Freshmen much. They had learned the comparative +measurements, and they knew now that their prowess was ripe +to enable them to amply revenge what was, according to their +standards, an execrable deed by a man who had not the virtue +to play the rough game, but was obliged to resort to uncommon +methods. In short, the Freshmen were almost out of control, and +the Sophomores debased but defiant, were quite out of control. +The Senior and junior classes which, in American colleges +dictate in these affrays, found their dignity toppling, and in +consequence there was a sudden oncome of the entire force of +upper classmen football players naturally in advance. All +distinctions were dissolved at once in a general fracas. The stiff +and still Gothic windows surveyed a scene of dire carnage. + +Suddenly a voice rang brazenly through the tumult. It was +not loud, but it was different. " Gentlemen! Gentlemen!'" +Instantly there was a remarkable number of haltings, abrupt +replacements, quick changes. Prof. Wainwright stood at the +door of his recitation room, looking into the eyes of each +member of the mob of three hundred. "Ssh! " said the mob. " +Ssh! Quit! Stop! It's the Embassador! Stop!" He had once +been minister to Austro-Hungary, and forever now to +the students of the college his name was Embassador. He +stepped into the corridor, and they cleared for him a little +respectful zone of floor. He looked about him coldly. " It seems +quite a general dishevelment. The Sophomores display an +energy in the halls which I do not detect in the class room." A +feeble murmur of appreciation arose from the outskirts of the +throng. While he had been speaking several remote groups of +battling men had been violently signaled and suppressed by +other students. The professor gazed into terraces of faces that +were still inflamed. " I needn't say that I am surprised," he +remarked in the accepted rhetoric of his kind. He added +musingly: " There seems to be a great deal of torn linen. Who is +the young gentleman with blood on his chin?" + +The throng moved restlessly. A manful silence, such as +might be in the tombs of stern and honourable knights, fell +upon the shadowed corridor. The subdued rustling had fainted +to nothing. Then out of the crowd Coke, pale and desperate, +delivered himself. + +" Oh, Mr. Coke," said the professor, "I would be glad if you +would tell the gentlemen they may retire to their dormitories." +He waited while the students passed out to the campus. + +The professor returned to his room for some books, and +then began his own march across the snowy +campus. The wind twisted his coat-tails fantastically, and he +was obliged to keep one hand firmly on the top of his hat. +When he arrived home he met his wife in the hall. " Look here, +Mary," he cried. She followed him into the library. " Look here," +he said. "What is this all about? Marjory tells me she wants to +marry Rufus Coleman." + +Mrs. Wainwright was a fat woman who was said to pride +herself upon being very wise and if necessary, sly. In addition +she laughed continually in an inexplicably personal way, which +apparently made everybody who heard her feel offended. Mrs. +Wainwright laughed. + +"Well," said the professor, bristling, " what do you mean by +that ? " + +"Oh, Harris," she replied. " Oh, Harris." + +The professor straightened in his chair. " I do not see any +illumination in those remarks, Mary. I understand from +Marjory's manner that she is bent upon marrying Rufus +Coleman. She said you knew of it." + +" Why, of course I knew. It was as plain---" + +" Plain !" scoffed the professor. " Plain !" + +Why, of course," she cried. "I knew it all along." + +There was nothing in her tone which proved that she +admired the event itself. She was evidently carried away by the +triumph of her penetration. " I knew it all along," she added, +nodding. + +The professor looked at her affectionately. "You knew it all +along, then, Mary? Why didn't you tell me, dear ? " + +" Because you ought to have known it," she answered +blatantly. + +The professor was glaring. Finally he spoke in tones of grim +reproach. "Mary, whenever you happen to know anything, +dear, it seems only a matter of partial recompense that you +should tell me." + +The wife had been taught in a terrible school that she should +never invent any inexpensive retorts concerning bookworms +and so she yawed at once. "Really, Harris. Really, I didn't +suppose the affair was serious. You could have knocked me +down with a feather. Of course he has been here very often, but +then Marjory gets a great deal of attention. A great deal of +attention." +The professor had been thinking. " Rather than let my girl +marry that scalawag, I'll take you and her to Greece this winter +with the class. Separation. It is a sure cure that has the +sanction of antiquity." + +"Well," said Mrs. Wainwright, "you know best, Harris. You +know best." It was a common remark with her, and it probably +meant either approbation or disapprobation if it did not mean +simple discretion. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THERE had been a babe with no arms born in one of the +western counties of Massachusetts. In place of upper limbs the +child had growing from its chest a pair of fin-like hands, mere +bits of skin-covered bone. Furthermore, it had only one eye. +This phenomenon lived four days, but the news of the birth +had travelled up this country road and through that village until +it reached the ears of the editor of the Michaelstown Tribune. +He was also a correspondent of the New York Eclipse. On the +third day he appeared at the home of the parents accompanied +by a photographer. While the latter arranged his, instrument, +the correspondent talked to the father and mother, two +coweyed and yellow-faced people who seemed to suffer a +primitive fright of the strangers. Afterwards as the +correspondent and the photographer were climbing into their +buggy, the mother crept furtively down to the gate and asked, +in a foreigner's dialect, if they would send her a copy of the +photograph. The correspondent carelessly indulgent, promised +it. As the buggy swung away, the father came from behind an +apple tree, and the two semi-humans watched it with its burden +of glorious strangers until it rumbled across +the bridge and disappeared. The correspondent was elate; he +told the photographer that the Eclipse would probably pay fifty +dollars for the article and the photograph. + +The office of the New York Eclipse was at the top of the immense +building on Broadway. It was a sheer mountain to the heights of +which the interminable thunder of the streets arose faintly. The +Hudson was a broad path of silver in the distance. Its edge was +marked by the tracery of sailing ships' rigging and by the huge +and many-coloured stacks of ocean liners. At the foot of the +cliff lay City Hall Park. It seemed no larger than a quilt. The +grey walks patterned the snow-covering into triangles and ovals +and upon them many tiny people scurried here and there, without +sound, like a fish at the bottom of a pool. It was only the +vehicles that sent high, unmistakable, the deep bass of their +movement. And yet after listening one seemed to hear a singular +murmurous note, a pulsation, as if the crowd made noise by its +mere living, a mellow hum of the eternal strife. Then suddenly +out of the deeps might ring a human voice, a newsboy shout +perhaps, the cry of a faraway jackal at night. + +From the level of the ordinary roofs, combined in many +plateaus, dotted with short iron chimneys from which curled +wisps of steam, arose other mountains like the Eclipse +Building. They were great peaks, ornate, glittering with +paint or polish. Northward they subsided to sun-crowned ranges. + +From some of the windows of the Eclipse office +dropped the walls of a terrible chasm in the darkness of which +could be seen vague struggling figures. Looking down into this +appalling crevice one discovered only the tops of hats and +knees which in spasmodic jerks seemed to touch the rims of the +hats. The scene represented some weird fight or dance or +carouse. It was not an exhibition of men hurrying along a +narrow street. + +It was good to turn one's eyes from that place to the vista of +the city's splendid reaches, with spire and spar shining in the +clear atmosphere and the marvel of the Jersey shore, pearl- +misted or brilliant with detail. From this height the sweep of a +snow-storm was defined and majestic. Even a slight summer +shower, with swords of lurid yellow sunlight piercing its edges +as if warriors were contesting every foot of its advance, was +from the Eclipse office something so +inspiring that the chance pilgrim felt a sense of exultation as if +from this peak he was surveying the worldwide war of the +elements and life. The staff of the Eclipse usually worked +without coats and amid the smoke from pipes. + +To one of the editorial chambers came a photograph and an +article from Michaelstown, Massachusetts. A boy placed the +packet and many others upon the desk of a young man who +was standing before a window and +thoughtfully drumming upon the pane. He turned at the +thudding of the packets upon his desk. " Blast you," he +remarked amiably. " Oh, I guess it won't hurt you to work," +answered the boy, grinning with a comrade's Insolence. Baker, +an assistant editor for the Sunday paper, took scat at his desk +and began the task of examining the packets. His face could not +display any particular interest because he had been at the same +work for nearly a fortnight. + +The first long envelope he opened was from a woman. +There was a neat little manuscript accompanied by a letter +which explained that the writer was a widow who was trying to +make her living by her pen and who, further, hoped that the +generosity of the editor of the Eclipse would lead him to give +her article the opportunity which she was sure it deserved. She +hoped that the editor would pay her as well as possible for it, as +she needed the money greatly. She added that her brother was +a reporter on the Little Rock Sentinel and he had declared that +her literary style was excellent. +Baker really did not read this note. His vast experience of a +fortnight had enabled him to detect its kind in two glances. He +unfolded the manuscript, looked at it woodenly and then tossed +it with the letter to the top of his desk, where it lay with the +other corpses. None could think of widows in Arkansas, +ambitious from the praise of the reporter on the Little Rock Sentinel, +waiting for a crown of literary glory and money. In the next +envelope a man using the note-paper of a Boston journal +begged to know if the accompanying article would be +acceptable; if not it was to be kindly returned in the enclosed +stamped envelope. It was a humourous essay on trolley cars. +Adventuring through the odd scraps that were come to the +great mill, Baker paused occasionally to relight his pipe. + +As he went through envelope after envelope, the desks +about him gradually were occupied by young men who entered +from the hall with their faces still red from the cold of the +streets. For the most part they bore the unmistakable stamp of +the American college. They had that confident poise which is +easily brought from the athletic field. Moreover, their clothes +were quite in the way of being of the newest fashion. There was +an air of precision about their cravats and linen. But on the +other hand there might be with them some indifferent westerner +who was obliged to resort to irregular means and harangue +startled shop-keepers in order to provide himself with collars of +a strange kind. He was usually very quick and brave of eye and +noted for his inability to perceive a distinction between his own +habit and the habit of others, his western character preserving +itself inviolate amid a confusion of manners. + +The men, coming one and one, or two and two, flung +badinage to all corners of the room. Afterward, as they wheeled +from time to time in their chairs, they bitterly insulted each other +with the utmost good-nature, taking unerring aim at faults and +riddling personalities with the quaint and cynical humour of a +newspaper office. Throughout this banter, it was strange to +note how infrequently the men smiled, particularly when +directly engaged in an encounter. + +A wide door opened into another apartment where were +many little slanted tables, each under an electric globe with a +green shade. Here a curly-headed scoundrel with a corncob +pipe was hurling paper balls the size of apples at the head of an +industrious man who, under these difficulties, was trying to +draw a picture of an awful wreck with ghastly-faced sailors +frozen in the rigging. Near this pair a lady was challenging a +German artist who resembled Napoleon III. with having been +publicly drunk at a music hall on the previous night. Next to the +great gloomy corridor of this sixteenth floor was a little office +presided over by an austere boy, and here waited in enforced +patience a little dismal band of people who wanted to see the +Sunday editor. + +Baker took a manuscript and after glancing about the room, +walked over to a man at another desk, +Here is something that. I think might do," he said. +The man at the desk read the first two pages. " But where is the +photogragh " " he asked then. "There should be a photograph +with this thing." + +" Oh, I forgot," said Baker. He brought from his desk a +photograph of the babe that had been born lacking arms and +one eye. Baker's superior braced a knee against his desk and +settled back to a judicial attitude. He took the photograph and +looked at it impassively. " Yes," he said, after a time, " that's a +pretty good thing. You better show that to Coleman when he +comes in." + +In the little office where the dismal band waited, there had +been a sharp hopeful stir when Rufus Coleman, the Sunday +editor, passed rapidly from door to door and vanished within +the holy precincts. It had evidently been in the minds of some +to accost him then, but his eyes did not turn once in their +direction. It was as if he had not seen them. Many experiences +had taught him that the proper manner of passing through this +office was at a blind gallop. + +The dismal band turned then upon the austere office boy. +Some demanded with terrible dignity that he should take in +their cards at once. Others sought to ingratiate themselves by +smiles of tender friendliness. He for his part employed what we +would have called his knowledge of men and women upon the +group, and in consequence blundered and bungled vividly, +freezing with a glance an annoyed and importunate Arctic +explorer who was come to talk of illustrations +for an article that had been lavishly paid for in advance. The +hero might have thought he was again in the northern seas. At +the next moment the boy was treating almost courteously a +German from the cast side who wanted the Eclipse to print a grand full +page advertising description of his invention, a gun which was +supposed to have a range of forty miles and to be able to +penetrate anything with equanimity and joy. The gun, as a +matter of fact, had once been induced to go off when it had +hurled itself passionately upon its back, incidentally breaking +its inventor's leg. The projectile had wandered some four +hundred yards seaward, where it dug a hole in the water which +was really a menace to navigation. Since then there had been +nothing tangible save the inventor, in splints and out of splints, +as the fortunes of science decreed. In short, this office boy +mixed his business in the perfect manner of an underdone lad +dealing with matters too large for him, and throughout he +displayed the pride and assurance of a god. + +As Coleman crossed the large office his face still wore the +stern expression which he invariably used to carry him +unmolested through the ranks of the dismal band. As he was +removing his London overcoat he addressed the imperturbable +back of one of his staff, who had a desk against the opposite +wall. " Has Hasskins sent in that drawing of the mine accident +yet? " The man did not lift his head from his work-, but he +answered at once: " No; not yet." Coleman was laying his hat +on a chair. " Well, why hasn't he ? " he demanded. He glanced +toward the door of the room in which the curly-headed +scoundrel with the corncob pipe was still hurling paper balls at +the man who was trying to invent the postures of dead +mariners frozen in the rigging. The office boy came timidly from +his post and informed Coleman of the waiting people. " All +right," said the editor. He dropped into his chair and began to +finger his letters, which had been neatly opened and placed in a +little stack by a boy. Baker came in with the photograph of the +miserable babe. + +It was publicly believed that the Sunday staff of the Eclipse +must have a kind of aesthetic delight in pictures of this kind, +but Coleman's face betrayed no emotion as he looked at this +specimen. He lit a fresh cigar, tilted his chair and surveyed it +with a cold and stony stare. " Yes, that's all right," he said +slowly. There seemed to be no affectionate relation between +him and this picture. Evidently he was weighing its value as a +morsel to be flung to a ravenous public, whose wolf-like +appetite, could only satisfy itself upon mental entrails, +abominations. As for himself, he seemed to be remote, exterior. +It was a matter of the Eclipse business. + +Suddenly Coleman became executive. " Better give +it to Schooner and tell him to make a half-page---or, no, send +him in here and I'll tell him my idea. How's the article? Any +good? Well, give it to Smith to rewrite." + +An artist came from the other room and presented for +inspection his drawing of the seamen dead in the rigging of the +wreck, a company of grizzly and horrible figures, bony-fingered, +shrunken and with awful eyes. " Hum," said Coleman, after a +prolonged study, " that's all right. That's good, Jimmie. But +you'd better work 'em up around the eyes a little more." The +office boy was deploying in the distance, waiting for the +correct moment to present some cards and names. + +The artist was cheerfully taking away his corpses when +Coleman hailed him. " Oh, Jim, let me see that thing again, will +you? Now, how about this spar? This don't look right to me." + +" It looks right to me," replied the artist, sulkily. + +" But, see. It's going to take up half a page. Can't you +change it somehow " + +How am I going to change it?" said the other, glowering at +Coleman. " That's the way it ought to be. How am I going to +change it? That's the way it ought to be." + +" No, it isn't at all," said Coleman. "You've got a spar +sticking out of the main body of the drawing in a way that will +spoil the look of the whole page." + +The artist was a man of remarkable popular reputation and +he was very stubborn and conceited of it, constantly making +himself unbearable with covert, threats that if he was not +delicately placated at all points, he would freight his genius +over to the office of the great opposition journal. + +" That's the way it ought to be," he repeated, in a tone at +once sullen and superior. "The spar is all right. I can't rig spars +on ships just to suit you." + +" And I can't give up the whole paper to your accursed spars, +either," said Coleman, with animation. " Don't you see you use +about a third of a page with this spar sticking off into space? +Now, you were always so clever, Jimmie, in adapting yourself to +the page. Can't you shorten it, or cut it off, or something? Or, +break it-that's the thing. Make it a broken spar dangling down. +See? " + +" Yes, I s'pose I could do that," said the artist, mollified by a +thought of the ease with which he could make the change, and +mollified, too, by the brazen tribute to a part of his cleverness. + +" Well, do it, then," said the Sunday editor, turning abruptly +away. The artist, with head high, walked majestically back to +the other room. Whereat the curly-headed one immediately +resumed the rain of paper balls upon him. The office boy came +timidly to Coleman and suggested the presence of the people +in the outer office. " Let them wait until I read my +mail," said Coleman. He shuffled the pack of letters +indifferently through his hands. Suddenly he came upon a little +grey envelope. He opened it at once and scanned its contents +with the speed of his craft. Afterward he laid it down before him +on the desk and surveyed it with a cool and musing smile. +"So?" he remarked. " That's the case, is it?" + +He presently swung around in his chair, and for a time held +the entire attention of the men at the various desks. He outlined +to them again their various parts in the composition of the next +great Sunday edition. In a few brisk sentences he set a complex +machine in proper motion. His men no longer thrilled with +admiration at the precision with which he grasped each obligation +of the campaign toward a successful edition. They had grown +to accept it as they accepted his hat or his London clothes. At +this time his face was lit with something of the self-contained +enthusiasm of a general. Immediately afterward he arose and +reached for his coat and hat. + +The office boy, coming circuitously forward, presented him +with some cards and also with a scrap of paper upon which was +scrawled a long and semicoherent word. " What are these ? " +grumbled Coleman. + +"They are waiting outside," answered the boy, with +trepidation. It was part of the law that the lion of the ante-room +should cringe like a cold monkey, +more or less, as soon as he was out of his private jungle. "Oh, +Tallerman," cried the Sunday editor, "here's this Arctic man +come to arrange about his illustration. I wish you'd go and talk +it over with him." By chance he picked up the scrap of paper +with its cryptic word. " Oh," he said, scowling at the office boy. +"Pity you can't remember that fellow. If you can't remember +faces any better than that you should be a detective. Get out +now and tell him to go to the devil." The wilted slave turned at +once, but Coleman hailed him. " Hold on. Come to think of it, I +will see this idiot. Send him in," he commanded, grimly. + +Coleman lapsed into a dream over the sheet of grey note +paper. Presently, a middle-aged man, a palpable German, came +hesitatingly into the room and bunted among the desks as +unmanageably as a tempest-tossed scow. Finally he was +impatiently towed in the right direction. He came and stood at +Coleman's elbow and waited nervously for the engrossed man +to raise his eyes. It was plain that this interview meant +important things to him. Somehow on his commonplace +countenance was to be found the expression of a dreamer, a +fashioner of great and absurd projects, a fine, tender fool. He +cast hopeful and reverent glances at the man who was deeply +contemplative of the grey note. He evidently believed himself +on the threshold of a triumph of some kind, and he awaited +his fruition with a joy that was only made sharper by +the usual human suspicion of coming events. + +Coleman glanced up at last and saw his visitor. + +" Oh, it's you, is it ? " he remarked icily, bending upon the +German the stare of a tyrant. "So you've come again, have you? " +He wheeled in his chair until he could fully display a +contemptuous, merciless smile. "Now, Mr. +What's-your-name, you've called here to see me about twenty +times already and at last I am going to say something definite +about your invention." His listener's face, which had worn for a +moment a look of fright and bewilderment, gladdened swiftly to +a gratitude that seemed the edge of an outburst of tears. " Yes," +continued Coleman, " I am going to say something definite. I am +going to say that it is the most imbecile bit of nonsense that has +come within the range of my large newspaper experience. It is +simply the aberration of a rather remarkable lunatic. It is no good; +it is not worth the price of a cheese sandwich. I understand +that its one feat has been to break your leg; if it ever goes off +again, persuade it to break your neck. And now I want you to +take this nursery rhyme of yours and get out. And don't ever +come here again. Do You understand ? You understand, do you ?" +He arose and bowed in courteous dismissal. + +The German was regarding him with the surprise +and horror of a youth shot mortally. He could not +find his tongue for a moment. Ultimately he gasped : "But, +Mister Editor "--Coleman interrupted him tigerishly. " You heard +what I said? Get out." The man bowed his head and went +slowly toward the door. + +Coleman placed the little grey note in his breast pocket. He +took his hat and top coat, and evading the dismal band by a +shameless manoeuvre, passed through the halls to the entrance +to the elevator shaft. He heard a movement behind him and saw +that the German was also waiting for the elevator. +Standing in the gloom of the corridor, Coleman felt the +mournful owlish eyes of the German resting upon him. He took +a case from his pocket and elaborately lit a cigarette. Suddenly +there was a flash of light and a cage of bronze, gilt and steel +dropped, magically from above. Coleman yelled: " Down!" A +door flew open. Coleman, followed by the German, stepped +upon the elevator. " Well, Johnnie," he said cheerfully to the +lad who operated this machine, "is business good?" "Yes, sir, +pretty good," answered the boy, grinning. The little cage sank +swiftly; floor after floor seemed to be rising with marvellous +speed; the whole building was winging straight into the sky. +There were soaring lights, figures and the opalescent glow of +ground glass doors marked with black inscriptions. Other lifts +were springing heavenward. All the lofty corridors rang with +cries. " Up! " Down! " " Down! " " Up! " The boy's hand +grasped a lever and his machine obeyed his lightest movement +with sometimes an unbalancing swiftness. + +Coleman discoursed briskly to the youthful attendant. Once +he turned and regarded with a quick stare of insolent +annoyance the despairing countenance of the German whose +eyes had never left him. When the elevator arrived at the +ground floor, Coleman departed with the outraged air of a man +who for a time had been compelled to occupy a cell in company +with a harmless spectre. + +He walked quickly away. Opposite a corner of the City Hall +he was impelled to look behind him. Through the hordes of +people with cable cars marching like panoplied elephants, he +was able to distinguish the German, motionless and gazing after +him. Coleman laughed. " That's a comic old boy," he said, to +himself. + +In the grill-room of a Broadway hotel he was obliged to wait +some minutes for the fulfillment of his orders and he spent the +time in reading and studying the little grey note. When his +luncheon was served he ate with an expression of morose +dignity. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +MARJORY paused again at her father's door. After hesitating +in the original way she entered the library. Her father almost +represented an emblematic figure, seated upon a column of +books. " Well," he cried. Then, seeing it was Marjory, he +changed his tone. " Ah, under the circumstances, my dear, I +admit your privilege of interrupting me at any hour of the day. +You have important business with me." His manner was +satanically indulgent. + +The girl fingered a book. She turned the leaves in absolute +semblance of a person reading. "Rufus Coleman called." + +"Indeed," said the professor. + +"And I've come to you, father, before seeing him." + +The professor was silent for a time. " Well, Marjory," he said +at last, "what do you want me to say?" He spoke very +deliberately. " I am sure this is a singular situation. Here appears +the man I formally forbid you to marry. I am sure I do not know +what I am to say." + +" I wish to see him," said the girl. + +"You wish to see him?" enquired the professor. "You wish +to see him " Marjory, I may as well tell you now that with +all the books and plays I've read, I really +don't know how the obdurate father should conduct himself. +He is always pictured as an exceedingly dense gentleman with +white whiskers, who does all the unintelligent things in the +plot. You and I are going to play no drama, are we, Marjory? I +admit that I have white whiskers, and I am an obdurate father. I +am, as you well may say, a very obdurate father. You are not to +marry Rufus Coleman. You understand the rest of the matter. +He is here ; you want to see him. What will you say to him +when you see him? " + +" I will say that you refuse to let me marry him, father and-" +She hesitated a moment before she lifted her eyes fully and +formidably to her father's face. " And that I shall marry him +anyhow." + +The professor did not cavort when this statement came from +his daughter. He nodded and then passed into a period of +reflection. Finally he asked: "But when? That is the point. +When?" + +The girl made a sad gesture. "I don't know. I don't know. +Perhaps when you come to know Rufus better-" + +" Know him better. Know that rapscallion better? Why, I +know him much better than he knows himself. I know him too +well. Do you think I am talking offhand about this affair? Do +you think I am talking without proper information?" + +Marjory made no reply. + +"Well," said the professor, "you may see Coleman on +condition that you inform him at once that I forbid your +marriage to him. I don't understand at all how to manage these +situations. I don't know what to do. I suppose I should go +myself and-No, you can't see him, Majory." + +Still the girl made no reply. Her head sank forward and she +breathed a trifle heavily. +"Marjory," cried the professor, it is impossible that you +should think so much of this man." He arose and went to his +daughter. " Marjory, many wise children have been guided by +foolish fathers, but we both suspect that no foolish child has +ever been guided by a wise father. Let us change it. I present +myself to you as a wise father. Follow my wishes in this affair +and you will be at least happier than if you marry this wretched +Coleman." + +She answered: " He is waiting for me." + +The professor turned abruptly from her and dropped into his +chair at the table. He resumed a grip on his pen. " Go," he said, +wearily. " Go. But if you have a remnant of sense, remember +what I have said to you. Go." He waved his hand in a dismissal +that was slightly scornful. " I hoped you would have a minor +conception of what you were doing. It seems a pity." Drooping +in tears, the girl slowly left the room. + +Coleman had an idea that he had occupied the chair for +several months. He gazed about at the pictures and the odds +and ends of a drawing-room in an attempt to take an interest in +them. The great garlanded paper shade over the piano lamp +consoled his impatience in a mild degree because he knew that +Marjory had made it. He noted the clusters of cloth violets +which she had pinned upon the yellow paper and he dreamed +over the fact. He was able to endow this shade with certain +qualities of sentiment that caused his stare to become almost a +part of an intimacy, a communion. He looked as if he could +have unburdened his soul to this shade over the piano lamp. + +Upon the appearance of Marjory he sprang up and came +forward rapidly. " Dearest," he murmured, stretching out both +hands. She gave him one set of fingers with chilling +convention. She said something which he understood to be " +Good-afternoon." He started as if the woman before him had +suddenly drawn a knife. " Marjory," he cried, "what is the +matter?." They walked together toward a window. The girl +looked at him in polite enquiry. " Why? " she said. " Do I seem +strange ? " There was a moment's silence while he gazed into +her eyes, eyes full of innocence and tranquillity. At last she +tapped her foot upon the floor in expression of mild impatience. +" People do not like to be asked what is the matter +when there is nothing the matter. What do you mean ? " + +Coleman's face had gradually hardened. " Well, what is +wrong? " he demanded, abruptly. "What has happened? What +is it, Marjory ? " + +She raised her glance in a perfect reality of wonder. "What is +wrong? What has happened? How absurd! Why nothing, of +course." She gazed out of the window. " Look," she added, +brightly, the students are rolling somebody in a drift. Oh, +the poor Man ! " + +Coleman, now wearing a bewildered air, made some pretense +of being occupied with the scene. " Yes," he said, ironically. +"Very interesting, indeed." + +" Oh," said Marjory, suddenly, " I forgot to tell you. Father +is going to take mother and me to Greece this winter with him +and the class." + +Coleman replied at once. " Ah, indeed ? That will be jolly." + +"Yes. Won't it be charming?" + +" I don't doubt it," he replied. His composure May have +displeased her, for she glanced at him furtively and in a way +that denoted surprise, perhaps. + +"Oh, of course," she said, in a glad voice. " It will be more +fun. We expect to nave a fine time. There is such a n ice lot of +boys going Sometimes father +chooses these dreadfully studious ones. But this time he +acts as if he knew precisely how to make up a party." + +He reached for her hand and grasped it vise-like. "Marjory," he +breathed, passionately, " don't treat me so. Don't treat me-" + +She wrenched her hand from him in regal indignation. " One +or two rings make it uncomfortable for the hand that is grasped +by an angry gentleman." She held her fingers and gazed as if +she expected to find them mere debris. " I am sorry that you are +not interested in the students rolling that man in the snow. It is +the greatest scene our quiet life can afford." + +He was regarding her as a judge faces a lying culprit. " I +know," he said, after a pause. " Somebody has been telling you +some stories. You have been hearing something about me." + +" Some stories ? " she enquired. " Some stories about you? +What do you mean? Do you mean that I remember stories I may +happen to hear about people? " + +There was another pause and then Coleman's face flared red. +He beat his hand violently upon a table. " Good God, Marjory! +Don't make a fool of me. Don't make this kind of a fool of me, at +any rate. Tell me what you mean. Explain-" + +She laughed at him. " Explain? Really, your vocabulary is +getting extensive, but it is dreadfully awkward to ask people to +explain when there is nothing to explain." + +He glanced at her, " I know as well as you do that your +father is taking you to Greece in order to get rid of me." + +" And do people have to go to Greece in order to get rid of +you? " she asked, civilly. " I think you are getting excited." + +" Marjory," he began, stormily. +She raised her hand. " Hush," she said, "there is somebody +coming." A bell had rung. A maid entered the room. " Mr. +Coke," she said. Marjory nodded. In the interval of waiting, +Coleman gave the girl a glance that mingled despair with rage +and pride. Then Coke burst with half-tamed rapture into the +room. " Oh, Miss Wainwright," he almost shouted, " I can't tell +you how glad I am. I just heard to-day you were going. Imagine +it. It will be more--oh, how are you Coleman, how are you " " + +Marjory welcomed the new-comer with a cordiality that might +not have thrilled Coleman with pleasure. They took chairs that +formed a triangle and one side of it vibrated with talk. Coke and +Marjory engaged in a tumultuous conversation concerning the +prospective trip to Greece. The Sunday editor, as remote as if +the apex of his angle was the top of a hill, could only study the +girl's clear profile. The youthful voices of the two others rang +like bells. He did not scowl at Coke; he merely looked at him as +if be gently disdained his mental calibre. In fact all the talk +seemed to tire him; it was childish; as for him, he apparently found +this babble almost insupportable. + +" And, just think of the camel rides we'll have," cried Coke. + +" Camel rides," repeated Coleman, dejectedly. " My dear +Coke." + +Finally he arose like an old man climbing from a sick bed. +"Well, I am afraid I must go, Miss Wainwright." Then he said +affectionately to Coke: " Good-bye, old boy. I hope you will +have a good time." + +Marjory walked with him to the door. He shook her hand in a +friendly fashion. " Good-bye, Marjory,' he said. " Perhaps it +may happen that I shan't see you again before you start for +Greece and so I had best bid you God-speed---or whatever the +term is now. You will have a charming time; Greece must be a +delightful place. Really, I envy you, Marjory. And now my dear +child "-his voice grew brotherly, filled with the patronage of +generous fraternal love, " although I may never see you again +let me wish you fifty as happy years as this last one has been +for me." He smiled frankly into her eyes; then dropping her +hand, he went away. + +Coke renewed his tempest of talk as Marjory turned toward +him. But after a series of splendid eruptions, whose red fire +illumined all of ancient and modem Greece, he too went away. + +The professor was in his. library apparently absorbed in a +book when a tottering pale-faced woman appeared to him and, +in her course toward a couch in a corner of the room, described +almost a semi-circle. She flung herself face downward. A thick +strand of hair swept over her shoulder. " Oh, my heart is +broken! My heart is broken! " + +The professor arose, grizzled and thrice-old with pain. He +went to the couch, but he found himself a handless, fetless +man. " My poor child," he said. " My poor child." He remained +listening stupidly to her convulsive sobbing. A ghastly kind of +solemnity came upon the room. + +Suddenly the girl lifted herself and swept the strand of hair +away from her face. She looked at the professor with the wide- +open dilated eyes of one who still sleeps. " Father," she said in +a hollow voice, " he don't love me. He don't love me. He don't +love me. at all. You were right, father." She began to laugh. + +"Marjory," said the professor, trembling. "Be quiet, child. Be +quiet." + +" But," she said, " I thought he loved me--I was sure of it. But +it don't-don't matter. I--I can't get over it. Women-women, the- +but it don't matter." + +" Marjory," said the professor. " Marjory, my poor +daughter." + +She did not heed his appeal, but continued in a dull whisper. +" He was playing with me. He was--was-was flirting with me. +He didn't care when I told him--I told him-- +I was going-going away." She turned her face wildly to the +cushions again. Her young shoulders shook as if they might +break. " Wo-men-women-they always----" + + + + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +By a strange mishap of management the train which bore +Coleman back toward New York was fetched into an obscure +side-track of some lonely region and there compelled to bide a +change of fate. The engine wheezed and sneezed like a paused +fat man. The lamps in the cars pervaded a stuffy odor of smoke +and oil. Coleman examined his case and found only one cigar. +Important brakemen proceeded rapidly along the aisles, and +when they swung open the doors, a polar wind circled the legs +of the passengers. " Well, now, what is all this for? " demanded +Coleman, furiously. " I want to get back to New York." + +The conductor replied with sarcasm, " Maybe you think I'm +stuck on it " I ain't running the road. I'm running this train, and I +run it according to orders." Amid the dismal comforts of the +waiting cars, Coleman felt all the profound misery of the +rebuffed true lover. He had been sentenced, he thought, to a +penal servitude of the heart, as he watched the dusky, vague +ribbons of smoke come from the lamps and felt to his knees the +cold winds from the brakemen's busy flights. When the train +started with a whistle and a jolt, he was elate as if in his +abjection his beloved's hand had reached to him from the clouds. + +When he had arrived in New York, a cab rattled him to an +uptown hotel with speed. In the restaurant he first ordered a +large bottle of champagne. The last of the wine he finished in +sombre mood like an unbroken and defiant man who chews the +straw that litters his prison house. During his dinner he was +continually sending out messenger boys. He was arranging a +poker party. Through a window he watched the beautiful +moving life of upper Broadway at night, with its crowds and +clanging cable cars and its electric signs, mammoth and +glittering, like the jewels of a giantess. + +Word was brought to him that the poker players were +arriving. He arose joyfully, leaving his cheese. In the broad hall, +occupied mainly by miscellaneous people and actors, all deep +in leather chairs, he found some of his friends waiting. They +trooped up stairs to Coleman's rooms, where as a preliminary, +Coleman began to hurl books and papers from the table to the +floor. A boy came with drinks. Most of the men, in order to +prepare for the game, removed their coats and cuffs and drew +up the sleeves of their shirts. The electric globes shed a +blinding light upon the table. The sound of clinking chips +arose; the elected banker spun the cards, careless and +dexterous. + +Later, during a pause of dealing, Coleman said: +" Billie, what kind of a lad is that young Coke up at Washurst?" +He addressed an old college friend. + +" Oh, you mean the Sophomore Coke? " asked the friend. +" Seems a decent sort of a fellow. I don't know. Why? " + +"Well, who is he? Where does he come from? What do you +know about him? " + +" He's one of those Ohio Cokes-regular thing-- father +millionaire-used to be a barber-good old boy -why? " + +" Nothin'," said Coleman, looking at his cards. " I know the +lad. I thought he was a good deal of an ass. I wondered who +his people were." + +" Oh, his people are all right-in one way. Father owns rolling +mills. Do you raise it, Henry? Well, in order to make vice +abhorrent to the young, I'm obliged to raise back." + +" I'll see it," observed Coleman, slowly pushing forward two +blue chips. Afterward he reached behind him and took another +glass of wine. + +To the others Coleman seemed to have something bitter +upon his mind. He played poker quietly, steadfastly, and, +without change of eye, following the mathematical religion of +the game. Outside of the play he was savage, almost +insupportable. +" What's the matter with you, Rufus ? " said his old college +friend. " Lost your job? Girl gone back on you? You're a +hell of -a host. We don't get any. thing but insults and drinks." + +Late at night Coleman began to lose steadily. In the +meantime he drank glass after glass of wine. Finally he made +reckless bets on a mediocre hand and an opponent followed +him thoughtfully bet by bet, undaunted, calm, absolutely +without emotion. Coleman lost; he hurled down his cards. " +Nobody but a damned fool would have seen that last raise on +anything less than a full hand." + +" Steady. Come off. What's wrong with you, Rufus ? " cried +his guests. + +" You're not drunk, are you ? " said his old college friend, +puritanically. + +" 'Drunk' ?" repeated Coleman. + +" Oh, say," cried a man, " let's play cards. What's all this +gabbling ? " + +It was when a grey, dirty light of dawn evaded the thick +curtains and fought on the floor with the feebled electric glow +that Coleman, in the midst of play, lurched his chest heavily +upon the table. Some chips rattled to the floor. " I'll call you," +he murmured, sleepily. + +" Well," replied a man, sternly, " three kings." + +The other players with difficulty extracted five cards from +beneath Coleman's pillowed head. " Not a pair! Come, come, +this won't do. Oh, let's stop playing. This is the rottenest game I +ever sat in. Let's go home. Why don't you put him. to bed, Billie?" + +When Coleman awoke next morning, he looked back upon +the poker game as something that had transpired in previous +years. He dressed and went down to the grill-room. For his +breakfast he ordered some eggs on toast and a pint of +champagne. A privilege of liberty belonged to a certain Irish +waiter, and this waiter looked at him, grinning. "Maybe you +had a pretty lively time last night, Mr Coleman? " + +" Yes, Pat," answered Coleman, " I did. It was all because of +an unrequited affection, Patrick." The man stood near, a napkin +over his arm. Coleman went on impressively. " The ways of the +modern lover are strange. Now, I, Patrick, am a modern lover, +and when, yesterday, the dagger of disappointment was driven +deep into my heart, I immediately played poker as hard as I +could and incidentally got loaded. This is the modern point of +view. I understand on good authority that in old times lovers +used to. languish. That is probably a lie, but at any rate we do +not, in these times, languish to any great extent. We get drunk. +Do you understand, Patrick? " +The waiter was used to a harangue at Coleman's breakfast +time. He placed his hand over his mouth and giggled. "Yessir." + +" Of course," continued Coleman, thoughtfully. " It might be +pointed out by uneducated persons that +it is difficult to maintain a high standard of drunkenness for the +adequate length of time, but in the series of experiments which +I am about to make I am sure I can easily prove them to be in +the wrong." + +" I am sure, sir," said the waiter, " the young ladies would +not like to be hearing you talk this way." + +" Yes; no doubt, no doubt. The young ladies have still quite +medieval ideas. They don't understand. They still prefer lovers +to languish." + +" At any rate, sir, I don't see that your heart is sure +enough broken. You seem to take it very easy. " + +" Broken! " cried Coleman. " Easy? Man, my heart is in +fragments. Bring me another small bottle." + + + + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Six weeks later, Coleman went to the office of the proprietor +of the Eclipse. Coleman was one of those +smooth-shaven old-young men who wear upon some occasions +a singular air of temperance and purity. At these times, his +features lost their quality of worldly shrewdness and endless +suspicion and bloomed as the face of some innocent boy. It +then would be hard to tell that he had ever encountered even +such a crime as a lie or a cigarette. As he walked into the +proprietor's office he was a perfect semblance of a fine, +inexperienced youth. People usually concluded this change was +due to a Turkish bath or some other expedient of recuperation, +but it was due probably to the power of a physical +characteristic. + +" Boss in ? " said Coleman. + +" Yeh," said the secretary, jerking his thumb toward an inner +door. In his private office, Sturgeon sat on the edge of the table +dangling one leg and dreamily surveying the wall. As Coleman +entered he looked up quickly. "Rufus," he cried, " you're just +the man I wanted to see. I've got a scheme. A great scheme." +He slid from the table and began to pace briskly to +and fro, his hands deep in his trousers' pockets, his chin sunk +in his collar, his light blue eyes afire with interest. " Now listen. +This is immense. The Eclipse enlists a battalion of men to go to +Cuba and fight the Spaniards under its own flag-the Eclipse flag. +Collect trained officers from here and there-enlist every young +devil we see-drill 'em--best rifles-loads of ammunition- +provisions-staff of doctors and nurses -a couple of dynamite +guns-everything complete best in the world. Now, isn't that +great ? What's the matter with that now ? Eh? Eh? Isn't that +great? It's great, isn't it? Eh? Why, my boy, we'll free-" + +Coleman did not seem to ignite. " I have been arrested four +or five times already on fool matters connected with the +newspaper business," he observed, gloomily, " but I've never +yet been hung. I think your scheme is a beauty." + +Sturgeon paused in astonishment. " Why, what happens to +be the matter with you ? What are you kicking about ? " + +Coleman made a slow gesture. " I'm tired," he answered. " I +need a vacation." + +"Vacation!" cried Sturgeon. "Why don't you take one then ? " + +" That's what I've come to see you about. I've had a pretty +heavy strain on me for three years now, and I want to get a +little rest." + +" Well, who in thunder has been keeping you from it? It +hasn't been me." + +" I know it hasn't been you, but, of course, I wanted the +paper to go and I wanted to have my share in its success, but +now that everything is all right I think I might go away for a +time if you don't mind." + +" Mind! " exclaimed Sturgeon falling into his chair and +reaching for his check book. "Where do you want to go? How +long do you want to be gone? How much money do you want ?" + +" I don't want very much. And as for where I want to go, I +thought I might like to go to Greece for a while." + +Sturgeon had been writing a check. He poised his pen in the +air and began to laugh. " That's a queer place to go for a rest. +Why, the biggest war of modern times--a war that may involve +all Europe-is likely to start there at any moment. You are not +likely to get any rest in Greece." + +" I know that," answered Coleman. " I know there is likely to +be a war there. But I think that is exactly what would rest me. I +would like to report the war." + +"You are a queer bird," answered Sturgeon deeply fascinated +with this new idea. He had apparently forgotten his vision of a +Cuban volunteer battalion. " War correspondence is about the +most original medium for a rest I ever heard of." + +"Oh, it may seem funny, but really, any change will be good +for me now. I've been whacking at this old Sunday edition until +I'm sick of it, and some,. times I wish the Eclipse was in hell." + +That's all right," laughed the proprietor of the +Eclipse. " But I still don't see how you 'are going to get any +vacation out of a war that will upset the whole of Europe. But +that's your affair. If you want to become the chief +correspondent in the field in case of any such war, why, of +course, I would be glad to have you. I couldn't get anybody +better. But I don't see where your vacation comes in." + +" I'll take care of that," answered Coleman. " When I take a +vacation I want to take it my own way, and I think this will be a +vacation because it will be different -don't you see-different ? " + +" No, I don't see any sense in it, but if you think that is the +way that suits you, why, go ahead. How much money do you +want ? " + +" I don't want much. just enough to see me through nicely." + +Sturgeon scribbled on his check book and then ripped a +check from it. " Here's a thousand dollars. Will that do you to +start with? " + +" That's plenty." + +"When do you want to start ? " + +" To-morrow." + +"Oh," said Sturgeon. " You're in a hurry." This +impetuous manner of exit from business seemed to appeal to +him. " To-morrow," he repeated smiling. In reality he was some +kind of a poet using his millions romantically, spending wildly +on a sentiment that might be with beauty or without beauty, +according to the momentary vacillation. The vaguely-defined +desperation in Coleman's last announcement appeared to +delight him. He grinned and placed the points of his fingers +together stretching out his legs in a careful attitude of +indifference which might even mean disapproval. " To-morrow," +he murmured teasingly. + +" By jiminy," exclaimed Coleman, ignoring the other man's +mood, " I'm sick of the whole business. I've got out a Sunday +paper once a week for three years and I feel absolutely +incapable of getting out another edition. It would be all right if +we were running on ordinary lines, but when each issue is more +or less of an attempt to beat the previous issue, it becomes +rather wearing, you know. If I can't get a vacation now I take +one later in a lunatic asylum." + +" Why, I'm not objecting to your having a vacation. I'm +simply marvelling at the kind of vacation you want to take. And +'to-morrow,' too, eh ? " +" Well, it suits me," muttered Coleman, sulkily. + +" Well, if it suits you, that's enough. Here's your check. Clear +out now and don't let me see you again until you are +thoroughly rested, even if it takes a year." He arose and stood +smiling. He was mightily pleased with himself. He liked to +perform in this way. He was almost seraphic as he thrust the +check for a thousand dollars toward Coleman. + +Then his manner changed abruptly. " Hold on a minute. I +must think a little about this thing if you are going to manage +the correspondence. Of course it will be a long and bloody +war." + +"You bet." + +"The big chance is that all Europe will be dragged into it. Of +course then you would have to come out of Greece and take up +abetter position-say Vienna." + +"No, I wouldn't care to do that," said Coleman positively. "I +just want to take care of the Greek end of it." + +" It will be an idiotic way to take a vacation," observed +Sturgeon. + +" Well, it suits me," muttered Coleman again. " I tell you +what it is-" he added suddenly. "I've got some private reasons- +see ? " + +Sturgeon was radiant with joy. " Private reasons." He was +charmed by the sombre pain in Coleman's eyes and his own +ability to eject it. "Good. Go now and be blowed. I will cable +final instruction to meet you in London. As soon as you get to +Greece, cable me an account of the situation there and we will +arrange our plans." He began to laugh. " Private reasons. Come +out to dinner with me." + +" I can't very well," said Coleman. " If I go tomorrow, I've +got to pack-" + +But here the real tyrant appeared, emerging suddenly from +behind the curtain of sentiment, appearing like a red devil in a +pantomine. " You can't ? " snapped Sturgeon. " Nonsense----" + +CHAPTER VII. + +SWEEPING out from between two remote, half-submerged +dunes on which stood slender sentry light. houses, the steamer +began to roll with a gentle insinuating motion. Passengers in +their staterooms saw at rhythmical intervals the spray racing +fleetly past the portholes. The waves grappled hurriedly at the +sides of the great flying steamer and boiled discomfited astern +in a turmoil of green and white. From the tops of the enormous +funnels streamed level masses of smoke which were +immediately torn to nothing by the headlong wind. Meanwhile +as the steamer rushed into the northeast, men in caps and +ulsters comfortably paraded the decks and stewards arranged +deck chairs for the reception of various women who were +coming from their cabins with rugs. + +In the smoking room, old voyagers were settling down +comfortably while new voyagers were regarding them with a +diffident respect. Among the passengers Coleman found a +number of people whom he knew, including a wholesale wine +merchant, a Chicago railway magnate and a New York +millionaire. They lived practically in the smoking room. +Necessity drove them from time to time to the salon, or to their +berths. Once indeed the millionaire was absent, from the group +while penning a short note to his wife. + +When the Irish coast was sighted Coleman came on deck to +look at it. A tall young woman immediately halted in her walk +until he had stepped up to her. " Well, of all ungallant men, +Rufus Coleman, you are the star," she cried laughing and held +out her hand. + +" Awfully sorry, I'm sure," he murmured. " Been playing poker +in the smoking room all voyage. Didn't have a look at the +passenger list until just now. Why didn't you send me word?" +These lies were told so modestly and sincerely that when the +girl flashed her, brilliant eyes full upon their author there was a +mixt of admiration in the indignation. + +" Send you a card " I don't believe you can read, else you +would have known I was to sail on this steamer. If I hadn't been +ill until to-day you would have seen me in the salon. I open at +the Folly Theatre next week. Dear ol' Lunnon, y' know." + +" Of course, I knew you were going," said Coleman. +"But I thought you were to go later. What do you open in? " + +" Fly by Night. Come walk along with me. See those two old +ladies " They've been watching for me like hawks ever since we +left New York. They expected me to flirt with every man on +board. But I've fooled them. I've been just as g-o-o-d. I had to +be." + +As the pair moved toward the stern, enormous and +radiant green waves were crashing futilely after the steamer. +Ireland showed a dreary coast line to the north. A wretched +man who had crossed the Atlantic eighty-four times was +declaiming to a group of novices. A venerable banker, bundled +in rugs, was asleep in his deck chair. + +" Well, Nora," said Coleman, " I hope you make a hit in +London. You deserve it if anybody does. You've worked hard." + +"Worked hard," cried the girl. "I should think so. Eight years +ago I was in the rear row. Now I have the centre of the stage +whenever I want it. I made Chalmers cut out that great scene in +the second act between the queen and Rodolfo. The idea! Did +he think I would stand that ? And just because he was in love +with Clara Trotwood, too." + +Coleman was dreamy. " Remember when I was dramatic man +for the Gazette and wrote the first notice ? " + +" Indeed, I do," answered the girl affectionately. +" Indeed, I do, Rufus. Ah, that was a great lift. I believe that +was the first thing that had an effect on old Oliver. Before that, +he never would believe that I was any good. Give me your arm, +Rufus. Let's parade before the two old women." Coleman +glanced at her keenly. Her voice had trembled slightly. Her eyes +were lustrous as if she were about to weep. + +" Good heavens," he said. " You are the same old +Nora Black. I thought you would be proud and 'aughty by this +time." + +" Not to my friends," she murmured., " Not to my friends. I'm +always the same and I never forget. Rufus." + +" Never forget what? " asked Coleman. + +" If anybody does me a favour I never forget it as long as I +live," she answered fervently. + +" Oh, you mustn't be so sentimental, Nora. You remember +that play you bought from little Ben Whipple, just because he +had once sent you some flowers in the old days when you were +poor and happened to bed sick. A sense of gratitude cost you +over eight thousand dollars that time, didn't it? " Coleman +laughed heartily. + +" Oh, it wasn't the flowers at all," she interrupted seriously. " +Of course Ben was always a nice boy, but then his play was +worth a thousand dollars. That's all I gave him. I lost some more +in trying to make it go. But it was too good. That was what was +the matter. It was altogether too good for the public. I felt +awfully sorry for poor little Ben." + +"Too good?" sneered Coleman. "Too good? Too +indifferently bad, you mean. My dear girl, you mustn't imagine +that you know a good play. You don't, at all." + +She paused abruptly and faced him. This regal, creature +was looking at him so sternly that Coleman +felt awed for a moment as if he, were in the presence of a great +mind. " Do you mean to say that I'm not an artist ? " she asked. + +Coleman remained cool. " I've never been decorated for +informing people of their own affairs," he observed, " but I +should say that you were about as much of an artist as I am." + +Frowning slightly, she reflected upon this reply. Then, of a +sudden, she laughed. " There is no use in being angry with +you, Rufus. You always were a hopeless scamp. But," she +added, childishly wistful, "have you ever seen Fly by Night? +Don't you think my dance in the second act is artistic? " + +" No," said Coleman, " I haven't seen Fly by Night yet, but +of course I know that you are the most beautiful dancer on the +stage. Everybody knows that." + +It seemed that her hand tightened on his arm. Her +face was radiant. " There," she exclaimed. " Now +you are forgiven. You are a nice boy, Rufus-some- +times." + +When Miss Black went to her cabin, Coleman strolled into +the smoking room. Every man there covertly or openly +surveyed him. He dropped lazily into a chair at a table where +the wine merchant, the Chicago railway king and the New York +millionaire were playing cards. They made a noble pretense of +not being aware of him. On the oil cloth top of the table the +cards were snapped down, turn by turn. + +Finally the wine merchant, without lifting his head to- +address a particular person, said: " New conquest." + +Hailing a steward Coleman asked for a brandy and soda. + +The millionaire said: " He's a sly cuss, anyhow." The railway +man grinned. After an elaborate silence the wine merchant +asked: " Know Miss Black long, Rufus?" Coleman looked +scornfully at his friends. " What's wrong with you there, +fellows, anyhow?" The Chicago man answered airily. " Oh, +nothin'. Nothin', whatever." + +At dinner in the crowded salon, Coleman was aware that +more than one passenger glanced first at Nora Black and then +at him, as if connecting them in some train of thought, moved to +it by the narrow horizon of shipboard and by a sense of the +mystery that surrounds the lives of the beauties of the stage. +Near the captain's right hand sat the glowing and splendid +Nora, exhibiting under the gaze of the persistent eyes of many +meanings, a practiced and profound composure that to the +populace was terrfying dignity. + +Strolling toward the smoking room after dinner, Coleman met +the New York millionaire, who seemed agitated. He took +Coleman fraternally by the arm. " Say, old man, introduce me, +won't you ? I'm crazy to know her." + +"Do you mean Miss Black?" asked Coleman. + +" Why, I don't know that I have a right. Of course, you know, +she hasn't been meeting anybody aboard. I'll ask her, though- +certainly." + +" Thanks, old man, thanks. I'd be tickled to death. Come +along and have a drink. When will you ask her? " +" Why, I don't know when I'll see her. To-morrow, I suppose-" + +They had not been long in the smoking room, however, +when the deck steward came with a card to Coleman. Upon it +was written: "Come for' a stroll?" Everybody, saw Coleman read +this card and then look up and whisper to the deck steward. +The deck steward bent his head and whispered discreetly in +reply. There was an abrupt pause in the hum of conversation. +The interest was acute. + +Coleman leaned carelessly back in his chair, puffing at his +cigar. He mingled calmly in a discussion of the comparative +merits of certain trans-Atlantic lines. After a time he threw away +his cigar and arose. Men nodded. "Didn't I tell you?" His +studiously languid exit was made dramatic by the eagle-eyed +attention of the smoking room. + +On deck he found Nora pacing to and fro. "You didn't hurry +yourself," she said, as he joined her. The lights of Queenstown +were twinkling. A warm wind, wet with the moisture of rain- +stricken sod, was coming from the land. + +"Why," said Coleman, "we've got all these duffers very much excited." + +"Well what do you care? " asked hte girl. "You don't, care do you?" + +"No, I don't care. Only it's rather absurd to be +watched all the time." He said this precisely as +if he abhorred being watched in this case. +"Oh by the way," he added. Then he paused for a +moment. "Aw--a friend of mine--not a bad fellow-- +he asked me for an introduction. Of course, I +told him I'd ask you." + +She made a contemptuous gesture. "Oh, another Willie. +Tell him no. Tell him to go home to his family. Tell +him to run away." + +"He isn't a bad fellow. He--" said Coleman diffidently, +"he would probably be at the theatre every night in a box." + +"yes, and get drunk and throw a wine bottle on the +stage instead of a bouquet. No," she declared positively, +"I won't see him." + +Coleman did not seem to be oppressed by this ultimatum. +"Oh, all right. I promised him--that was all." + +"Besides, are you in a great hurry to get rid of me?" + +"Rid of you? Nonsense." + +They walked in the shadow. "How long are you going to be +in London, Rufus?" asked Nora softly. + +"Who? I? Oh, I'm going right off to Greece. First +train. There's going to be a war, you know." + +"A war? Why, who is going to fight? The Greeks +and the--the--the what?" + +"The Turks. I'm going right over there." + +"Why, that's dreadful, Rufus," said the girl, mournfull +and shocked. "You might get hurt or something." +Presently she asked: "And aren't you going to be in +London any time at all?" + +"Oh," he answered, puffing out his lips, "I may stop +in Londom for three or four days on my way home. I'm +not sure of it." + +"And when will that be?" + +"Oh, I can't tell. It may be in three or four months, +or it may be a year from now. When the war stops." + +There was a long silence as the walked up and down +the swaying deck. + +"Do you know," said Nora at last, "I like you, Rufus Coleman. +I don't know any good reason for it either, unless it is because +you are such a brute. Now, when I was asking you if you were +to be in London you were perfectly detestable. You know I was +anxious." + +"I--detestable?" cried Coleman, feigning amazement. +"Why, what did I say?" + +"It isn't so much what you said--" began Nora slowlly. +Then she suddenly changed her manner. +"Oh, well, don't let's talk about it any more. It's +too foolish. Only-you are a disagreeable person sometimes." + +In the morning, as the vessel steamed up the Irish channel, +Coleman was on deck, keeping furtive watch on the cabin +stairs. After two hours of waiting, he scribbled a message on a +card and sent it below. He received an answer that Miss Black +had a headache, and felt too ill to come on deck. He went to the +smoking room. The three card-players glanced up, grinning. +"What's the matter?" asked the wine merchant. "You look +angry." As a matter of fact, Coleman had purposely wreathed +his features in a pleasant and satisfied expression, so he was +for a moment furious at the wine merchant. + +"Confound the girl," he thought to himself. "She has +succeeded in making all these beggars laugh at me." He mused +that if he had another chance he would show her how +disagreeable or detestable or scampish he was under some +circumstances. He reflected ruefully that the complacence with +which he had accepted the comradeship of the belle of the +voyage might have been somewhat overdone. Perhaps he had got a +little out of proportion. He was annoyed at the stares of the +other men in the smoking room, who seemed now to be reading +his discomfiture. As for Nora Black he thought of her wistfully +and angrily as a superb woman whose company was honour +and joy, a payment for any sacrifices. + +" What's the matter? " persisted the wine merchant. " You +look grumpy." +Coleman laughed. " Do I?" + +At Liverpool, as the steamer was being slowly warped to the +landing stage by some tugs, the passengers crowded the deck +with their hand-bags. Adieus were falling as dead leaves fall +from a great tree. The stewards were handling small hills of +luggage marked with flaming red labels. The ship was firmly +against the dock before Miss Black came from her cabin. +Coleman was at the time gazing shoreward, but his three +particular friends instantly nudged him. "What?" "There she +is?" "Oh, Miss Black?" He composedly walked toward her. It +was impossible to tell whether she saw him coming or whether it +was accident, but at any rate she suddenly turned and moved +toward the stern of the ship. Ten watchful gossips had noted +Coleman's travel in her direction and more than half the +passengers noted his defeat. He wheeled casually and returned +to his three friends. They were colic-stricken with a coarse and +yet silent merriment. Coleman was glad that the voyage was +over. + +After the polite business of an English custom house, the +travellers passed out to the waiting train. A nimble little +theatrical agent of some kind, sent from London, dashed +forward to receive Miss Black. He had a first-class compartment +engaged for her and he bundled her and her maid into it in an +exuberance of enthusiasm and admiration.. Coleman passing moodily +along the line of coaches heard Nora's voice hailing him. + +" Rufus." There she was, framed in a carriage window, +beautiful and smiling brightly. Every near. by person turned to +contemplate this vision. + +" Oh," said Coleman advancing, " I thought I was not going +to get a chance to say good-bye to you." He held out his hand. +" Good-bye." + +She pouted. " Why, there's plenty of room in this +compartment." Seeing that some forty people were transfixed in +observation of her, she moved a short way back. " Come on in +this compartment, Rufus," she said. + +"Thanks. I prefer to smoke," said Coleman. He went off +abruptly. + +On the way to London, he brooded in his corner on the two +divergent emotions he had experienced when refusing her +invitation. At Euston Station in London, he was directing a +porter, who had his luggage, when he heard Nora speak at his +shoulder. " Well, Rufus, you sulky boy," she said, " I shall be at +the Cecil. If you have time, come and see me." + +" Thanks, I'm sure, my dear Nora," answered Coleman +effusively. "But honestly, I'm off for Greece." + +A brougham was drawn up near them and the nimble +little agent was waiting. The maid was directing the +establishment of a mass of luggage on and in a four-wheeler +cab. " Well, put me into my carriage, anyhow," said Nora. " You +will have time for that." + +Afterward she addressed him from the dark interior. +Now, Rufus, you must come to see me the minute you strike +London again- of She hesitated a moment and then smiling +gorgeously upon him, she said: " Brute! " + + + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he +was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand, +through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave +and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow +and red signs. + +Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse, whirled +from his chair with a shout of joy and relief -at sight of Coleman. +" Cables," he cried. "Nothin' but cables! All the people in New +York are writing cables to you. The wires groan with them. And +we groan with them too. They come in here in bales. However, +there is no reason why you should read them all. Many are +similar in words and many more are similar in spirit. The sense +of the whole thing is that you get to Greece quickly, taking with +you immense sums of money and enormous powers over +nations." + +" Well, when does the row begin? " + +" The most astute journalists in Europe have been predicting +a general European smash-up every year since 1878," said +Walkley, " and the prophets weep. The English are the only +people who can pull off wars on schedule time, and they have +to do it in odd corners of the globe. I fear the war business is +getting tuckered. There is sorrow in the lodges of the lone wolves, +the war correspondents. However, my boy, don't bury your face in +your blanket. This Greek business looks very promising, very +promising." He then began to proclaim trains and connections. +" Dover, Calais, Paris, Brindisi, Corfu, Patras, Athens. That is +your game. You are supposed to sky-rocket yourself over that +route in the shortest possible time, but you would gain no time +by starting before to-morrow, so you can cool your heels here +in London until then. I wish I was going along." + +Coleman returned to his hotel, a knight impatient and savage +at being kept for a time out of the saddle. He went for a late +supper to the grill room and as he was seated there alone, a +party of four or five people came to occupy the table directly +behind him. They talked a great deal even before they arrayed +them. selves at the table, and he at once recognised the voice +of Nora Black. She was queening it, apparently, over a little +band of awed masculine worshippers. + +Either by accident or for some curious reason, she took a +chair back to back with Coleman's chair. Her sleeve of fragrant +stuff almost touched his shoulder and he felt appealing to him +seductively a perfume of orris root and violet. He was drinking +bottled stout with his chop; be sat with a face of wood. + +" Oh, the little lord ? " Nora was crying to some slave. +"Now, do you know, he won't do at all. He is too awfully +charming. He sits and ruminates for fifteen minutes and then he +pays me a lovely compliment. Then he ruminates for another +fifteen minutes and cooks up another fine thing. It is too +tiresome. Do you know what kind of man. I like? " she asked +softly and confidentially. And here she sank back in her chair +until. Coleman knew from the tingle that her head was but a few +inches from his head. Her, sleeve touched him. He turned more +wooden under the spell of the orris root and violet. Her +courtiers thought it all a graceful pose, but Coleman believed +otherwise. Her voice sank to the liquid, siren note of a +succubus. " Do you know what kind of a man I like? Really +like? I like a man that a woman can't bend in a thousand +different ways in five minutes. He must have some steel in him. +He obliges me to admire him the most when he remains stolid; +stolid to me lures. Ah, that is the only kind of a man who cap +ever break a heart among us women of the world. His stolidity +is not real; no; it is mere art, but it is a highly finished art and +often enough we can't cut through it. Really we can't. And, then +we may actually come to--er--care for the man. Really we may. +Isn't it funny?" + +Alt the end Coleman arose and strolled out of the. room, +smoking a cigarette. He did not betray, a sign. Before. the door +clashed softly behind him, Nora laughed a little defiantly, perhaps +a little loudly. It made every man in the grill-room perk up his ears. +As for her courtiers, they were entranced. In her description of the +conquering man, she had easily contrived that each one of +them wondered if she might not mean him. Each man was +perfectly sure that he had plenty of steel in his composition +and that seemed to be a main point. + +Coleman delayed for a time in the smoking room and then went +to his own quarters. In reality he was Somewhat puzzled in his +mind by a projection of the beauties of Nora Black upon his +desire for Greece and Marjory, His thoughts formed a duality. +Once he was on the point of sending his card to Nora Black's +parlour, inasmuch as Greece was very distant and he could not +start until the morrow. But he suspected that he was holding +the interest of the actress because of his recent appearance of +impregnable serenity in the presence of her fascinations. If he +now sent his card, it was a form of surrender and he knew her +to be one to take a merciless advantage. He would not make +this tactical mistake. On the contrary he would go to bed and +think of war, + +In reality he found it easy to fasten his mind upon the +prospective war. He regarded himself cynically in most +affairs, but he could not be cynical of war, because had he - +seen none of it. His rejuvenated imagination began to thrill to +the roll of battle, +through his thought passing all the lightning in the pictures of +Detaille, de Neuville and Morot; lashed battery horse roaring +over bridges; grand cuirassiers dashing headlong against stolid +invincible red-faced lines of German infantry; furious and +bloody grapplings in the streets of little villages of +northeastern France. There was one thing at least of which he +could still feel the spirit of a debutante. In this matter of war he +was not, too, unlike a young girl embarking upon her first +season of opera. Walkely, the next morning, saw this mood +sitting quaintly upon Coleman and cackled with astonishment +and glee. Coleman's usual manner did not return until he +detected Walkely's appreciation of his state and then he +snubbed him according to the ritual of the Sunday editor of the +New York Eclipse. Parenthetically, it +might be said that if Coleman now recalled Nora Black to his +mind at all, it was only to think of her for a moment with ironical +complacence. He had beaten her. + +When the train drew out of the station, Coleman felt himself +thrill. Was ever fate less perverse ? War and love-war and +Marjory-were in conjunction both in Greece-and he could tilt +with one lance at both gods. It was a great fine game to play +and no man was ever so blessed in vacations. He was smiling +continually to himself and sometimes actually on the point of +talking aloud. This was despite the +presence in the compartment of two fellow passengers who +preserved in their uncomfortably rigid, icy and uncompromising +manners many of the more or less ridiculous traditions of the +English first class carriage. Coleman's fine humour betrayed him +once into addressing one of these passengers and the man +responded simply with a wide look of incredulity, as if he +discovered that he was travelling in the same compartment with +a zebu. It turned Coleman suddenly to evil temper and he +wanted to ask the man questions concerning his education and +his present mental condition: and so until the train arrived at +Dover, his ballooning soul was in danger of collapsing. On the +packet crossing the channel, too, he almost returned to the +usual Rufus Coleman since all the world was seasick and he +could not get a cabin in which to hide himself from it. However +he reaped much consolation by ordering a bottle of +champagne and drinking it in sight of the people, which made +them still more seasick. From Calais to Brindisi really nothing +met his disapproval save the speed of the train, the conduct of +some of the passengers, the quality of the food served, the +manners of the guards, the temperature of the carriages, the +prices charged and the length of the journey. + +In time he passed as in a vision from wretched Brindisi to +charming Corfu, from Corfu to the little +war-bitten city of Patras and from Patras by rail at the speed of +an ox-cart to Athens. + +With a smile of grim content and surrounded in his carriage +with all his beautiful brown luggage, he swept through the +dusty streets of the Greek capital. Even as the vehicle arrived in +a great terraced square in front of the yellow palace, Greek +recruits in garments representing many trades and many +characters were marching up cheering for Greece and the king. +Officers stood upon the little iron chairs in front of the cafes; all +the urchins came running and shouting; ladies waved their +handkerchiefs from the balconies; the whole city was vivified +with a leaping and joyous enthusiasm. The Athenians--as +dragomen or otherwise-had preserved an ardor for their +glorious traditions, and it was as if that in the white dust which +lifted from the plaza and floated across the old-ivory face of the +palace, there were the souls of the capable soldiers of the past. +Coleman was almost intoxicated with it. It seemed to celebrate +his own reasons, his reasons of love and ambition to conquer +in love. + +When the carriage arrived in front of the Hotel D'Angleterre, +Coleman found the servants of the place with more than one +eye upon the scene in the plaza, but they soon paid heed to the +arrival of a gentleman with such an amount of beautiful leather +luggage, all marked boldly with the initials "R. C." Coleman let +them lead him and follow him and conduct him and +use bad English upon him without noting either +their words, their salaams or their work. His mind had quickly +fixed upon the fact that here was the probable headquarters of +the Wainwright party and, with the rush of his western race +fleeting through his veins, he felt that he would choke and die +if he did not learn of the Wainwrights in the first two minutes. It +was a tragic venture to attempt to make the Levantine mind +understand something off the course, that the new arrival's first +thought was to establish a knowlege of the whereabouts of +some of his friends rather than to swarm helter-skelter into that +part of the hotel for which he was willing to pay rent. In fact he +failed to thus impress them; failed in dark wrath, but, +nevertheless, failed. At last he was simply forced to concede +the travel of files of men up the broad, redcarpeted stair-case, +each man being loaded with Coleman's luggage. The men in the +hotel-bureau were then able to comprehend that the foreign +gentleman might have something else on his mind. They raised +their eye-brows languidly when he spoke of the Wainwright +party in gentle surprise that he had not yet learned that they +were gone some time. They were departed on some excursion. +Where? Oh, really-it was almost laughable, indeed-they didn't +know. Were they sure? Why, yes-it was almost laughable, +indeed -they were quite sure. Where could the gentleman find +out about them ? Well, they-as they had explained-did +not know, but-it was possible-the American +minister might know. Where was he to be found? Oh, that was +very simple. It was well known that the American minister had +apartments in the hotel. Was he in? Ah, that they could not +say. +So Coleman, rejoicing at his final emancipation and with the +grime of travel still upon him, burst in somewhat violently upon +the secretary of the Hon. Thomas M. Gordner of Nebraska, the +United States minister to Greece. From his desk the secretary +arose from behind an accidental bulwark of books and +govermental pamphets. " Yes, certainly. Mr. Gordner is in. If +you would give me your card-" + +Directly. Coleman was introduced into another room where a +quiet man who was rolling a cigarette looked him frankly but +carefully in the eye. "The Wainwrights " said the minister +immediately after the question. "Why, I myself am immensely +concerned about them at present. I'm afraid they've gotten +themselves into trouble.' + +" Really? " said Coleman. + +" Yes. That little professor is ratherer--stubborn; Isn't he ? +He wanted to make an expedition to Nikopolis and I explained +to him all the possibilities of war and begged him to at least not +take his wife and daughter with him." + +" Daughter," murmured Coleman, as if in his sleep. + +"But that little old man had a head like a stone +and only laughed at me. Of course those villainous young +students were only too delighted at a prospect of war, but it +was a stupid and absurd. thing for the man to take his wife and +daughter there. They are up there now. I can't get a word from +them or get a word to them." + +Coleman had been choking. "Where is Nikopolis? " he asked. + +The minister gazed suddenly in comprehension of the man +before him. " Nikopolis is in Turkey," he answered gently. + +Turkey at that time was believed to be a country of delay, +corruption, turbulence and massacre. It meant everything. More +than a half of the Christians of the world shuddered at the name +of Turkey. Coleman's lips tightened and perhaps blanched, and +his chin moved out strangely, once, twice, thrice. " How can I +get to Nikopolis? " he said. + +The minister smiled. " It would take you the better part of +four days if you could get there, but as a matter of fact you +can't get there at the present time. A Greek army and a Turkish +army are looking at each other from the sides of the river at +Arta-the river is there the frontier-and Nikopolis happens to be +on the wrong side. You can't reach them. The forces at Arta will +fight within three days. I know it. Of course I've notified our +legation at Constantinople, but, with Turkish methods of +communication, Nikopolis is about as far from +Constantinople as New York is from Pekin." + +Coleman arose. "They've run themselves into a nice mess," +he said crossly. " Well, I'm a thousand times obliged to you, I'm +sure." + +The minister opened his eyes a trifle. You are not going to +try to reach them, are you ? " + +" Yes," answered Coleman, abstractedly. " I'm going to have a +try at it. Friends of mine, you know-" + +At the bureau of the hotel, the correspondent found several +cables awaiting him from the alert office of the New York Eclipse. +One of them read: "State Department gives out bad plight of +Wainwright party lost somewhere; find them. Eclipse." When +Coleman perused the message he began to smile with seraphic +bliss. Could fate have ever been less perverse. + +Whereupon he whirled himself in Athens. And it was to the +considerable astonishment of some Athenians. He discovered +and instantly subsidised a young Englishman who, during his +absence at the front, would act as correspondent for the +Eclipse at the capital. He took unto himself a dragoman and +then bought three horses and hired a groom at a speed that +caused a little crowd at the horse dealer's place to come out +upon the pavement and watch this surprising young man ride +back toward his hotel. He had already driven his dragoman into +a curious state of Oriental bewilderment and panic in which he +could only lumber hastily and helplessly here and there, with +his face in the meantime marked with agony. Coleman's own field +equipment had been ordered by cable from New York to London, but +it was necessary to buy much tinned meats, chocolate, coffee, +candles, patent food, brandy, tobaccos, medicine and other +things. + +He went to bed that night feeling more placid. The train back +to Patras was to start in the early morning, and he felt the +satisfaction of a man who is at last about to start on his own +great quest. Before he dropped off to slumber, he heard crowds +cheering exultantly in the streets, and the cheering moved him +as it had done in the morning. He felt that the celebration of the +people was really an accompaniment to his primal reason, a +reason of love and ambition to conquer in love-even as in the +theatre, the music accompanies the heroin his progress. He +arose once during the night to study a map of the Balkan +peninsula and get nailed into his mind the exact position of +Nikopolis. It was important. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +COLEMAN'S dragoman aroused him in the blue before dawn. +The correspondent arrayed himself in one of his new khaki suits- +riding breeches and a tunic well marked with buttoned pockets- +and accompanied by some of his beautiful brown luggage, they +departed for the station. + +The ride to Patras is a terror under ordinary circumstances. It +begins in the early morning and ends in the twilight. To +Coleman, having just come from Patras to Athens, this journey +from Athens to Patras had all the exasperating elements of a +forced recantation. Moreover, he had not come prepared to +view with awe the ancient city of Corinth nor to view with +admiration the limpid beauties of the gulf of that name with its +olive grove shore. He was not stirred by Parnassus, a far-away +snow-field high on the black shoulders of the mountains across +the gulf. No; he wished to go to Nikopolis. He passed over the +graves of an ancient race the gleam of whose mighty minds +shot, hardly dimmed, through the clouding ages. No; he wished +to go to Nikopolis. The train went at a snail's pace, and if +Coleman bad an interest it was in the people who lined the route +and cheered the soldiers on the train. In Coleman s compartment there was a +greasy person who spoke a little English. He explained that he +was a poet, a poet who now wrote of nothing but war. When a +man is in pursuit of his love and success is known to be at least +remote, it often relieves his strain if he is deeply bored from time +to time. + +The train was really obliged to arrive finally at Patras even if it +was a tortoise, and when this happened, a hotel runner +appeared, who lied for the benefit of the hotel in saying that +there was no boat over to Mesalonghi that night. When, all too +late, Coleman discovered the truth of the matter his wretched +dragoman came in for a period of infamy and suffering. +However, while strolling in the plaza at Patras, amid newsboys +from every side, by rumour and truth, Coleman learned things to +his advantage. A Greek fleet was bombarding Prevasa. Prevasa +was near Nikopolis. The opposing armies at Arta were +engaged, principally in an artillery duel. Arta was on the road from +Nikopolis into Greece. Hearing this news in the sunlit square +made him betray no weakness, but in the darkness of his room +at the hotel, he seemed to behold Marjory encircled by +insurmountable walls of flame. He could look out of his window +into the black night of the north and feel every ounce of a +hideous circumstance. It appalled him; here was no power of +calling up a score of reporters and sending them scampering to +accomplish everything. He even might as well have been without +a tongue as far as it could serve him in goodly speech. He was +alone, confronting the black ominous Turkish north behind which +were the deadly flames; behind the flames was Marjory. It worked +upon him until he felt obliged to call in his dragoman, and then, +seated upon the edge of his bed and waving his pipe eloquently, he +described the plight of some very dear friends who were cut off at +Nikopolis in Epirus. Some of his talk was almost wistful in its wish +for sympathy from his servant, but at the end he bade the dragoman +understand that be, Coleman, was going to their rescue, and he +defiantly asked the hireling if he was prepared to go with him. +But he did not know the Greek nature. In two minutes the +dragoman was weeping tears of enthusiasm, and, for these tears, +Coleman was over-grateful, because he had not been told that +any of the more crude forms of sentiment arouse the common +Greek to the highest pitch, but sometimes, when it comes to +what the Americans call a "show down," when he gets backed +toward his last corner with a solitary privilege of dying for these +sentiments, perhaps he does not always exhibit those talents +which are supposed to be possessed by the bulldog. He often +then, goes into the cafes and take's it out in oration, like +any common Parisian. + +In the morning A steamer carried them across the +strait and landed them near Mesalonghi at the foot of the +railroad that leads to Agrinion. At Agrinion Coleman at last +began to feel that he was nearing his goal. There were plenty of +soldiers in the town, who received with delight and applause +this gentleman in the distinguished-looking khaki clothes with +his revolver and his field glasses and his canteen and; his +dragoman. The dragoman lied, of course, and vocifcrated that +the gentleman in the distinguished-looking khaki clothes was +an English soldier of reputation, who had, naturally, come to +help the cross in its fight against, the crescent. He also said +that his master had three superb horses coming from Athens in +charge of a groom, and was undoubtedly going to join the +cavalry. Whereupon the soldiers wished to embrace and kiss +the gentleman in the distinguished-looking khaki clothes. + +There was more or less of a scuffle. Coleman would have +taken to kicking and punching, but he found that by a- series of +elusive movements he could dodge the demonstrations of +affection without losing his popularity. Escorted by the +soldiers, citizens, children and dogs, he went to the diligence +which was to take him and others the next stage of the journey. +As the diligence proceeded, Coleman's mind suffered another +little inroad of ill-fate as to the success of his expedition. In the +first place it appeared foolish to expect that this diligence +would ever arrive anywhere. Moreover, the +accommodations were about equal to what one would endure if +one undertook to sleep for a night in a tree. Then there was a +devil-dog, a little black-and-tan terrier in a blanket gorgeous and +belled, whose duty it was to stand on the top of the coach and +bark incessantly to keep the driver fully aroused to the enormity +of his occupation. To have this cur silenced either by +strangulation or ordinary clubbing, Coleman struggled with his +dragoman as Jacob struggled with the angel, but in the first +place, the dragoman was a Greek whose tongue could go quite +drunk, a Greek who became a slave to the heralding and +establishment of one certain fact, or lie, and now he was +engaged in describing to every village and to all the country +side the prowess of the gentleman in the distinguished-looking +khaki clothes. It was the general absurdity of this advance to +the frontier and the fighting, to the crucial place where he was +resolved to make an attempt to rescue his sweetheart ; it was +this ridiculous aspect that caused to come to Coleman a +premonition of failure. No knight ever went out to recover a lost +love in such a diligence and with such a devil-dog, tinkling his +little bells and yelping insanely to keep the driver awake. +After night-fall they arrived at a town on the southern coast +of the Gulf of Arta and the goaded dragoman was-thrust forth +from the little inn into the street to find the first possible means +of getting on to Arta. He returned at last to tremulously say that +there was no single chance of starting for Arta that night. Where +upon he was again thrust into the street with orders, strict orders. +In due time, Coleman spread his rugs upon the floor of his little room +and thought himself almost asleep,. when the dragoman entered +with a really intelligent man who, for some reason, had agreed +to consort with him in the business of getting the stranger off +to Arta. They announced that there was a brigantine about to +sail with a load of soldiers for a little port near Arta, and if +Coleman hurried he could catch it, permission from an officer +having already been obtained. He was up at once, and the +dragoman and the unaccountably intelligent person hastily +gathered his chattels. Stepping out into a black street and +moving to the edge of black water and embarking in a black +boat filled with soldiers whose rifles dimly shone, was as +impressive to Coleman as if, really, it had been the first start. He +had endured many starts, it was true, but the latest one always +touched him as being conclusive. + +There were no lights on the brigantine and the men swung +precariously up her sides to the deck which was already +occupied by a babbling multitude. The dragoman judiciously +found a place for his master where during the night the latter +had to move quickly everytime the tiller was shifted to +starboard. + +The craft raised her shadowy sails and swung slowly off into +the deep gloom. Forward, some of the soldiers began to sing +weird minor melodies. Coleman, enveloped in his rugs, -smoked +three or four cigars. He was content and miserable, lying there, +hearing these melodies which defined to him his own affairs. + +At dawn they were at the little port. First, in the carmine and +grey tints from a sleepy sun, they could see little mobs of +soldiers working amid boxes of stores. And then from the back +in some dun and green hills sounded a deep-throated thunder +of artillery An officer gave Coleman and his dragoman +positions in one of the first boats, but of course it could not be +done without an almost endless amount of palaver. Eventually +they landed with their traps. Coleman felt through the sole of +his boot his foot upon the shore. He was within striking +distance. + +But here it was smitten into the head of Coleman's servant to +turn into the most inefficient dragoman, probably in the entire +East. Coleman discerned it immediately, before any blunder +could tell him. He at first thought that it was the voices of the +guns which had made a chilly inside for the man, but when he +reflected upon the incompetency, or childish courier's falsity, at +Patras and his discernible lack of sense from Agrinion onward, +he felt that the fault was elemental in his nature. It was a mere +basic inability to front novel situations which was somehow in the +dragoman; he retreated from everything difficult in a smoke of +gibberish and gesticulation. Coleman glared at him with the hatred that +sometimes ensues when breed meets breed, but he saw that +this man was indeed a golden link in his possible success. This +man connected him with Greece and its language. If he +destroyed him he delayed what was now his main desire in life. +However, this truth did not prevent him from addressing the +man in elegant speech. + +The two little men who were induced to carry Coleman's +luggage as far as the Greek camp were really procured by the +correspondent himself, who pantomined vigourously and with +unmistakable vividness. Followed by his dragoman and the two +little men, he strode off along a road which led straight as a +stick to where the guns were at intervals booming. Meanwhile +the dragoman and the two little men talked, talked, talked.- +Coleman was silent, puffing his cigar and reflecting upon the +odd things which happen to chivalry in the modern age. + +He knew of many men who would have been astonished if +they could have seen into his mind at that time, and he knew of +many more men who would have laughed if they had the same +privilege of sight. He made no attempt to conceal from himself +that the whole thing was romantic, romantic despite the little +tinkling dog, the decrepit diligence, the palavering +natives, the super-idiotic dragoman. It was fine, It was from +another age and even the actors could not deface the purity of +the picture. However it was true that upon the brigantine the +previous night he had unaccountably wetted all his available +matches. This was momentous, important, cruel truth, but +Coleman, after all, was taking-as well as he could forgeta solemn +and knightly joy of this adventure and there were as many +portraits of his lady envisioning. before him as ever held the +heart of an armour-encased young gentleman of medieval +poetry. If he had been travelling in this region as an ordinary +tourist, he would have been apparent mainly for his lofty +impatience over trifles, but now there was in him a positive +assertion of direction which was undoubtedly one of the +reasons for the despair of the accomplished dragoman. + +Before them the country slowly opened and opened, the +straight white road always piercing it like a lanceshaft. Soon +they could see black masses of men marking the green knolls. +The artillery thundered loudly and now vibrated augustly +through the air. Coleman quickened his pace, to the despair of +the little men carrying the traps. They finally came up with one +of these black bodies of men and found it to be composed of a +considerable number of soldiers who were idly watching some +hospital people bury a dead Turk. The dragoman at once dashed +forward to peer through the throng and see the face of the corpse. +Then he came and supplicated Coleman as if he were hawking him to +look at a relic and Coleman moved by a strong, mysterious +impulse, went forward to look at the poor little clay-coloured +body. At that moment a snake ran out from a tuft of grass at his +feet and wriggled wildly over the sod. The dragoman shrieked, +of course, but one of the soldiers put his heel upon the head of +the reptile and it flung itself into the agonising knot of death. +Then the whole crowd powwowed, turning from the dead man +to the dead snake. Coleman signaled his contingent and +proceeded along the road. + +This incident, this paragraph, had seemed a strange +introduction to war. The snake, the dead man, the entire sketch, +made him shudder of itself, but more than anything he felt an +uncanny symbolism. It was no doubt a mere occurrence; +nothing but an occurrence; but inasmuch as all the detail of this +daily life associated itself with Marjory, he felt a different +horror. He had thought of the little devil-dog and Marjory in an +interwoven way. Supposing Marjory had been riding in the +diligence with the devil-dog-a-top ? What would she have said ? +Of her fund of expressions, a fund uncountable, which would +she have innocently projected against the background of the +Greek hills? Would it have smitten her nerves badly or would +she have laughed ? And supposing Marjory +could have seen him in his new khaki clothes cursing his +dragoman as he listened to the devil-dog? + +And now he interwove his memory of Marjory with a dead +man and with a snake in the throes of the end of life. They +crossed, intersected, tangled, these two thoughts. He perceived +it clearly; the incongruity of it. He academically reflected upon +the mysteries of the human mind, this homeless machine which +lives here and then there and often lives in two or three +opposing places at the same instant. He decided that the +incident of the snake and the dead man had no more meaning +than the greater number of the things which happen to us in our +daily lives. Nevertheless it bore upon him. + +On a spread of plain they saw a force drawn up in a long line. +It was a flagrant inky streak on the verdant prairie. From +somewhere near it sounded the timed reverberations of guns. +The brisk walk of the next ten minutes was actually exciting to +Coleman. He could not but reflect that those guns were being +fired with serious purpose at certain human bodies much like +his own. + +As they drew nearer they saw that the inky streak was +composed of cavalry, the troopers standing at their bridles. The +sunlight flicked, upon their bright weapons. Now the dragoman +developed in one of his extraordinary directions. He announced +forsooth that an intimate friend was a captain of cavalry in this +command. Coleman at first thought. that this was some kind of +mysterious lie, but when he arrived where they could hear the +stamping of hoofs, the clank of weapons, and the murmur of +men, behold, a most dashing young officer gave a shout of joy +and he and the dragoman hurled themselves into a mad +embrace. After this first ecstacy was over, the dragoman +bethought him of his employer, and looking toward Coleman +hastily explained him to the officer. The latter, it appeared, was +very affable indeed. Much had happened. The Greeks and the +Turks had been fighting over a shallow part of the river nearly +opposite this point and the Greeks had driven back the Turks +and succeeded in throwing a bridge of casks and planking +across the stream. It was now the duty and the delight of this +force of cavalry to cross the bridge and, passing, the little force +of covering Greek infantry, to proceed into Turkey until they +came in touch with the enemy. + +Coleman's eyes dilated. Was ever fate less perverse ? Partly +in wretched French to the officer and partly in idiomatic English +to the dragoman, he proclaimed his fiery desire to accompany +the expedition. The officer immediately beamed upon him. In +fact, he was delighted. The dragoman had naturally told him +many falsehoods concerning Coleman, incidentally referring to +himself more as a philanthropic guardian and, valuable friend of +the correspondent than as, a plain, unvarnished. dragoman +with an exceedingly good eye for the financial possibilities of +his position. + +Coleman wanted to ask his servant if there was any chance of +the scout taking them near Nikopolis, but he delayed being +informed upon this point until such time as he could find out, +secretly, for himself. To ask the dragoman would be mere stupid +questioning which would surely make the animal shy. He tried +to be content that fate had given him this early opportunity of +dealing with a Medieval situation with some show of proper +form ; that is to say, armed, a-horse- back, and in danger. Then +he could feel that to the gods of the game he was not laughable, +as when he rode to rescue his love in a diligence with a devil- +dog yelping a-top. + +With some flourish, the young captain presented him to the +major who commanded the cavalry. This officer stood with his +legs wide apart, eating the rind of a fresh lemon and talking +betimes to some of his officers. The major also beamed upon +Coleman when the captain explained that the gentleman in the +distinguished-looking khaki clothes wished to accompany the +expedition. He at once said that he would provide two troop +horses for Coleman and the dragoman. Coleman thanked fate +for his behaviour and his satisfaction was not without a vestige +of surprise. At that time he judged it to be a remarkable +amiability of individuals, but in later years he came to believe in +certain laws which he deemed existent solely for the benefit of +war correspondents. In the minds of governments, war offices +and generals they have no function save one of disturbance, but +Coleman deemed it proven that the common men, and many +uncommon men, when they go away to the fighting ground, out +of the sight, out of the hearing of the world known to them, and +are eager to perform feats of war in this new place, they feel an +absolute longing for a spectator. It is indeed the veritable +coronation of this world. There is not too much vanity of the +street in this desire of men to have some disinterested fellows +perceive their deeds. It is merely that a man doing his best in the +middle of a sea of war, longs to have people see him doing his +best. This feeling is often notably serious if, in peace, a man has +done his worst, or part of his worst. Coleman believed that, +above everybody, young, proud and brave subalterns had this +itch, but it existed, truly enough, from lieutenants to colonels. +None wanted to conceal from his left hand that his right hand +was performing a manly and valiant thing, although there might +be times when an application of the principle would be +immensely convenient. The war correspondent arises, then, to +become a sort of a cheap telescope for the people at home; +further still, there have been fights where the eyes of a solitary +man were the eyes of the world; one spectator, whose business +it was to transfer, according to his ability, his visual impressions +to other minds. + +Coleman and his servant were conducted to two saddled +troop horses, and beside them, waited decently in the rear of +the ranks. The uniform of the troopers was of plain, dark green +cloth and they were well and sensibly equipped. The mounts, +however, had in no way been picked; there were little horses +and big horses, fat horses and thin horses. They looked the +result of a wild conscription. Coleman noted the faces of the +troopers, and they were calm enough save when a man +betrayed himself by perhaps a disproportionate angry jerk at +the bridle of his restive horse. + +The major, artistically drooping his cloak from his left +shoulder and tenderly and musingly fingering his long yellow +moustache, rode slowly to the middle of the line and wheeled +his horse to face his men. A bugle called attention, and then he +addressed them in a loud and rapid speech, which did not seem +to have an end. Coleman imagined that the major was paying +tribute to the Greek tradition of the power of oratory. Again the +trumpet rang out, and this parade front swung off into column +formation. Then Coleman and the dragoman trotted at the tail of +the squadron, restraining with difficulty their horses, who could +not understand their new places in the procession, and worked +feverishly to regain what they considered their positions in life. + +The column jangled musically over the sod, passing between +two hills on one of which a Greek light battery was posted. Its +men climbed to the tops of their interenchments to witness the +going of the cavalry. Then the column curved along over ditch +and through hedge to the shallows of the river. Across this +narrow stream was Turkey. Turkey, however, presented +nothing to the eye but a muddy bank with fringes of trees back +of it. It seemed to be a great plain with sparse collections of +foliage marking it, whereas the Greek side, presented in the +main a vista of high, gaunt rocks. Perhaps one of the first +effects of war upon the mind, is a. new recognition and fear of +the circumscribed ability of the eye, making all landscape seem +inscrutable. The cavalry drew up in platoon formation on their +own. bank of the stream and waited. If Coleman had known +anything of war, he would have known, from appearances, that +there was nothing in the immediate vicinity to, cause heart- +jumping, but as a matter of truth he was deeply moved and +wondered what was hidden, what was veiled by those trees. +Moreover, the squadrons resembled art old picture of a body of +horse awaiting Napoleon's order to charge. In the, meantime his +mount fumed at the bit, plunging to get back to the ranks. The +sky was, without a cloud, and the sun rays swept down upon +them. Sometimes Coleman was on the verge of addressing the +dragoman, according to his anxiety, but in the end +he simply told him to go to the river and fill the can- teens. + +At last an order came, and the first troop moved with muffled +tumult across the bridge. Coleman and his dragoman followed +the last troop. The horses scrambled up the muddy bank much +as if they were merely breaking out of a pasture, but probably all +the men felt a sudden tightening of their muscles. Coleman, in +his excitement, felt, more than he saw, glossy horse flanks, +green-clothed men chumping in their saddles, banging sabres +and canteens, and carbines slanted in line. + +There were some Greek infantry in a trench. They were +heavily overcoated, despite the heat, and some were engaged in +eating loaves of round, thick bread. They called out lustily as +the cavalry passed them. The troopers smiled slowly, +somewhat proudly in response. + +Presently there was another halt and Coleman saw the major +trotting busily here and there, while troop commanders rode out +to meet him. Spreading groups of scouts and flankers moved off +and disappeared. Their dashing young officer friend cantered +past them with his troop at his heels. He waved a joyful good- +bye. It was the doings of cavalry in actual service, horsemen +fanning out in all forward directions. There were two troops +held in reserve, and as they jangled ahead at a foot pace, +Coleman and his dragoman followed them. + +The dragoman was now moved to erect many reasons for an +immediate return. It was plain that he had no stomach at all for +this business, and that he wished himself safely back on the +other side of the river. Coleman looked at him askance. When +these men talked together Coleman might as well have been a +polar bear for all he understood of it. When he saw the +trepidation of his dragoman, he did not know what it foreboded. +In this situation it was not for him to say that the dragoman's +fears were founded on nothing. And ever the dragoman raised +his reasons for a retreat. Coleman spoke to himself. "I am just a +trifle rattled," he said to his heart, and after he had communed +for a time upon the duty of steadiness, he addressed the +dragoman in cool language. " Now, my persuasive friend, just +quit all that, because business is business, and it may be rather +annoying business, but you will have to go through with it." +Long afterward, when ruminating over the feelings of that +morning, he saw with some astonishment that there was not a +single thing within sound or sight to cause a rational being any +quaking. He was simply riding with some soldiers over a vast +tree-dotted prairie. + +Presently the commanding officer turned in his saddle and +told the dragoman that he was going to ride forward with his +orderly to where he could see the flanking parties and the +scouts, and courteously, with +the manner of a gentleman entertaining two guests, he asked if +the civilians cared to accompany him. The dragoman would not +have passed this question correctly on to Coleman if he had +thought he could have avoided it, but, with both men regarding +him, he considered that a lie probably meant instant detection. +He spoke almost the truth, contenting himself with merely +communicating to Coleman in a subtle way his sense that a ride +forward with the commanding officer and his orderly would be +depressing and dangerous occupation. But Coleman +immediately accepted the invitation mainly because it was the +invitation of the major, and in war it is a brave man who can +refuse the invitation of a commanding officer. The little party of +four trotted away from the reserves, curving in single file about +the water-holes. In time they arrived at where the plain lacked +trees and was one great green lake of grass; grass and scrubs. +On this expanse they could see the Greek horsemen riding, mainly +appearing as little black dots. Far to the left there was a squad +said to be composed of only twenty troopers, but in the +distance their black mass seemed to be a regiment. + +As the officer and his guests advanced they came in view of +what one may call the shore of the plain. The rise of ground was +heavily clad with trees, and over the tops of them appeared the +cupola and part of the walls of a large white house, and there +were glimpses of huts near it as if a village was marked. The black +specks seemed to be almost to it. The major galloped forward +and the others followed at his pace. The house grew larger and +larger and they came nearly to the advance scouts who they +could now see were not quite close to the village. There had +been a deception of the eye precisely as occurs at sea. Herds of +unguarded sheep drifted over the plain and little ownerless +horses, still cruelly hobbled, leaped painfully away, frightened, +as if they understood that an anarchy had come upon them. The +party rode until they were very nearly up with the scouts, and +then from low down at the very edge of the plain there came a +long rattling noise which endured as if some kind of grinding +machine had been put in motion. Smoke arose, faintly marking +the position of an intrenchment. Sometimes a swift spitting +could be heard from the air over the party. + +It was Coleman's fortune to think at first that the Turks were +not firing in his direction, but as soon as he heard the weird +voices in the air he knew that war was upon him. But it was +plain that the range was almost excessive, plain even to his +ignorance. The major looked at him and laughed; he found no +difficulty in smiling in response. If this was war, it could be +withstood somehow. He could not at this time understand what +a mere trifle was the present incident. He felt upon his cheek a +little breeze which was moving the grass-blades. He had tied his +canteen in a wrong place on the saddle and every time the horse moved +quickly the canteen banged the correspondent, to his annoyance and +distress, forcibly on the knee. He had forgotten about his +dragoman, but happening to look upon that faithful servitor, he +saw him gone white with horror. A bullet at that moment +twanged near his head and the slave to fear ducked in a spasm. +Coleman called the orderly's attention and they both laughed +discreetly. They made no pretension of being heroes, but they +saw plainly that they were better than this man. +Coleman said to him : " How far is it now to Nikopolis ? " The +dragoman replied only, with a look of agonized impatience. + +But of course there was no going to Nikopolis that day. The +officer had advanced his men as far as was intended by his +superiors, and presently they were all recalled and trotted back +to the bridge. They crossed it to their old camp. + +An important part of Coleman's traps was back with his +Athenian horses and their groom, but with his present +equipment he could at least lie smoking on his blankets and +watch the dragoman prepare food. But he reflected that for that +day he had only attained the simple discovery that the +approach to Nikopolis was surrounded with difficulties. + + + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +The same afternoon Coleman and the dragoman rode up to +Arta on their borrowed troop horses. The correspondent first +went to the telegraph office and found there the usual number +of despairing clerks. They were outraged when they found he +was going to send messages and thought it preposterous that +he insisted upon learning if there were any in the office for him. +They had trouble enough with endless official communications +without being hounded about private affairs by a confident +young man in khaki. But Coleman at last unearthed six +cablegrams which collective said that the Eclipse wondered why +they did not hear from him, that Walkley had been relieved from +duty in London and sent to join the army of the +crown prince, that young Point, the artist, had been +shipped to Greece, that if he, Coleman, succeeded in +finding the Wainwright party the paper was prepared +to make a tremendous uproar of a celebration over it +and, finally, the paper wondered twice more why they +did not hear from him. + +When Coleman went forth to enquire if anybody knew of the +whereabouts of the Wainwright party he thought first of his +fellow correspondents. He found +most of them in a cafe where was to be had about the only food +in the soldier-laden town. It was a slothful den where even an +ordinary boiled egg could be made unpalatable. Such a common +matter as the salt men watched with greed and suspicion as if +they were always about to grab it from each other. The +proprietor, in a dirty shirt, could always be heard whining, +evidently telling the world that he was being abused, but he had +spirit enough remaining to charge three prices for everything +with an almost Jewish fluency. + +The correspondents consoled themselves largely upon black - +bread and the native wines. Also there were certain little oiled +fishes, and some green odds and ends for salads. The +correspondents were practically all Englishmen. Some of them +were veterans of journalism in the Sudan, in India, in South +Africa; and there were others who knew as much of war as they +could learn by sitting at a desk and editing the London stock +reports. Some were on their own hook; some had horses and +dragomen and some had neither the one nor the other; many +knew how to write and a few had it yet to learn. The thing in +common was a spirit of adventure which found pleasure in the +extraordinary business of seeing how men kill each other. + +They were talking of an artillery duel which had been fought +the previous day between the Greek batteries above the town +and the Turkish batteries across the river. Coleman +took seat at one of the long tables, and the +astute dragoman got somebody in the street to hold the horses +in order that he might be present at any feasting. + +One of the experienced correspondents was remarking that +the fire of the Greek batteries in the engagement had been the +finest artillery practice of the century. He spoke a little loudly, +perhaps, in the wistful hope that some of the Greek officers +would understand enough English to follow his meaning, for it +is always good for a correspondent to admire the prowess on +his own side of the battlefield. After a time Coleman spoke in a +lull, and describing the supposed misfortunes of the +Wainwright party, asked if anyone had news of them. The +correspondents were surprised; they had none of them heard +even of the existence of a Wainwright party. Also none of them +seemed to care exceedingly. The conversation soon changed to +a discussion of the probable result of the general Greek +advance announced for the morrow. + +Coleman silently commented that this remarkable appearance +of indifference to the mishap of the Wainwrights, a little party, a +single group, was a better definition of a real condition of war +than that bit of long-range musketry of the morning. He took a +certain despatch out of his pocket and again read it. " Find +Wainwright party at all hazards; much talk here; success +means red fire by ton. Eclipse." It +was an important matter. He could imagine how the American +people, vibrating for years to stories of the cruelty of the Turk, +would tremble-indeed, was now trembling-while the +newspapers howled out the dire possibilities. He saw all the +kinds of people, from those who would read the Wainwright +chapters from day to day as a sort of sensational novel, to +those who would work up a gentle sympathy for the woe of +others around the table in the evenings. He saw bar keepers +and policemen taking a high gallery thrill out of this kind of +romance. He saw even the emotion among American colleges +over the tragedy of a professor and some students. It +certainly was a big affair. Marjory of course was everything in +one way, but that, to the world, was not a big affair. It was the +romance of the Wainwright party in its simplicity that to the +American world was arousing great sensation; one that in the +old days would have made his heart leap like a colt. + +Still, when batteries had fought each other savagely, and +horse, foot and guns were now about to make a general +advance, it was difficult, he could see, to stir men to think and +feel out of the present zone of action; to adopt for a time in fact +the thoughts and feelings of the other side of the world. It made +Coleman dejected as he saw clearly that the task was wholly on +his own shoulders. + +Of course they were men who when at home +manifested the most gentle and wide-reaching feelings; most of +them could not by any possibility have slapped a kitten merely +for the prank and yet all of them who had seen an unknown +man shot through the head in battle had little more to think of it +than if the man had been a rag-baby. Tender they might be; +poets they might be; but they were all horned with a +provisional, temporary, but absolutely essential callouse which +was formed by their existence amid war with its quality of +making them always think of the sights and sounds concealed +in their own direct future. + +They had been simply polite. " Yes ? " said one to Coleman. +"How many people in the party? Are they all Americans? Oh, I +suppose it will be quite right. Your minister in Constantinople +will arrange that easily. Where did you say? At Nikopolis? +Well, we conclude that the Turks will make no stand between +here and Pentepigadia. In that case your Nikopolis will be +uncovered unless the garrison at Prevasa intervenes. That +garrison at Prevasa, by the way, may make a deal of trouble. +Remember Plevna." + +" Exactly how far is it to Nikopolis? " asked Coleman. + +" Oh, I think it is about thirty kilometers," replied the +others. " There is a good miltary road as soon as you cross the +Louros river. I've got the map of the Austrian general staff. +Would you like to look at it?" + +Coleman studied the map, speeding with his eye rapidly to +and fro between Arta and Nikopolis. To him it was merely a +brown lithograph of mystery, but he could study the distances. + +He had received a cordial invitation from the com- +mander of the cavalry to go with him for another ride +into Turkey, and he inclined to believe that his project +would be furthered if he stuck close to the cavalry. So +he rode back to the cavalry camp and went +peacefully to sleep on the sod. He awoke in the +morning with chattering teeth to find his dragoman +saying that the major had unaccountably withdrawn +his loan of the two troop horses. Coleman of course +immediately said to himself that the dragoman was +lying a-gain in order to prevent another expedition +into ominous Turkey, but after all if the commander, +of the cavalry had suddenly turned the light of his +favour from the correspondent it was only a proceeding +consistent with the nature which Coleman now +thought he was beginning to discern, a nature which +can never think twice in the same place, a gageous +mind which drifts, dissolves, combines, vanishes with +the ability of an aerial thing until the man of the +north feels that when he clutches it with full knowledge of his +senses he is only the victim of his ardent +imagination. It is the difference in standards, in +creeds, which is the more luminous when men call out that +they are all alike. + +So Coleman and his dragoman loaded their traps and moved +out to again invade Turkey. It was not yet clear daylight, but +they felt that they might well start early since they were no +longer mounted men. + +On the way to the bridge, the dragoman, although he was +curiously in love with his forty francs a day and his +opportunities, ventured a stout protest, based apparently upon +the fact that after all this foreigner, four days out from Athens +was somewhat at his mercy. " Meester Coleman," he said, +stopping suddenly, " I think we make no good if we go there. +Much better we wait Arta for our horse. Much better. I think +this no good. There is coming one big fight and I think much +better we go stay Arta. Much better." + +" Oh, come off," said Coleman. And in clear language he +began to labour with the man. " Look here, now, if you think +you are engaged in steering a bunch of wooden-headed guys +about the Acropolis, my dear partner of my joys and sorrows, +you are extremely mistaken. As a matter of fact you are now the +dragoman of a war correspondent and you were engaged and +are paid to be one. It becomes necessary that you make good. +Make good, do you understand? I'm not out here to be buncoed +by this sort of game." He continued indefinitely in this strain +and at intervals he asked sharply Do you understand ? + +Perhaps the dragoman was dumbfounded that the laconic +Coleman could on occasion talk so much, or perhaps he +understood everything and was impressed by the +argumentative power. At any rate he suddenly wilted. He made +a gesture which was a protestation of martyrdom and picking up +his burden proceeded on his way. + +When they reached the bridge, they saw strong columns of +Greek infantry, dead black in the dim light, crossing the stream +and slowly deploying on the other shore. It was a bracing sight +to the dragoman, who then went into one of his absurd +babbling moods, in which he would have talked the head off +any man who was not born in a country laved by the childish +Mediterranean. Coleman could not understand what he said to +the soldiers as they passed, but it was evidently all grandiose +nonsense. + +Two light batteries had precariously crossed the rickety +bridge during the night, and now this force of several thousand +infantry, with the two batteries, was moving out over the +territory which the cavalry had reconnoitered on the previous +day. The ground being familiar to Coleman, he no longer knew a +tremour, and, regarding his dragoman, he saw that that +invaluable servitor was also in better form. They marched until +they found one of the light batteries unlimbered and aligned on +the lake of grass about a mile from where parts of the white +house appeared above the tree-tops. Here the dragoman talked +with the captain of artillery, a tiny man on an immense horse, +who for some unknown reason told him that this force was going +to raid into Turkey and try to swing around the opposing army's +right flank. He announced, as he showed his teeth in a smile, +that it would be very, very dangerous work. The dragoman +precipitated himself upon Coleman. + +" This is much danger. The copten he tell me the trups go +now in back of the Turks. It will be much danger. I think much +better we go Arta wait for horse. Much better." Coleman, +although be believed he despised the dragoman, could not help +but be influenced by his fears. They were, so to speak, in a +room with one window, and only the dragoman looked forth +from the window, so if he said that what he saw outside +frightened him, Coleman was perforce frightened also in a +measure. But when the correspondent raised +his eyes he saw the captain of the battery looking at him, his +teeth still showing in a smile, as if his information, whether true +or false, had been given to convince the foreigner that the +Greeks were a very superior and brave people, notably one little +officer of artillery. He had apparently assumed that Coleman +would balk from venturing with such a force upon an excursion +to trifle with the rear of a hard fighting Ottoman army. He +exceedingly disliked that man, sitting up there on his tall horse +and grinning like a cruel little ape with a secret. In truth, +Coleman was taken back at the outlook, but he could no more refrain +from instantly accepting this half-concealed challenge than he could +have refrained from resenting an ordinary form of insult. His mind was +not at peace, but the small vanities are very large. He was perfectly +aware that he was, being misled into the thing by an odd pride, but +anyhow, it easily might turn out to be a stroke upon the doors of +Nikopolis. He nodded and smiled at the officer in grateful +acknowledgment of his service. + +The infantry was moving steadily a-field. Black blocks of men +were trailing in column slowly over the plain. They were not +unlike the backs of dominoes on a green baize table ; they were +so vivid, so startling. The correspondent and his servant +followed them. Eventually they overtook two companies in +command of a captain, who seemed immensely glad to have the +strangers with him. As they marched, the captain spoke through +the dragoman upon the virtues of his men, announcing with +other news the fact that his first sergeant was the bravest man in +the world. + +A number of columns were moving across the plain parallel to +their line of march, and the whole force seemed to have orders +to halt when they reached a long ditch about four hundred yards +from where the shore of the plain arose to the luxuriant groves +with the cupola of the big white house sticking above them. The +soldiers lay along the ditch, and the bravest man in the world +spread his blanket on the ground for the captain, Coleman and +himself. During a long pause Coleman tried to elucidate the question +of why the Greek soldiers wore heavy overcoats, even in the bitter +heat of midday, but he could only learn that the dews, when they +came, were very destructive to the lungs, Further, he convinced himself +anew that talking through an interpreter to the minds of other +men was as satisfactory as looking at landscape through a +stained glass window. + +After a time there was, in front, a stir near where a curious +hedge of dry brambles seemed to outline some sort of a garden +patch. Many of the soldiers exclaimed and raised their guns. But +there seemed to come a general understanding to the line that it +was wrong to fire. Then presently into the open came a dirty +brown figure, and Coleman could see through his glasses that +its head was crowned with a dirty fez which had once been +white. This indicated that the figure was that of one of the +Christian peasants of Epirus. Obedient to the captain, the +sergeant arose and waved invitation. The peasant wavered, +changed his mind, was obviously terror-stricken, regained +confidence and then began to advance circuitously toward +the Greek lines. When he arrived within hailing dis- tance, the +captain, the sergeant, Coleman's dragoman and many of the +soldiers yelled human messages, and a moment later he was +seen to be a poor, yellow-faced stripling with a body which +seemed to have been first twisted by an ill-birth and afterward +maimed by either labour or oppression, these being often +identical in their effects. + +His reception of the Greek soldiery was no less fervid than +their welcome of him to their protection. He threw his grimy fez +in the air and croaked out cheers, while tears wet his cheeks. +When he had come upon the right side of the ditch he ran +capering among them and the captain, the sergeant, the +dragoman and a number of soldiers received wild embraces and +kisses. He made a dash at Coleman, but Coleman was now wary +in the game, and retired dexterously behind different groups +with a finished appearance of not noting that the young man +wished to greet him. + +Behind the hedge of dry brambles there were more +indications of life, and the peasant stood up and made +beseeching gestures. Soon a whole flock of miserable people +had come out to the Greeks, men, women and children, in crude +and comic smocks, prancing here and there, uproariously +embracing and kissing their deliverers. An old, tearful, toothless +hag flung herself rapturously into the arms of the captain, and +Coleman's brick-and-iron soul was moved to admiration +at the way in which the officer administered a chaste salute +upon the furrowed cheek. The dragoman told the +correspondent that the Turks had run away from the village on +up a valley toward Jannina. Everybody was proud and happy. +A major of infantry came from the rear at this time and asked +the captain in sharp tones who were the two strangers in +civilian attire. When the captain had answered correctly the +major was immediately mollified, and had it announced to the +correspondent that his battalion was going to move +immediately into the village, and that he would be delighted to +have his company. + +The major strode at the head of his men with the group of +villagers singing and dancing about him and looking upon him +as if he were a god. Coleman and the dragoman, at the officer's +request, marched one on either side of him, and in this manner +they entered the village. From all sorts of hedges and thickets, +people came creeping out to pass into a delirium of joy. The +major borrowed three little pack horses with rope-bridles, and +thus mounted and followed by the clanking column, they rode +on in triumph. + +It was probably more of a true festival than most men +experience even in the longest life time. The major with his +Greek instinct of drama was a splendid personification of poetic +quality; in fact he was himself almost a lyric. From time to time +he glanced back at Coleman with eyes half dimmed with appreciation. +The people gathered flowers, great blossoms of purple and corn colour. +They sprinkled them over the three horsemen and flung them +deliriously under the feet of the little nags. Being now mounted +Coleman had no difficulty in avoiding the embraces of the +peasants, but he felt to the tips of his toes an abandonment to a +kind of pleasure with which he was not at all familiar. Riding +thus amid cries of thanksgiving addressed at him equally with +the others, he felt a burning virtue and quite lost his old self in +an illusion of noble be. nignity. And there continued the +fragrant hail of blossoms. + +Miserable little huts straggled along the sides of the village +street as if they were following at the heels of the great white +house of the bey. The column proceeded northward, +announcing laughingly to the glad villagers that they would +never see another Turk. Before them on the road was here and +there a fez from the head of a fled Turkish soldier and they lay +like drops of blood from some wounded leviathan. Ultimately it +grew cloudy. It even rained slightly. In the misty downfall the +column of soldiers in blue was dim as if it were merely a long +trail of low-hung smoke. + +They came to the ruins of a church and there the major +halted his battalion. Coleman worried at his dragoman to +learn if the halt was only temporary. It was a long time before +there was answer from the major, for he had drawn up his men in platoons +and was addressing them in a speech as interminable as any that +Coleman had heard in Greece. The officer waved his arms and +roared out evidently the glories of patriotism and soldierly +honour, the glories of their ancient people, and he may have +included any subject in this wonderful speech, for the reason +that he had plenty of time in which to do it. It was impossible to +tell whether the oration was a good one or bad one, because the +men stood in their loose platoons without discernible feelings +as if to them this appeared merely as one of the inevitable +consequences of a campaign, an established rule of warfare. +Coleman ate black bread and chocolate tablets while the +dragoman hovered near the major with the intention of +pouncing upon him for information as soon as his lungs yielded +to the strain upon them. + +The dragoman at last returned with a very long verbal +treatise from the major, who apparently had not been as +exhausted after his speech to the men as one would think. The +major had said that he had been ordered to halt here to form a +junction with some of the troops coming direct from Arta, and +that he expected that in the morning the army would be +divided and one wing would chase the retreating Turks on +toward Jannina, while the other wing would advance upon +Prevasa because the enemy had a garrison there which had not +retreated an inch, and, although it was +cut off, it was necessary to send either a force to hold it in its +place or a larger force to go through with the business of +capturing it. Else there would be left in the rear of the left flank +of a Greek advance upon Jannina a body of the enemy which at +any moment might become active. The major said that his +battalion would probably form part of the force to advance +upon Prevasa. Nikopolis was on the road to Prevasa and only +three miles away from it. + + + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Coleman spent a long afternoon in the drizzle Enveloped in +his macintosh he sat on a boulder in the lee of one of the old +walls and moodily smoked cigars and listened to the ceaseless +clatter of tongues. A ray of light penetrated the mind of the +dragoman and he laboured assiduously with wet fuel until he +had accomplished a tin mug of coffee. Bits of cinder floated in +it, but Coleman rejoiced and was kind to the dragoman. + +The night was of cruel monotony. Afflicted by the wind and +the darkness, the correspondent sat with nerves keyed high +waiting to hear the pickets open fire on a night attack. He was +so unaccountably sure that there would be a tumult and panic +of this kind at some time of the night that he prevented himself +from getting a reasonable amount of rest. He could hear the +soldiers breathing in sleep all about him. He wished to arouse +them from this slumber which, to his ignorance, seemed stupid. +The quality of mysterious menace in the great gloom and the +silence would have caused him to pray if prayer would have +transported him magically to New York and made him a young +man with no coat playing billiards at his club. + +The chill dawn came at last and with a fine elation which ever +follows a dismal night in war; an elation which bounds in the +bosom as soon as day has knocked the shackles from a +trembling mind. Although Coleman had slept but a short time he +was now as fresh as a total abstainer coming from the bath. He +heard the creak of battery wheels; he saw crawling bodies of +infantry moving in the dim light like ghostly processions. He felt +a tremendous virility come with this new hope in the daylight. +He again took satis. faction in his sentimental journey. It was a +shining affair. He was on active service, an active service of the +heart, and he' felt that he was a strong man ready to conquer +difficulty even as the olden heroes conquered difficulty. He +imagined himself in a way like them. He, too, had come out to +fight for love with giants, dragons and witches. He had never +known that he could be so pleased with that kind of a parallel. + +The dragoman announced that the major had suddenly lent +their horses to some other people, and after cursing this +versatility of interest, he summoned his henchmen and they +moved out on foot, following the sound of the creaking wheels. +They came in time to a bridge, and on the side of this bridge +was a hard military road which sprang away in two directions, +north and west. Some troops were creeping out the westward +way and the dragoman pointing at them +said: " They going Prevasa. That is road to Nikopolis." +Coleman grinned from ear to car and slapped +his dragoman violently on the shoulder. For a moment he +intended to hand the man a louis of reward, but he changed his +mind. + +Their traps were in the way of being heavy, but they minded +little since the dragoman was now a victim of the influence of +Coleman's enthusiasm. The road wound along the base of the +mountain range, sheering around the abutments in wide white +curves and then circling into glens where immense trees spread +their shade over it. Some of the great trunks were oppressed +with vines green as garlands, and these vines even ran like +verdant foam over the rocks. Streams of translucent water +showered down from the hills, and made pools in which every +pebble, every eaf of a water plant shone with magic lustre, and if +the bottom of a pool was only of clay, the clay glowed with +sapphire light. The day was fair. The country was part of that +land which turned the minds of its ancient poets toward a more +tender dreaming, so that indeed their nymphs would die, one is +sure, in the cold mythology of the north with its storms amid the +gloom of pine forests. It was all wine to Coleman's spirit. It +enlivened him to think of success with absolute surety. To be +sure one of his boots began soon to rasp his toes, but he gave +it no share of his attention. They passed at a much faster pace +than the troops, and everywhere they met laughter and confidence +and the cry. " On to Prevasa! " + +At midday they were at the heels of the advance battalion, +among its stragglers, taking its white dust into their throats and +eyes. The dragoman was waning and he made a number of +attempts to stay Coleman, but no one could have had influence +upon Coleman's steady rush with his eyes always straight to +the front as if thus to symbolize his steadiness of purpose. +Rivulets of sweat marked the dust on his face, and two of his +toes were now paining as if they were being burned off. He was +obliged to concede a privilege of limping, but he would not +stop. + +At nightfall they halted with the outpost batallion of the +infantry. All the cavalry had in the meantirne come up and they +saw their old friends. There was a village from which the +Christian peasants came and cheered like a trained chorus. +Soldiers were driving a great flock of fat sheep into a corral. +They had belonged to a Turkish bey and they bleated as if they +knew that they were now mere spoils of war. Coleman lay on the +steps of the bey's house smoking with his head on his blanket +roll. Camp fires glowed off in the fields. He was now about four +miles from Nikopolis. + +Within the house, the commander of the cavalry was writing +dispatches. Officers clanked up and down the stairs. The +dashing young captain came and said that there would be a general +assault on Prevasa at the dawn of the next day. Afterward the dragoman +descended upon the village and in some way wrenched a little grey horse +from an inhabitant. Its pack saddle was on its back and it would +very handily carry the traps. In this matter the dragoman did not +consider his master; he considered his own sore back. + +Coleman ate more bread and chocolate tablets and also some +tinned sardines. He was content with the day's work. He did not +see how he could have improved it. There was only one route by +which the Wainwright party could avoid him, and that was by +going to Prevasa and thence taking ship. But since Prevasa was +blockaded by a Greek fleet, he conceived that event to be +impossible. Hence, he had them hedged on this peninsula and +they must be either at Nikopolis or Prevasa. He would probably +know all early in the morning. He reflected that he was too tired +to care if there might be a night attack and then wrapped in his +blankets he went peacefully to sleep in the grass under a big +tree with the crooning of some soldiers around their fire +blending into his slumber. + +And now, although the dragoman had performed a number of +feats of incapacity, he achieved during the one hour of +Coleman's sleeping a blunder which for real finish was simply a +perfection of art. When Coleman, much later, extracted the full +story, it appeared that ringing. events happened during that single +hour of sleep. Ten minutes after he had lain down for a night of +oblivion, the battalion of infantry, which had advanced a little beyond +the village, was recalled and began a hurried night march back on the +way it had so festively come. It was significant enough to appeal +to almost any mind, but the dragoman was able to not +understand it. He remained jabbering to some acquaintances +among the troopers. Coleman had been asleep his hour when the +dashing young captain perceived the dragoman, and completely +horrified by his presence at that place, ran to him and whispered +to him swiftly that the game was to flee, flee, flee. The wing of the +army which had advanced northward upon Jannina had already +been tumbled back by the Turks and all the other wing had been +recalled to the Louros river and there was now nothing practically +between him and his sleeping master and the enemy but a cavalry +picket. The cavalry was immediately going to make a forced +march to the rear. The stricken dragoman could even then see +troopers getting into their saddles. He, rushed to, the, tree, and +in. a panic simply bundled Coleman upon his feet before he was +awake. He stuttered out his tale, and the dazed, correspondent +heard it punctuated by the steady trample of the retiring cavalry. +The dragoman saw a man's face then turn in a flash from an +expression of luxurious drowsiness to an expression of utter +malignancy. However, he was in too much of a hurry to be afraid +of it; he ran off to the little grey horse and frenziedly but +skilfully began to bind the traps upon the packsaddle. He +appeared in a moment tugging at the halter. He could only +say: "Come! Come! Come! Queek! Queek! " They slid hurriedly +down a bank to the road and started to do again that which +they had accomplished with considerable expenditure of +physical power during the day. The hoof beats of the cavalry +had already died away and the mountains shadowed them in +lonely silence. They were the rear guard after the rear guard. + +The dragoman muttered hastily his last dire rumours. Five +hundred Circassian cavalry were coming. The mountains were +now infested with the dread Albanian irregulars, Coleman had +thought in his daylight tramp that he had appreciated the noble +distances, but he found that he knew nothing of their nobility +until he tried this night stumbling. And the hoofs of the little +horse made on the hard road more noise than could be made by +men beating with hammers upon brazen cylinders. The +correspondent glanced continually up at the crags. From the +other side he could sometimes hear the metallic clink of water +deep down in a glen. For the first time in his life he seriously +opened the flap of his holster and let his fingers remain on the +handle of his revolver. From just in front of +him he could hear the chattering of the dragoman's teeth which +no attempt at more coolness could seem to prevent. In the +meantime the casual manner of the little grey horse struck +Coleman with maddening vividness. If the blank darkness was +simply filled with ferocious Albanians, the horse did not care a +button; he leisurely put his feet down with a resounding ring. +Coleman whispered hastily to the dragoman. " If they rush us, +jump down the bank, no matter how deep it is. That's our only +chance. And try to keep together." + +All they saw of the universe was, in front of them, +a place faintly luminous near their feet, but fading in +six yards to the darkness of a dungeon. This repre- +sented the bright white road of the day time. It had +no end. Coleman had thought that he could tell +from the very feel of the air some of the landmarks of +his daytime journey, but he had now no sense of +location at all. He would not have denied that he +was squirming on his belly like a worm through black +mud. +They went on and on. Visions of his past were sweeping +through Coleman's mind precisely as they are said to sweep +through the mind of a drowning person. But he had no regret +for any bad deeds; he regretted merely distant hours of peace +and protection. He was no longer a hero going to rescue his +love. He was a slave making a gasping attempt to escape +from the most incredible tyranny of circumstances. He half +vowed to himself that if the God whom he had in no wise +heeded, would permit him to crawl out of this slavery he would +never again venture a yard toward a danger any greater than +may be incurred from the police of a most proper metropolis. If +his juvenile and uplifting thoughts of other days had +reproached him he would simply have repeated and repeated: +"Adventure be damned." + +It became known to them that the horse had to be led. The +debased creature was asserting its right to do as it had been +trained, to follow its customs; it was asserting this right during +a situation which required conduct superior to all training and +custom. It was so grossly conventional that Coleman would +have understood that demoniac form of anger which sometimes +leads men to jab knives into warm bodies. Coleman from +cowardice tried to induce the dragoman to go ahead leading the +horse, and the dragoman from cowardice tried to induce +Coleman to go ahead leading the horse. Coleman of course +had to succumb. The dragoman was only good to walk behind +and tearfully whisper maledictions as he prodded the flanks of +their tranquil beast. + +In the absolute black of the frequent forests, Coleman could +not see his feet and he often felt like a man walking forward to +fall at any moment down a thousand yards of chasm. He heard +whispers; he saw skulking figures, and these frights turned out to be the +voice of a little trickle of water or the effects of wind among the +leaves, but they were replaced by the same terrors in slightly +different forms. + +Then the poignant thing interpolated. A volley crashed +ahead of them some half of a mile away and another volley +answered from a still nearer point. Swishing noises which the +correspondent had heard in the air he now know to have been +from the passing of bullets. He and the dragoman came stock +still. They heard three other volleys sounding with the abrupt +clamour of a hail of little stones upon a hollow surface. Coleman +and the dragoman came close together and looked into the +whites of each other's eyes. The ghastly horse at that moment +stretched down his neck and began placidly to pluck the grass +at the roadside. The two men were equally blank with fear and +each seemed to seek in the other some newly rampant manhood +upon which he could lean at this time. Behind them were the +Turks. In front of them was a fight in the darkness. In front it +was mathematic to suppose in fact were also the Turks. They +were barred; enclosed; cut off. The end was come. + +Even at that moment they heard from behind them the sound +of slow, stealthy footsteps. They both wheeled instantly, +choking with this additional terror. Coleman saw the dragoman +move swiftly to the side of the road, ready to jump into +whatever abyss happened to be there. Coleman still gripped the halter +as if it were in truth a straw. The stealthy footsteps +were much nearer. Then it was that an insanity came +upon him as if fear had flamed up within him until it +gave him all the magnificent desperation of a madman. +He jerked the grey horse broadside to the approaching +mystery, and grabbing out his revolver +aimed it from the top of his improvised bulwark. He +hailed the darkness. + +"Halt. Who's there?" He had expected his voice to sound like +a groan, but instead it happened to sound clear, stern, +commanding, like the voice of a young sentry at an +encampment of volunteers. He did not seem to have any +privilege of selection as to the words. They were born of +themselves. + +He waited then, blanched and hopeless, for death to wing +out of the darkness and strike him down. He heard a voice. The +voice said: " Do you speak English? " For one or two seconds +he could not even understand English, and then the great fact +swelled up and within him. This voice with all its new quavers +was still undoubtedly the voice of Prof. Harrison B.Wainwright +of Washurst College + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A CHANGE flashed over Coleman as if it had come from an +electric storage. He had known the professor long, but he had +never before heard a quaver in his voice, and it was this little +quaver that seemed to impel him to supreme disregard of the +dangers which he looked upon as being the final dangers. His +own voice had not quavered. + +When he spoke, he spoke in a low tone, it was the voice of +the master of the situation. He could hear his dupes fluttering +there in the darkness. " Yes," he said, " I speak English. There +is some danger. Stay where you are and make no noise." He +was as cool as an iced drink. To be sure the circumstances had +in no wise changed as to his personal danger, but beyond the +important fact that there were now others to endure it with him, +he seemed able to forget it in a strange, unauthorized sense of +victory. It came from the professor's quavers. + +Meanwhile he had forgotten the dragoman, but he recalled +him in time to bid him wait. Then, as well concealed as a monk +hiding in his cowl, he tip-toed back into a group of people who +knew him intimately. + +He discerned two women mounted on little horses and about +them were dim men. He could hear them breathing hard. " It is +all right" he began smoothly. "You only need to be very careful---" + +Suddenly out of the blackness projected a half +phosphorescent face. It was the face of the little professor. He +stammered. " We-we-do you really speak English? " Coleman in +his feeling of superb triumph could almost have laughed. His +nerves were as steady as hemp, but he was in haste and his +haste allowed him to administer rebuke to his old professor. + +" Didn't you hear me ? " he hissed through his tightening lips. +" They are fighting just ahead of us on the road and if you want +to save yourselves don't waste time." + +Another face loomed faintly like a mask painted in dark grey. +It belonged to Coke, and it was a mask figured in profound +stupefaction. The lips opened and tensely breathed out the +name: " Coleman." Instantly the correspondent felt about him +that kind of a tumult which tries to suppress itself. He knew that +it was the most theatric moment of his life. He glanced quickly +toward the two figures on horseback. He believed that one was +making foolish gesticulation while the other sat rigid and silent. +This latter one he knew to be Marjory. He was content that she +did not move. Only a woman who was glad he had come but did +not care for him would have moved. This applied directly to +what he thought he knew of Marjory's nature. + +There was confusion among the students, but Coleman +suppressed it as in such situation might a centurion. " S-s-steady! " +He seized the arm of the professor and drew him +forcibly close. " The condition is this," he whispered rapidly. +"We are in a fix with this fight on up the road. I was sent after +you, but I can't get you into the Greek lines to-night. Mrs.Wainwright +and Marjory must dismount and I and +my man will take the horses on and hide them. All +the rest of you must go up about a hundred feet into +the woods and hide. When I come back, I'll hail you +and you answer low." The professor was like pulp in +his grasp. He choked out the word "Coleman" in +agony and wonder, but he obeyed with a palpable +gratitude. Coleman sprang to the side of the shadowy +figure of Marjory. " Come," he said authoritatively. +She laid in his palm a little icy cold hand and dropped +from her horse. He had an impulse to cling to the +small fingers, but he loosened them immediately, im- +parting to his manner, as well as the darkness per- +mitted him, a kind of casual politeness as if he were +too intent upon the business in hand. He bunched +the crowd and pushed them into the wood. Then he +and the dragoman took the horses a hundred yards +onward and tethered them. No one would care if +they were stolen; the great point was to get them +where their noise would have no power of revealing the whole +party. There had been no further firing. + +After he had tied the little grey horse to a tree he +unroped his luggage and carried the most of it back +to the point where the others had left the road. He +called out cautiously and received a sibilant answer. +He and the dragoman bunted among the trees until +they came to where a forlorn company was seated +awaiting them lifting their faces like frogs out of a +pond. His first question did not give them any +assurance. He said at once: "Are any of you +armed?" Unanimously they lowly breathed: "No." +He searched them out one by one and finally sank +down by the professor. He kept sort of a hypnotic +handcuff upon the dragoman, because he foresaw that +this man was really going to be the key to the best +means of escape. To a large neutral party wandering +between hostile lines there was technically no danger, +but actually there was a great deal. Both armies had +too many irregulars, lawless hillsmen come out to +fight in their own way, and if they were encountered +in the dead of night on such hazardous ground the +Greek hillsmen with their white cross on a blue field +would be precisely as dangerous as the blood-hungry +Albanians. Coleman knew that the rational way was +to reach the Greek lines, and he had no intention of +reaching the Greek lines without a tongue, and the +only tongue was in the mouth of the dragoman. He +was correct in thinking that the professor's deep knowledge of +the ancient language would give him small clue to the speech +of the modern Greek. + +As he settled himself by the professor the band of students, +eight in number pushed their faces close. + +He did not see any reason for speaking. There were thirty +seconds of deep silence in which he felt that all were bending to +hearken to his words of counsel The professor huskily broke +the stillness. Well * * * what are we to do now? " + +Coleman was decisive, indeed absolute. "We'll stay here until +daylight unless you care to get shot." + +" All right," answered the professor. He turned and made a +useless remark to his flock. " Stay here." + +Coleman asked civilly, " Have you had anything to eat? +Have you got anything to wrap around you ? " + +" We have absolutely nothing," answered the professor. " +Our servants ran away and * * and then we left everything +behind us * * and I've never been in such a position in my life." + +Coleman moved softly in the darkness and unbuckled some +of his traps. On his knee he broke the hard cakes of bread and +with his fingers he broke the little tablets of chocolate. These +he distributed to his people. And at this time he felt fully the +appreciation of the conduct of the eight American college +students They had not yet said a word-with the +exception of the bewildered exclamation from Coke. They all +knew him well. In any circumstance of life which as far as he +truly believed, they had yet encountered, they would have +been privileged to accost him in every form of their remarkable +vocabulary. They were as new to this game as, would have +been eight newly-caught Apache Indians if such were set to +run the elevators in the Tract Society Building. He could see +their eyes gazing at him anxiously and he could hear their deep- +drawn breaths. But they said no word. He knew that they were +looking upon him as their leader, almost as their saviour, and he +knew also that they were going to follow him without a murmur +in the conviction that he knew ten-fold more than they knew. It +occurred to him that his position was ludicrously false, but, +anyhow, he was glad. Surely it would be a very easy thing to +lead them to safety in the morning and he foresaw the credit +which would come to him. He concluded that it was beneath his +dignity as preserver to vouchsafe them many words. His +business was to be the cold, masterful, enigmatic man. It might +be said that these reflections were only half-thoughts in his +mind. Meanwhile a section of his intellect was flying hither and +thither, speculating upon the Circassian cavalry and the +Albanian guerillas and even the Greek outposts. + +He unbuckled his blanket roll and taking one blanket placed +it about the shoulders of the shadow which was +Mrs.Wainwright. The shadow protested incoherently,. hut he +muttered "Oh that's all right." Then he took his other blanket +and went to the shadow which was +Marjory. It was something like putting a wrap about the +shoulders of a statue. He was base enough to linger in the +hopes that he could detect some slight trembling but as far as +lie knew she was of stone. His macintosh he folded around the +body of the professor amid quite senile protest, so senile that +the professor seemed suddenly proven to him as an old, old man, a fact +which had never occurred to Washurst or her children. Then he went +to the dragoman and pre-empted half of his blankets, The +dragoman grunted but Coleman It would not do to have this dragoman +develop a luxurious temperament when eight American college +students were, without speech, shivering in the cold night. + +Coleman really begun to ruminate upon his glory, but he +found that he could not do this well without Smoking, so he +crept away some distance from this fireless, encampment, and +bending his face to the ground at the foot of a tree he struck a +match and lit a cigar. His retun to the others would have been +somewhat in the manner of coolness as displayed on the stage +if he had not been prevented by the necessity of making no +noise. He saw regarding him as before the dimly visible eyes of +the eight students and Marjory and her father and mother. +Then he whispered the conventional words. " Go to sleep if you can. +You'll need your strength in the morning. I and this man here will keep +watch." Three of the college students of course crawled up to +him and each said: " I'll keep watch, old man." +" No. We'll keep watch. You people try to sleep." + +He deemed that it might be better to yield the dragoman his +blanket, and So he got up and leaned against a tree, holding his +hand to cover the brilliant point of his cigar. He knew perfectly +well that none of them could sleep. But he stood there +somewhat like a sentry without the attitude, but with all the +effect of responsibility. + +He had no doubt but what escape to civilisation would be +easy, but anyhow his heroism should be preserved. He was the +rescuer. His thoughts of Marjory were somewhat in a puzzle. +The meeting had placed him in such a position that he had +expected a lot of condescension on his own part. Instead she +had exhibited about as much recognition of him as would a +stone fountain on his grandfather's place in Connecticut. This +in his opinion was not the way to greet the knight who had +come to the rescue of his lady. He had not expected it so to +happen. In fact from Athens to this place he had engaged +himself with imagery of possible meetings. He was vexed, +certainly, but, far beyond that, he knew a deeper adminiration +for this girl. To him she represented the sex, and so the +sex as embodied in her seemed a mystery to be feared. He +wondered if safety came on the morrow he would not surrender +to this feminine invulnerability. She had not done anything that +he had expected of her and so inasmuch as he loved her he +loved her more. It was bewitching. He half considered himself a +fool. But at any rate he thought resentfully she should be +thankful to him for having rendered her a great service. +However, when he came to consider this proposition he knew +that on a basis of absolute manly endeavour he had rendered +her little or no service. + +The night was long. + + + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +COLEMAN suddenly found himself looking upon his pallid +dragoman. He saw that he had been asleep crouched at the foot +of the tree. Without any exchange of speech at all he knew +there had been alarming noises. Then shots sounded from +nearby. Some were from rifles aimed in that direction and some +were from rifles opposed to them. This was distinguishable to +the experienced man, but all that Coleman knew was that the +conditions of danger were now triplicated. Unconsciously he +stretched his hands in supplication over his charges. "Don't +move! Don't move! And keep close to the ground!" All heeded +him but Marjory. She still sat straight. He himself was on his +feet, but he now knew the sound of bullets, and he knew that +no bullets had spun through the trees. He could not see her +distinctly, but it was known to him in some way that she was +mutinous. He leaned toward her and spoke as harshly as +possible. "Marjory, get down! " She wavered for a moment as if +resolved to defy him. As he turned again to peer in the direction +of the firing it went through his mind that she must love him +very much indeed. He was assured of it. +It must have been some small outpour between nervous +pickets and eager hillsmen, for it ended in a moment. The party +waited in abasement for what seemed to them a time, and the +blue dawn began, to laggardly shift the night as they waited. +The dawn itself seemed prodigiously long in arriving at +anything like discernible landscape. When this was +consummated, Coleman, in somewhat the manner of the father +of a church, dealt bits of chocolate out to the others. He had +already taken the precaution to confer with the dragoman, so he +said : " Well, come ahead. We'll make a try for it." They arose at +his bidding and followed him to the road. It was the same broad, +white road, only that the white was in the dawning something +like the grey of a veil. It took some courage to venture upon this +thoroughfare, but Coleman stepped out-after looking quickly in +both directions. The party tramped to where the horses had +been left, and there they were found without change of a rope. +Coleman rejoiced to see that his dragoman now followed him in +the way of a good lieutenant. They both dashed in among the +trees and had the horses out into the road in a twinkle. When +Coleman turned to direct that utterly subservient, group he +knew that his face was drawn from hardship and anxiety, but he +saw everywhere the same style of face with the exception of the +face of Marjory, who looked simply of lovely marble. He +noted with a curious satisfaction, as if the thing was a tribute to +himself, that his macintosh was over the professor's shoulder, +that Marjory and her mother were each carrying a blanket, and +that, the corps of students had dutifully brought all the traps +which his dragoman had forgotten. It was grand. + +He addressed them to say: " Now, approaching outposts is +very dangerous business at this time in the morning. So my +man, who can talk both Greek and Turkish, will go ahead forty +yards, and I will follow somewhere between him and you. Try +not to crowd forward." + +He directed the ladies upon their horses and placed the +professor upon the little grey nag. Then they took up their line +of march. The dragoman had looked somewhat dubiously upon +this plan of having him go forty yards in advance, but he had +the utmost confidence in this new Coleman, whom yesterday he +had not known. Besides, he himself was a very gallant man +indeed, and it befitted him to take the post of danger before the +eyes of all these foreigners. In his new position he was as +proud and unreasonable as a rooster. He was continually +turning his head to scowl back at them, when only the clank of +hoofs was sounding. An impenetrable mist lay on the valley +and the hill-tops were shrouded. As for the people, they were +like mice. Coleman paid no attention to the Wainwright party, +but walked steadily along near the dragoman. + +Perhaps the whole thing was a trifle absurd, but to a great +percentage, of the party it was terrible. For instance, those +eight boys, fresh from a school, could in no wise gauge the +dimensions. And if this was true of the students, it was more +distinctly true of Marjory and her mother. As for the professor, +he seemed Weighted to the earth by his love and his +responsibility. + +Suddenly the dragoman wheeled and made demoniac signs. +Coleman half-turned to survey the main body, and then paid +his attention swiftly to the front. The white road sped to the top +of a hill where it seemed to make a rotund swing into oblivion. +The top of the curve was framed in foliage, and therein was a +horseman. He had his carbine slanted on his thigh, and his +bridle-reins taut. Upon sight of them he immediately wheeled +and galloped down the other slope and vanished. + +The dragoman was throwing wild gestures into the air. As +Coleman looked back at the Wainwright party he saw plainly +that to an ordinary eye they might easily appear as a strong +advance of troops. The peculiar light would emphasize such +theory. The dragoman ran to him jubilantly, but he contained +now a form of intelligence which caused him to whisper; " That +was one Greek. That was one Greek-what do you call--sentree? " + +Coleman addressed the others. He said: "It's all right. Come +ahead. That was a Greek picket. There is only one trouble now, +and that is to approach them easy-do you see-easy." + +His obedient charges came forward at his word. When they +arrived at the top of this rise they saw nothing. Coleman was +very uncertain. He was not sure that this picket had not carried +with him a general alarm, and in that case there would soon +occur a certain amount of shooting. However, as far as he +understood the business, there was no way but forward. +Inasmuch as he did not indicate to the Wainwright party that he +wished them to do differently, they followed on doggedly after +him and the dragoman. He knew now that the dragoman's heart +had for the tenth time turned to dog-biscuit, so he kept abreast +of him. And soon together they walked into a cavalry outpost, +commanded by no less a person than the dashing young +captain, who came laughing out to meet them. + +Suddenly losing all colour of war, the condition was now +such as might occur in a drawing room. Coleman felt the +importance of establishing highly conventional relations +between the captain and the Wainwright party. To compass +this he first seized his dragoman, and the dragoman, +enlightened immediately, spun a series of lies which must have +led the captain to believe that the entire heart of the American +republic had been taken out of that western continent and +transported to Greece. Coleman was proud of the captain, The +latter immediately went and bowed in the manner of the French +school and asked everybody to have a cup of coffee, although +acceptation would have proved his ruin and disgrace. Coleman +refused in the name of courtesy. He called his party forward, +and now they proceeded merely as one crowd. Marjory had +dismounted in the meantime. + +The moment was come. Coleman felt it. The first rush was +from the students. Immediately he was buried in a thrashing +mob of them. "Good boy! Good boy! Great man! Oh, isn't he a +peach? How did he do it? He came in strong at the finish ! Good +boy, Coleman!" Through this mist of glowing youthful +congratulatioin he saw the professor standing at the outskirts +with direct formal thanks already moving on his lips, while near +him his wife wept joyfully. Marjory was evidently enduring +some inscrutable emotion. + +After all, it did penetrate his mind that it was indecent to +accept all this wild gratitude, but there was built within him no +intention of positively declaring himself lacking in all credit, or +at least, lacking in all credit in the way their praises defined it. +In truth he had assisted them, but he had been at the time +largely engaged in assisting himself, and their coming had been +more of a boon to his loneliness than an addition to his care. +However, he soon had no difficulty in +making his conscience appropriate every line in these hymns +sung in his honour. The students, curiously wise of men, +thought his conduct quite perfect. " Oh, say, come off ! " he +protested. " Why, I didn't do anything. You fellows are crazy. +You would have gotten in all right by yourselves. Don't act like +asses-" + +As soon as the professor had opportunity he came to +Coleman. He was a changed little man, and his extraordinary +bewilderment showed in his face. It was the disillusion and +amazement of a stubborn mind that had gone implacably in its +one direction and found in the end that the direction was all +wrong, and that really a certain mental machine had not been +infallible. Coleman remembered what the American minister in +Athens had described of his protests against the starting of the +professor's party on this journey, and of the complete refusal of +the professor to recognise any value in the advice. And here +now was the consequent defeat. It was mirrored in the +professor's astonished eyes. Coleman went directly to his dazed +old teacher. " Well, you're out of it now, professor," he said +warmly. " I congratulate you on your escape, sir." The +professor looked at him, helpless to express himself, but the +correspondent was at that time suddenly enveloped in the +hysterical gratitude of Mrs. Wainwright, who hurled herself +upon him with extravagant manifestations. Coleman played his +part with skill. To both the professor and Mrs. Wainwright his +manner was a combination of modestly filial affection and a +pretentious disavowal of his having done anything at all. It +seemed to charm everybody but Marjory. It irritated him to see +that she was apparently incapable of acknowledging that he was a +grand man. + +He was actually compelled to go to her and offer +congratulations upon her escape, as he had congratulated the +professor. +If his manner to her parents had been filial, his manner to her +was parental. " Well, Marjory," he said kindly, "you have been +in considerable danger. I suppose you're glad to be through +with it." She at that time made no reply, but by her casual turn +he knew that he was expected to walk along by her side. The +others knew it, too, and the rest of the party left them free to +walk side by side in the rear. + +" This is a beautiful country here-abouts if one gets a good +chance to see it," he remarked. Then he added: "But I suppose +you had a view of it when you were going out to Nikopolis? " + +She answered in muffled tones. "Yes, we thought it very +beautiful." + +Did you note those streams from the mountains " That +seemed to me the purest water I'd ever seen, but I bet it would +make one ill to drink it. There is, you know, a prominent +German chemist who has almost proven +that really pure water is practical poison to the human +stomach." + +"Yes ? " she said. + +There was a period of silence, during which he was perfectly +comfortable because he knew that she was ill at ease. If the +silence was awkward, she was suffering from it. As for himself, +he had no inclination to break it. His position was, as far as the +entire Wainwright party was concerned, a place where he could +afford to wait. She turned to him at last. "Of course, I know +how much you have done for us, and I want you to feel that we +all appreciate it deeply-deeply." There was discernible to the ear +a certain note of desperation. + +" Oh, not at all," he said generously. " Not at all. I didn't do +anything. It was quite an accident. Don't let that trouble you +for a moment." + +"Well, of course you would say that," she said more +steadily. " But I-we-we know how good and how-brave it was +in you to come for us, and I--we must never forget it." + +As a matter of fact," replied Coleman, with an appearance +of ingenuous candor, " I was sent out here by the Eclipse to +find you people, and of course I worked rather hard to reach +you, but the final meeting was purely accidental and does not +redound to my credit in the least." + +As he had anticipated, Marjory shot him a little glance of +disbelief. " Of course you would say that," she repeated with +gloomy but flattering conviction. + +" Oh, if I had been a great hero," he said smiling, "no doubt +I would have kept up this same manner which now sets so well +upon me, but I am telling you the truth when I say that I had no +part in your rescue at all." + +She became slightly indignant. " Oh, if you care to tell us +constantly that you were of no service to us, I don't see what +we can do but continue to declare that you were." + +Suddenly he felt vulgar. He spoke to her this time with real +meaning. " I beg of 'you never to mention it again. That will be +the best way." + +But to this she would not accede. "No, we will often want to +speak of it." + +He replied "How do you like Greece? Don't you think that +some of these ruins are rather out of shape in the popular +mind? Now, for my part, I would rather look at a good strong +finish at a horserace than to see ten thousand Parthenons in a +bunch." + +She was immediately in the position of defending him from +himself. "You would rather see no such thing. You shouldn't +talk in that utterly trivial way. I like the Parthenon, of course, +but I can't think of it now because my head. is too full of my +escape from where I was so-so frightened." + +Coleman grinned. " Were you really frightened?" + +" Naturally," she answered. " I suppose I was more +frightened for mother and father, but I was frightened enough +for myself. It was not-not a nice thing." + +"No, it wasn't," said Coleman. "I could hardly believe my +senses, when the minister at Athens told me that, you all had +ventured into such a trap, and there is no doubt but what you +can be glad that you are well out of it." + +She seemed to have some struggle with herself and then +she deliberately said: "Thanks to you." + +Coleman embarked on what he intended to make a series of +high-minded protests. " Not at all-" but at that moment the +dragoman whirled back from the van-guard with a great +collection of the difficulties which had been gathering upon +him. Coleman was obliged to resign Marjory and again take up +the active leadership. He disposed of the dragoman's +difficulties mainly by declaring that they were not difficulties at +all. He had learned that this was the way to deal with dragomen. +The fog had already lifted from the valley and, as they +passed along the wooded mountain-side the fragrance of +leaves and earth came to them. Ahead, along the hooded road, +they could see the blue clad figures of Greek infantrymen. +Finally they passed an encampment of a battalion whose line +was at a right angle to the highway. A hundred yards in advance was the +bridge across the Louros river. And there a battery of artillery +was encamped. The dragoman became involved in all sorts of +discussions with other Greeks, but Coleman stuck to his elbow +and stifled all aimless oration. The Wainwright party waited for +them in the rear in an observant but patient group. + +Across a plain, the hills directly behind Arta loomed up +showing the straight yellow scar of a modern entrenchment. To +the north of Arta were some grey mountains with a dimly +marked road winding to the summit. On one side of this road +were two shadows. It took a moment for the eye to find these +shadows, but when this was accomplished it was plain that +they were men. The captain of the battery explained to the +dragoman that he did not know that they were not also Turks. +In which case the road to Arta was a dangerous path. It was no +good news to Coleman. He waited a moment in order to gain +composure and then walked back to the Wainwright party. +They must have known at once from his peculiar gravity that all +was not well. Five of the students and the professor +immediately asked: "What is it?" + +He had at first some old-fashioned idea of concealing the ill +tidings from the ladies, but he perceived what flagrant nonsense +this would be in circumstances in which all were fairly likely to +incur equal dangers, and at any rate he did not see his way clear +to allow their imagination to run riot over a situation which might not +turn out to be too bad. He said slowly: " You see those +mountains over there? Well, troops have been seen there and +the captain of this battery thinks they are Turks. If they are +Turks the road to Arta is distinctly-er-unsafe." + +This new blow first affected the Wainwright party as being +too much to endure. " They thought they had gone through +enough. This was a general sentiment. Afterward the emotion +took colour according to the individual character. One student +laughed and said: " Well, I see our finish." + +Another student piped out: " How do they know they are +Turks? What makes them think they are Turks " + +Another student expressed himself with a sigh. "This is a +long way from the Bowery." + +The professor said nothing but looked annihilated; Mrs. +Wainwright wept profoundly; Marjory looked expectantly +toward Coleman. + +As for the correspondent he was adamantine and reliable +and stern, for he had not the slightest idea that those men on +the distant hill were Turks at all. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +"OH," said a student, " this game ought to quit. I feel like +thirty cents. We didn't come out here to be pursued about the +country by these Turks. Why don't they stop it ?" + +Coleman was remarking: "Really, the only sensible thing to +do now is to have breakfast. There is no use in worrying +ourselves silly over this thing until we've got to." + +They spread the blankets on the ground and sat about a +feast of bread, water cress and tinned beef. Coleman was the +real host, but he contrived to make the professor appear as that +honourable person. They ate, casting their eyes from time to +time at the distant mountain with its two shadows. People +began to fly down the road from Jannina, peasants hurriedly +driving little flocks, women and children on donkeys and little +horses which they clubbed unceasingly. One man rode at a +gallop, shrieking and flailing his arms in the air. They were all +Christian peasants of Turkey, but they were in flight now +because they did not wish to be at home if the Turk was going +to return and reap revenge for his mortification. The +Wainwright party looked at Coleman in abrupt questioning. + +"Oh, it's all right," he said, easily. "They are always taking on +that way." + +Suddenly the dragoman gave a shout and dashed up the +road to the scene of a melee where a little ratfaced groom was +vociferously defending three horses from some Greek officers, +who as vociferously were stating their right to requisition them. +Coleman ran after his dragoman. There was a sickening pow-wow, +but in the end Coleman, straight and easy in the saddle, +came cantering back on a superb open-mouthed snorting bay +horse. He did not mind if the half-wild animal plunged crazily. It +was part of his role. "They were trying to steal my horses," he +explained. He leaped to the ground, and holding the horse by +the bridle, he addressed his admiring companions. " The groom- +the man who has charge of the horses -says that he thinks that +the people on the mountain-side are Turks, but I don't see how +that is possible. You see-" he pointed wisely-" that road leads +directly south to Arta, and it is hardly possible that the Greek +army would come over here and leave that approach to Arta +utterly unguarded. It would be too foolish. They must have left +some men to cover it, and that is certainly what those troops +are. If you are all ready and willing, I don't see anything to do +but make a good, stout-hearted dash for Arta. It would be no +more dangerous than to sit here." +The professor was at last able to make his formal +speech. " Mr. Coleman," he said distinctly, "we place ourselves +entirely in your hands." It was some. how pitiful. This man who, +for years and years had reigned in a little college town almost +as a monarch, passing judgment with the air of one who words +the law, dealing criticism upon the universe as one to whom all +things are plain, publicly disdaining defeat as one to whom all +things are easy-this man was now veritably appealing to +Coleman to save his wife, his daughter and himself, and really +declared himself de. pendent for safety upon the ingenuity and +courage of the correspondent. + +The attitude of the students was utterly indifferent. They did +not consider themselves helpless at all. they were evidently +quite ready to withstand anything but they looked frankly up to +Coleman as their intelligent leader. If they suffered any, their +only expression of it was in the simple grim slang of their +period. + +" I wish I was at Coney Island." + +" This is not so bad as trigonometry, but it's worse than +playing billiards for the beers." + +And Coke said privately to Coleman: " Say, what in hell are +these two damn peoples fighting for, anyhow? " + +When he saw that all opinions were in favour of following +him loyally, Coleman was impelled to feel a responsibility. He +was now no errant rescuer, but a properly elected leader +of fellow beings in distress. While one +of the students held his horse, he took the dragoman for +another consultation with the captain of the battery. The officer +was sitting on a large stone, with his eyes fixed into his field +glasses. When again questioned he could give no satisfaction +as to the identity of the troops on the distant mountain. He +merely shrugged his shoulders and said that if they were Greeks +it was very good, but if they were Turks it was very bad. He +seemed more occupied in trying to impress the correspondent +that it was a matter of soldierly indifference to himself. +Coleman, after loathing him sufficiently in silence, returned to +the others and said: " Well, we'll chance it." + +They looked to him to arrange the caravan. Speaking to the +men of the party he said: " Of course, any one of you is +welcome to my horse if you can ride it, but-if you're not too +tired-I think I had myself better ride, so that I can go ahead at +times." + +His manner was so fine as he said this that the students +seemed fairly to worship him. Of course it had been most +improbable that any of them could have ridden that volcanic +animal even if one of them had tried it. + +He saw Mrs. Wainwright and Marjory upon the backs of +their two little natives, and hoisted the professor into the +saddle of the groom's horse, leaving instructions with the +servant to lead the animal always and carefully. He and the dragoman +then mounted at the head of the procession, and amid curious +questionings from the soldiery they crossed the bridge and +started on the trail to Arta. The rear was brought up by the +little grey horse with the luggage, led by one student and flogged +by another. + +Coleman, checking with difficulty the battling disposition of +his horse, was very uneasy in his mind because the last words +of the captain of the battery had made him feel that perhaps on +this ride he would be placed in a position where only the best +courage would count, and he did not see his way clear to +feeling very confident about his conduct in such a case. +Looking back upon the caravan, he saw it as a most unwieldy +thing, not even capable of running away. He hurried it with +sudden, sharp contemptuous phrases. + +On the. march there incidentally flashed upon him a new +truth. More than half of that student band were deeply in love +with Marjory. Of course, when he had been distant from her he +had had an eternal jealous reflection to that effect. It was natural +that he should have thought of the intimate camping relations +between Marjory and these young students with a great deal of +bitterness, grinding his teeth when picturing their opportunities +to make Marjory fall in love with some one of them. He had +raged particularly about Coke, whose father had millions of +dollars. But he had forgotten all these jealousies in the general +splendour of his exploits. Now, when he saw the truth, it +seemed. to bring him back to his common life and he saw himself suddenly +as not being frantically superior in any way to those other +young men. The more closely he looked at this +last fact, the more convinced he was of its truth. He seemed to +see that he had been impropererly elated over +his services to the Wainwrights, and that, in +the end, the girl might fancy a man because the man had done +her no service at all. He saw his proud position lower itself to +be a pawn in the game. Looking back over the students, he +wondered which one Marjory might love. This hideous +Nikopolis had given eight men chance to win her. His scorn and +his malice quite centered upon Coke, for he could never +forget that the man's father had millions of dollars. The +unfortunate Coke chose that moment to address him +querulously : "Look here, Coleman, can't you tell us how far it is +to Arta ? " + +"Coke," said Coleman, " I don't suppose you take me for a +tourist agency, but if you can only try to distinguish between +me and a map with the scale of miles printed in the lower left- +hand corner, you will not contribute so much to the sufferings +of the party which you now adorn." + +The students within hearing guffawed and Coke retired, in +confusion. + +The march was not rapid. Coleman almost wore +out his arms holding in check his impetuous horse. Often the +caravan floundered through mud, while at the same time a hot, +yellow dust came from the north. + +They were perhaps half way to Arta when Coleman decided +that a rest and luncheon were the things to be considered. He +halted his troop then in the shade of some great trees, and +privately he bade his dragoman prepare the best feast which +could come out of those saddle-bags fresh from Athens. The +result was rather gorgeous in the eyes of the poor wanderers. +First of all there were three knives, three forks, three spoons, +three tin cups and three tin plaies, which the entire party of +twelve used on a most amiable socialistic principle. There were +crisp, salty biscuits and olives, for which they speared in the +bottle. There was potted turkey, and potted ham, and potted +tongue, all tasting precisely alike. There were sardines and the +ordinary tinned beef, disguised sometimes with onions, carrots +and potatoes. Out of the saddle-bags came pepper and salt and +even mustard. The dragoman made coffee over a little fire of +sticks that blazed with a white light. The whole thing was +prodigal, but any philanthropist would have approved of it if he +could have seen the way in which the eight students laid into +the spread. When there came a polite remonstrance-notably from +Mrs. Wainwright-Coleman merely pointed to a large bundle +strapped back of the groom's saddle. During the coffee he was +considering how best to get the students one by one out of the sight of +the Wainwrights where he could give them good drinks of +whisky. + +There was an agitation on the road toward Arta. Some people +were coming on horses. He paid small heed until he heard a +thump of pausing hoofs near him, and a musical voice say: "Rufus! " + +He looked up quickly, and then all present saw his eyes +really bulge. There on a fat and glossy horse sat Nora Black, +dressed in probably one of the most correct riding habits which +had ever been seen in the East. She was smiling a radiant smile, +which held the eight students simpty spell-bound. They would +have recognised her if it had not been for this apparitional +coming in the wilds of southeastern Europe. Behind her were +her people-some servants and an old lady on a very little pony. +" Well, Rufus? " she said. + +Coleman made the mistake of hesitating. For a fraction of a +moment he had acted as if he were embarrassed, and was only +going to nod and say: " How d'do ?" + +He arose and came forward too late. She was looking at him +with a menacing glance which meant difficulties for him if he +was not skilful. Keen as an eagle, she swept her glance over the +face and figure of Marjory. Without. further introduction, the +girls seemed to understand that they were enemies. + +Despite his feeling of awkwardness, Coleman's mind +was mainly occupied by pure astonishment. "Nora Black? " he +said, as if even then he could not believe his senses. " How in +the world did you get down here ? + +She was not too amiable, evidently, over his reception, and +she seemed to know perfectly that it was in her power to make +him feel extremely unpleasant. " Oh, it's not so far," she +answered. " I don't see where you come in to ask me what I'm +doing here. What are you doing here? " She lifted her eyes and +shot the half of a glance at Marjory. Into her last question she +had interjected a spirit of ownership in which he saw future +woe. It turned him cowardly. " Why, you know I was sent up +here by the paper to rescue the Wainwright party, and I've got +them. I'm taking them to Arta. But why are you here?" + +" I am here," she said, giving him the most defiant of +glances, " principally to look for you." + +Even the horse she rode betrayed an intention of abiding +upon that spot forever. She had made her communication with +Coleman appear to the Wainwright party as a sort of tender +reunion. + +Coleman looked at her with a steely eye. "Nora, you can +certainly be a devil when you choose." + +" Why don't you present me to your friends? Mis,; Nora +Black, special correspondent of the New York Daylighi, if +you please. I belong to your opposition. I am your rival, Rufus, +and I draw a bigger salary-see? Funny looking gang, that. +Who is the old Johnnie in the white wig?" + +"Er-where you goin'-you can't "-blundered Coleman +miserably "Aw-the army is in retreat and you must go back to- +don't you see?" + +"Is it?" she agked. After a pause she added coolly: "Then I +shall go back to Arta with you and your precious Wainwrights." + + + + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +GIVING Coleman another glance of subtle menace Nora +repeated: "Why don't you present me to your friends? " +Coleman had been swiftly searching the whole world for a way +clear of this unhappiness, but he knew at last that he could only +die at his guns. " Why, certainly," he said quickly, " if you +wish it." He sauntered easily back to the luncheon blanket. +"This is Miss Black of the New York Daylight and she says +that those people on the mountain are Greeks." The students +were gaping at him, and Marjory and her father sat in the same +silence. But to the relief of Coleman and to the high edification +of the students, Mrs. Wainwright cried out: " Why, is she an +American woman? " And seeing Coleman's nod of assent she +rustled to her feet and advanced hastily upon the complacent +horsewoman. " I'm delighted to see you. Who would think of +seeing an American woman way over here. Have you been here +long? Are you going on further? Oh, we've had such a dreadful +time." Coleman remained long enough to hear Nora say: " +Thank you very much, but I shan't dismount. I am going to ride +back to Arta presently." + +Then he heard Mrs. Wainwright cry: " Oh, are you indeed ? +Why we, too, are going at once to Arta. We can all go +together." Coleman fled then to the bosom of the students, who +all looked at him with eyes of cynical penetration. He cast a +glance at Marjory more than fearing a glare which denoted an +implacable resolution never to forgive this thing. On the +contrary he had never seen her so content and serene. "You +have allowed your coffee to get chilled," she said +considerately. "Won't you have the man warm you some more?" + +"Thanks, no," he answered with gratitude. + +Nora, changing her mind, had dismounted and was coming +with Mrs. Wainwright. That worthy lady had long had a fund of +information and anecdote the sound of which neither her +husband nor her daughter would endure for a moment. Of +course the rascally students were out of the question. Here, +then, was really the first ear amiably and cheerfully open, and +she was talking at what the students called her "thirty knot +gait." + +"Lost everything. Absolutely everything. Neither of us have +even a brush and comb, or a cake of soap, or enough hairpins +to hold up our hair. I'm going to take Marjory's away from her +and let her braid her hair down her back. You can imagine how +dreadful it is---" + +From time to time the cool voice of Nora sounded +without effort through this clamour. " Oh, it will be no trouble +at all. I have more than enough of everything. We can divide +very nicely." + +Coleman broke somewhat imperiously into this feminine chat. +"Well, we must be moving, you know, " and his voice started +the men into activity. When the traps were all packed again on +the horse Coleman looked back surprised to see the three +women engaged in the most friendly discussion. The combined +parties now made a very respectable squadron. Coleman rode +off at its head without glancing behind at all. He knew that they +were following from the soft pounding of the horses hoofs on +the sod and from the mellow hum of human voices. + +For a long time he did not think to look upon himself as +anything but a man much injured by circumstances. Among his +friends he could count numbers who had lived long lives +without having this peculiar class of misfortune come to them. +In fact it was so unusual a misfortune that men of the world had +not found it necessary to pass from mind to mind a perfec t +formula for dealing with it. But he soon began to consider +himself an extraordinarily lucky person inasmuch as Nora Black +had come upon him with her saddle bags packed with +inflammable substances, so to speak, and there had been as yet +only enough fire to boil coffee for luncheon. He laughed +tenderly when he thought of the innocence of Mrs. +Wainwright, but his face and back flushed with heat when lie +thought of the canniness of the eight American college students. + +He heard a horse cantering up on his left side and looking he +saw Nora Black. She was beaming with satisfaction and good +nature. " Well, Rufus," she cried flippantly, " how goes it with +the gallant rescuer? You've made a hit, my boy. You are the +success of the season." + +Coleman reflected upon the probable result of a direct appeal +to Nora. He knew of course that such appeals were usually idle, +but he did not consider Nora an ordinary person. His decision +was to venture it. He drew his horse close to hers. " Nora," he +said, " do you know that you are raising the very devil? " + +She lifted her finely penciled eyebrows and looked at him +with the baby-stare. " How ? " she enquired. + +" You know well enough," he gritted out wrathfully. + +"Raising the very devil?" she asked. " How do you mean?" +She was palpably interested for his answer. She waited for his +reply for an interval, and then she asked him outright. " Rufus +Coleman do you mean that I am not a respectable woman ? " + +In reality he had meant nothing of the kind, but this direct +throttling of a great question stupefied him utterly, for he saw +now that she' would probably never understand him in the +least and that she would +at any rate always pretend not to understand him and that the +more he said the more harm he manufactured. She studied him +over carefully and then wheeled her horse towards the rear with +some parting remarks. " I suppose you should attend more +strictly to your own affairs, Rufus. Instead of raising the devil I +am lending hairpins. I have seen you insult people, but I have +never seen you insult anyone quite for the whim of the thing. +Go soak your head." + +Not considering it advisable to then indulge in such +immersion Coleman rode moodily onward. The hot dust +continued to sting the cheeks of the travellers and in some +places great clouds of dead leaves roared in circles about them. +All of the Wainwright party were utterly fagged. Coleman felt +his skin crackle and his throat seemed to be coated with the +white dust. He worried his dragoman as to the distance to Arta +until the dragoman lied to the point where he always declared +that Arta was only off some hundreds of yards. + +At their places in the procession Mrs. Wainwright and +Marjory were animatedly talking to Nora and the old lady on +the little pony. They had at first suffered great amazement at the +voluntary presence of the old lady, but she was there really +because she knew no better. Her colossal ignorance took the +form, mainly, of a most obstreperous patriotism, and indeed she +always acted in a foreign country as if she were the +special commissioner of the President, or perhaps as a +special commissioner could not act at all. She was +very aggressive, and when any of the travelling +arrangements in Europe did not suit her ideas she was +won't to shrilly exclaim: " Well ! New York is good +enough for me." Nora, morbidly afraid that her ex- +pense bill to the Daylight would not be large enough, +had dragged her bodily off to Greece as her companion, +friend and protection. At Arta they had heard of the +grand success of the Greek army. The Turks had not +stood for a moment before that gallant and terrible +advance; no; they had scampered howling with fear +into the north. Jannina would fall-well, Jannina +would fall as soon as the Greeks arrived. There was +no doubt of it. The correspondent and her friend, +deluded and hurried by the light-hearted confidence +of the Greeks in Arta, had hastened out then on a +regular tourist's excursion to see Jannina after its +capture. Nora concealed from her friend the fact +that the editor of the Daylight particularly wished +her to see a battle so that she might write an article +on actual warfare from a woman's point of view. +With her name as a queen of comic opera, such an +article from her pen would be a burning, sensation. + +Coleman had been the first to point out to Nora that instead +of going on a picnic to Jannina, she had better run back to +Arta. When the old lady heard that they had not been entirely +safe, she was furious with Nora. "The idea!" she exclaimed to +Mrs. Wainwright. "They might have caught us! They might have +caught us ! " + +" Well," said Mrs. Wainwright. " I verily believe they would +have caught us if it had not been for Mr. Coleman." + +" Is he the gentleman on the fine horse?" + +" Yes; that's him. Oh, he has been sim-plee splendid. I +confess I was a little bit-er-surprised. He was in college under +my husband. I don't know that we thought very great things of +him, but if ever a man won golden opinions he has done so from +us." + +" Oh, that must be the Coleman who is such a great friend of +Nora's." + +"Yes?" said Mrs. Wainwright insidiously. "Is he? I didn't +know. Of course he knows so many people." Her mind had been +suddenly illumined by the old lady and she thought +extravagantly of the arrival of Nora upon the scene. She +remained all sweetness to the old lady. "Did you know he was +here? Did you expect to meet him? I seemed such a delightful +coincidence." In truth she was being subterraneously clever. + +" Oh, no; I don't think so. I didn't hear Nora mention it. Of +course she would have told me. You know, our coming to +Greece was such a surprise. Nora had an engagement in +London at the Folly Theatre in Fly by Night, but the manager +was insufferable, oh, insufferable. So, of course, Nora wouldn't +stand it a minute, and then these newspaper people came along and +asked her to go to Greece for them and she accepted. I am sure I +never expected to find us-aw-fleeing from the Turks or I +shouldn't have Come." + +" Mrs. Wainwright was gasping. " You don't mean that she is-- +she is Nora Black, the actress." + +" Of course she is," said the old lady jubilantly. + +" Why, how strange," choked Mrs. Wainwrignt. Nothing she +knew of Nora could account for her stupefaction and grief. +What happened glaringly to her was the duplicity of man. +Coleman was a ribald deceiver. He must have known and yet he +had pretended throughout that the meeting was a pure accident +She turned with a nervous impulse to sympathist with her +daughter, but despite the lovely tranquillity of the girl's face +there was something about her which forbade the mother to +meddle. Anyhow Mrs. Wainwright was sorry that she had told +nice things of Coleman's behaviour, so she said to the old lady: +" Young men of these times get a false age so quickly. We +have always thought it a great pity, about Mr. Coleman." + +"Why, how so ? " asked the old lady. + +"Oh, really nothing. Only, to us he seemed rather --er- +prematurely experienced or something of that kind. +The old lady did not catch the meaning of the phrase. +She seemed surprised. " Why, I've never seen any full-grown +person in this world who got experience any too +quick for his own good." + +At the tail of the procession there was talk between the +two students who had in charge the little grey horse-one +to lead and one to flog. " Billie," said one, " it now +becomes necessary to lose this hobby into the hands of +some of the other fellows. Whereby we will gain +opportunity to pay homage to the great Nora. Why, you +egregious thick-head, this is the chance of a life-time. I'm +damned if I'm going to tow this beast of burden much +further." + +" You wouldn't stand a show," said Billie +pessimistically. " Look at Coleman." + +" That's all right. Do you mean to say that you prefer to +continue towing pack horses in the presence of this queen +of song and the dance just because you think Coleman can +throw out his chest a little more than you. Not so. Think +of your bright and sparkling youth. There's Coke and +Pete Tounley near Marjory. We'll call 'em." Whereupon +he set up a cry. " Say, you people, we're not getting a, +salary for this. Supposin' you try for a time. It'll do you +good." When the two addressed bad halted to await the +arrival of the little grey horse, they took on glum +expressions. " You look like poisoned pups," said the +student who led the horse. " Too strong for +light work. Grab onto the halter, now, Peter, and tow. +We are going ahead to talk to Nora Black." + +" Good time you'll have," answered Peter Tounley. + +" Coleman is cuttin' up scandalous. You won't stand a +show." + +" What do you think of him ? " said Coke. " Seems +curious, all 'round. Do you suppose he knew she would +show up? It was nervy to--" + +" Nervy to what? " asked Billie. + +"Well," said Coke, " seems to me he is playing both +ends against the middle. I don't know anything about +Nora Black, but-" + +The three other students expressed themselves with +conviction and in chorus. " Coleman's all right." + +" Well, anyhow," continued Coke, " I don't see my way +free to admiring him introducing Nora Black to the +Wainwrights." + +" He didn't," said the others, still in chorus. + +" Queer game," said Peter Tounley. " He seems to +know her pretty well." + +" Pretty damn well," said Billie. + +"Anyhow he's a brick," said Peter Tounley. "We +mustn't forget that. Lo, I begin to feel that our Rufus is a +fly guy of many different kinds. Any play that he is in +commands my respect. He won't be hit by a chimney in +the daytime, for unto him has come much wisdom, I +don't think I'll worry." + +"Is he stuck on Nora Black, do you know?" asked Billie. + +" One thing is plain," replied Coke. " She has got him +somehow by the short hair and she intends him to holler +murder. Anybody can see that." + +" Well, he won't holler murder," said one of them with +conviction. " I'll bet you he won't. He'll hammer the war-post +and beat the tom-tom until he drops, but he won't holler +murder." + +" Old Mother Wainwright will be in his wool presently," +quoth Peter Tounley musingly, " I could see it coming in her +eye. Somebody has given his snap away, or something." +" Aw, he had no snap," said Billie. " Couldn't you see how +rattled he was? He would have given a lac if dear Nora hadn't +turned up." + +"Of course," the others assented. "He was rattled." + +" Looks queer. And nasty," said Coke. + +" Nora herself had an axe ready for him." + +They began to laugh. " If she had had an umbrella she +would have basted him over the head with it. Oh, my! He was +green." + +" Nevertheless," said Peter Tounley, " I refuse to worry over +our Rufus. When he can't take care of himself the rest of us +want to hunt cover. He is a fly guy-" + +Coleman in the meantime had become aware that +the light of Mrs. Wainwright's countenance was turned from +him. The party stopped at a well, and when he offered her a +drink from his cup he thought she accepted it with scant +thanks. Marjory was still gracious, always gracious, but this did +not reassure him, because he felt there was much unfathomable +deception in it. When he turned to seek consolation in the +manner of the professor he found him as before, stunned with +surprise, and the only idea he had was to be as tractable as a +child. + +When he returned to the head of the column, Nora again +cantered forward to join him. " Well, me gay Lochinvar," she +cried, " and has your disposition improved? " + +" You are very fresh," he said. + +She laughed loud enough to be heard the full length of the +caravan. It was a beautiful laugh, but full of insolence and +confidence. He flashed his eyes malignantly upon her, but then +she only laughed more. She could see that he wished to +strangle her. " What a disposition ! " she said. " What a +disposition ! You are not. nearly so nice as your friends. Now, +they are charming, but you-Rufus, I wish you would get that +temper mended. Dear Rufus, do it to please me. You know you +like to please me. Don't you now, dear? " +He finally laughed. " Confound you, Nora. I would like to kill +you." + +But at his laugh she was all sunshine. It was as if she. +had been trying to taunt him into good humour with her. +"Aw, now, Rufus, don't be angry. I'll be good, Rufus. +Really, I will. Listen. I want to tell you something. Do you +know what I did? Well, you know, I never was cut out for +this business, and, back there, when you told me about the +Turks being near and all that sort of thing, I was +frightened almost to death. Really, I was. So, when +nobody was looking, I sneaked two or three little drinks +out of my flask. Two or three little drinks-" + + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +" GOOD God!" said Coleman. "You don't Mean-" + +Nora smiled rosily at him. " Oh, I'm all right," she +answered. " Don't worry about your Aunt Nora, my +precious boy. Not for a minute." + +Coleman was horrified. " But you are not going to-you +are not going to-" + +"Not at all, me son. Not at all," she answered. + +I'm not going to prance. I'm going to be as nice as pie, +and just ride quietly along here with dear little Rufus. +Only * * you know what I can do when I get started, so +you had better be a very good boy. I might take it into my +head to say some things, you know." + +Bound hand and foot at his stake, he could not even +chant his defiant torture song. It might precipitate-- in fact, +he was sure it would precipitate the grand smash. But to +the very core of his soul, he for the time hated Nora +Black. He did not dare to remind her that he would +revenge himself; he dared only to dream of this revenge, +but it fairly made his thoughts flame, and deep in his +throat he was swearing an inflexible persecution of Nora +Black. The old expression of his sex came to him, +" Oh, if she were only a man ! " she had +been a man, he would have fallen upon her tooth and nail. Her +motives for all this impressed him not at all; she was simply a +witch who bound him helpless with the pwer of her femininity, +and made him eat cinders. He was so sure that his face betrayed +him that he did not dare let her see it. " Well, what are you going +to do about it ? " he asked, over his shoulder. + +" 0-o-oh," she drawled, impudently. "Nothing." He could see +that she was determined not to be confessed. " I may do this or +I may do that. It all depends upon your behaviour, my dear +Rufus." + +As they rode on, he deliberated as to the best means of +dealing with this condition. Suddenly he resolved to go with +the whole tale direct to Marjory, and to this end he half wheeled +his horse. He would reiterate that he loved her and then explain- +explain ! He groaned when he came to the word, and ceased +formulation. + +The cavalcade reached at last the bank of the Aracthus river, +with its lemon groves and lush grass. A battery wheeled before +them over the ancient bridge -a flight of short, broad cobbled +steps up as far as the centre of the stream and a similar flight +down to the other bank. The returning aplomb of the travellers +was well illustrated by the professor, who, upon sighting this +bridge, murmured : " Byzantine." + +This was the first indication that he had still within him a power +to resume the normal. + +The steep and narrow street was crowded with soldiers; the +smoky little coffee shops were a-babble with people discussing +the news from the front. None seemed to heed the remarkable +procession that wended its way to the cable office. Here +Coleman resolutely took precedence. He knew that there was +no good in expecting intelligence out of the chaotic clerks, but +he managed to get upon the wires this message : + +" Eclipse, New York: Got Wainwright party; all well. Coleman." +The students had struggled to send messages to their people +in America, but they had only succeeded in deepening the +tragic boredom of the clerks. + +When Coleman returned to the street he thought that he had +seldom looked upon a more moving spectacle than the +Wainwright party presented at that moment. Most of the +students were seated in a row, dejectedly, upon the kerb. The +professor and Mrs. Wainwright looked like two old pictures, +which, after an existence in a considerate gloom, had been +brought out in their tawdriness to the clear light. Hot white dust +covered everybody, and from out the grimy faces the eyes +blinked, red-fringed with sleeplessness. Desolation sat upon all, +save Marjory. She possessed some marvellous power of +looking always fresh. This quality had indeed impressed the old +lady on the little pony until she had said to Nora Black: "That +girl would look well anywhere." Nora Black had not been amiable +in her reply. + +Coleman called the professor and the dragoman for a durbar. +The dragoman said: "Well, I can get one carriage, and we can +go immediate-lee." + +" Carriage be blowed! " said Coleman. " What these people +need is rest, sleep. You must find a place at once. These people +can't remain in the street." He spoke in anger, as if he had +previously told the dragoman and the latter had been +inattentive. The man immediately departed. + +Coleman remarked that there was no course but to remain in +the street until his dragoman had found them a habitation. It +was a mournful waiting. The students sat on the kerb. Once +they whispered to Coleman, suggesting a drink, but he told +them that he knew only one cafe, the entrance of which would +be in plain sight of the rest of the party. The ladies talked +together in a group of four. Nora Black was bursting with the +fact that her servant had hired rooms in Arta on their outcoming +journey, and she wished Mrs. Wainwright and Marjory to come +to them, at least for a time, but she dared not risk a refusal, and +she felt something in Mrs. Wainwright's manner which led her +to be certain that such would be the answer to her invitation. +Coleman and the professor strolled slowly up and down the +walk. + +" Well, my work is over, sir," said Coleman. " My paper told +me to find you, and, through no virtue of my own, I found you. +I am very glad of it. I don't know of anything in my life that has +given me greater pleasure." + +The professor was himself again in so far as he had lost all +manner of dependence. But still he could not yet be bumptious. +" Mr. Coleman," he said, "I am placed under life-long obligation +to you. * * * I am not thinking of myself so much. * * * My wife +and daughter---" His gratitude was so genuine that he could not +finish its expression. + +" Oh, don't speak of it," said Coleman. " I really didn't do +anything at all." + +The dragoman finally returned and led them all to a house +which he had rented for gold. In the great, bare, upper chamber +the students dropped wearily to the floor, while the woman of +the house took the Wainwrights to a more secluded apartment., +As the door closed on them, Coleman turned like a flash. + +" Have a drink," he said. The students arose around him like +the wave of a flood. "You bet." In the absence of changes of +clothing, ordinary food, the possibility of a bath, and in the +presence of great weariness and dust, Coleman's whisky +seemed to them a glistening luxury. Afterward they laid down +as if to sleep, but in reality they were too dirty and +too fagged to sleep. They simply lay murmuring Peter Tounley +even developed a small fever. + +It was at this time that Coleman. suddenly discovered his +acute interest in the progressive troubles of his affair of the +heart had placed the business of his newspaper in the rear of +his mind. The greater part of the next hour he spent in getting +off to New York that dispatch which created so much excitement +for him later. Afterward he was free to reflect moodily upon the +ability of Nora Black to distress him. She, with her retinue, had +disappeared toward her own rooms. At dusk he went into the +street, and was edified to see Nora's dragoman dodging along in +his wake. He thought that this was simply another manifestation +of Nora's interest in his movements, and so he turned a corner, +and there pausing, waited until the dragoman spun around +directly into his arms. But it seemed that the man had a note to +deliver, and this was only his Oriental way of doing it. + +The note read: " Come and dine with me to-night." It was, not +a request. It was peremptory. "All right," he said, scowling at +the man. + +He did not go at once, for he wished to reflect for a time and +find if he could not evolve some weapons of his own. It seemed +to him that all the others were liberally supplied with weapons. + +A clear, cold night had come upon the earth when he +signified to the lurking dragoman that he was in +readiness to depart with him to Nora's abode. They passed +finally into a dark court-yard, up a winding staircase, across an +embowered balcony, and Coleman entered alone a room where +there were lights. + +His, feet were scarcely over the threshold before he +had concluded that the tigress was now going to try +some velvet purring. He noted that the arts of the +stage had not been thought too cheaply obvious for +use. Nora sat facing the door. A bit of yellow silk +had been twisted about the crude shape of the lamp, +and it made the play of light, amber-like, shadowy and +yet perfectly clear, the light which women love. She +was arrayed in a puzzling gown of that kind of Gre- +cian silk which is so docile that one can pull yards of +it through a ring. It was of the colour of new straw. +Her chin was leaned pensively upon her palm and the +light fell on a pearly rounded forearm. She was +looking at him with a pair of famous eyes, azure, per- +haps-certainly purple at times-and it may be, black +at odd moments-a pair of eyes that had made many +an honest man's heart jump if he thought they were +looking at him. It was a vision, yes, but Coleman's +cynical knowledge of drama overpowered his sense of +its beauty. He broke out brutally, in the phrases of +the American street. "Your dragoman is a rubber-neck. +If he keeps darking me I will simply have to +kick the stuffing out of him." + +She was alone in the room. Her old lady had been +instructed to have a headache and send apologies. She was not +disturbed by Coleman's words. "Sit down, Rufus, and have a +cigarette, and don't be cross, because I won't stand it." + +He obeyed her glumly. She had placed his chair where not a +charm of her could be lost upon an observant man. Evidently +she did not purpose to allow him to irritate her away from her +original plan. Purring was now her method, and none of his +insolence could achieve a growl from the tigress. She arose, +saying softly: "You look tired, almost ill, poor boy. I will give +you some brandy. I have almost everything that I could think to +make those Daylight people buy." With a sweep of her hand +she indicated the astonishing opulence of the possessions in +different parts of the room. + +As she stood over him with the brandy there came through +the smoke of his cigarette the perfume of orris-root and violet. + +A servant began to arrange the little cold dinner on a camp +table, and Coleman saw with an enthusiasm which he could not +fully master, four quart bottles of a notable brand of champagne +placed in a rank on the floor. + +At dinner Nora was sisterly. She watched him, waited upon +him, treated him to an affectionate inti. macy for which he knew +a thousand men who would have hated him. The champagne +was cold. + +Slowly he melted. By the time that the boy came with little +cups of Turkish coffee he was at least amiable. Nora talked +dreamily. " The dragoman says this room used to be part of the +harem long ago." She shot him a watchful glance, as if she had +expected the fact to affect him. "Seems curious, doesn't it? A +harem. Fancy that." He smoked one cigar and then discarded +tobacco, for the perfume of orris-root and violet was making +him meditate. Nora talked on in a low voice. She knew that, +through half-closed lids, he was looking at her in steady +speculation. She knew that she was conquering, but no +movement of hers betrayed an elation. With the most exquisite +art she aided his contemplation, baring to him, for instance, +the glories of a statuesque neck, doing it all with the manner of +a splendid and fabulous virgin who knew not that there was +such a thing as shame. Her stockings were of black silk. + +Coleman presently answered her only in monosyllable, +making small distinction between yes and no. He simply sat +watching her with eyes in which there were two little covetous +steel-coloured flames. + +He was thinking, "To go to the devil-to go to the devil-to go +to the devil with this girl is not a bad fate-not a bad fate-not a +bad fate." + + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +" Come out on the balcony," cooed Nora. "There are +some funny old storks on top of some chimneys near here +and they clatter like mad all day and night." + +They moved together out to the balcony, but Nora +retreated with a little cry when she felt the coldness of the +night. She said that she would get a cloak. Coleman was +not unlike a man in a dream. He walked to the rail of the +balcony where a great vine climbed toward the roof. He +noted that it was dotted with. blossoms, which in the deep +purple of the Oriental night were coloured in strange +shades of maroon. This truth penetrated his abstraction +until when Nora came she found him staring at them as if +their colour was a revelation which affected him vitally. +She moved to his side without sound and he first knew of +her presence from the damning fragrance. She spoke just +above her breath. "It's a beautiful evening." +" Yes," he answered. She was at his shoulder. If he +moved two inches he must come in contact. They +remained in silence leaning upon the rail. +Finally he began to mutter some commonplaces which +meant nothing particularly, but into his tone as he mouthed +them was the note of a forlorn and passionate lover. Then +as if by accident he traversed the two inches and his +shoulder was against the soft and yet firm shoulder of +Nora Black. There was something in his throat at this +time which changed his voice into a mere choking noise. +She did not move. He could see her eyes glowing +innocently out of the pallour which the darkness gave to +her face. If he was touching her, she did not seem to +know it. + +"I am awfully tired," said Coleman, thickly. "I think I +will go home and turn in." + +" You must be, poor boy," said Nora tenderly. + +"Wouldn't you like a little more of that champagne?" + +" Well, I don't mind another glass." + +She left him again and his galloping thought pounded to +the old refrain. " To go to the devil-to go to the devil-to go +to the devil with this girl is not a bad fate-not a bad fate- +not a bad fate." When she returned he drank his glass of +champagne. Then he mumbled: " You must be cold. Let +me put your cape around you better. It won't do to catch +cold here, you know." + +She made a sweet pretence of rendering herself to his +care. " Oh, thanks * * * I am not really cold * * * There +that's better." + +Of course all his manipulation of the cloak had been a fervid +caress, and although her acting up to this point had remained in +the role of the splendid and fabulous virgin she now turned her +liquid eyes to his with a look that expressed knowledge, triumph +and delight. She was sure of her victory. And she said: +"Sweetheart * * * don't you think I am as nice as Marjory ?" The +impulse had been airily confident. +It was as if the silken cords had been parted by the sweep of +a sword. Coleman's face had instantly stiffened and he looked +like a man suddenly recalled to the ways of light. It may easily +have been that in a moment he would have lapsed again to his +luxurious dreaming. But in his face the girl had read a fatal +character to her blunder and her resentment against him took +precedence of any other emotion. She wheeled abruptly from +him and said with great contempt: " Rufus, you had better go +home. You're tired and sleepy, and more or less drunk." + +He knew that the grand tumble of all their little embowered +incident could be neither stayed or mended. "Yes," he +answered, sulkily, "I think so too." They shook hands huffily +and he went away. + +When he arrived among the students he found that they had +appropriated everything of his which would conduce to their +comfort. He was furious over it. But to his bitter speeches they +replied in jibes. + +"Rufus is himself again. Admire his angelic disposition. See +him smile. Gentle soul." + +A sleepy voice said from a comer: " I know what pinches +him." + +" What ? " asked several. + +"He's been to see Nora and she flung him out bodily." + +" Yes?" sneered Coleman. "At times I seem to +see in you, Coke, the fermentation of some primeval +form of sensation, as if it were possible for you to de- +velop a mind in two or three thousand years, and then +at other times you appear * * * much as you are +now." + +As soon as they had well measured Coleman's temper all of +the students save Coke kept their mouths tightly closed. Coke +either did not understand or his mood was too vindictive for +silence. " Well, I know you got a throw-down all right," he +muttered. + +"And how would you know when I got a throw down? You +pimply, milk-fed sophomore." + +The others perked up their ears in mirthful appreciation of +this language. + +" Of course," continued Coleman, " no one would protest +against your continued existence, Coke, unless you insist on +recalling yourself violently to people's attention in this way. +The mere fact of your living would not usually be offensive to +people if you weren't eternally turning a sort of calcium +light on your prehensile attributes." +Coke was suddenly angry, angry much like a peasant, and his +anger first evinced itself in a mere sputtering and spluttering. +Finally he got out a rather long speech, full of grumbling noises, +but he was understood by all to declare that his prehensile +attributes had not led him to cart a notorious woman about the +world with him. When they quickly looked at Coleman they saw +that he was livid. " You-" + +But, of course, there immediately arose all sorts of protesting +cries from the seven non-combatants. Coleman, as he took two +strides toward Coke's corner, looked fully able to break him +across his knee, but for this Coke did not seem to care at all. He +was on his feet with a challenge in his eye. Upon each cheek +burned a sudden hectic spot. The others were clamouring, "Oh, +say, this won't do. Quit it. Oh, we mustn't have a fight. He didn't +mean it, Coleman." Peter Tounley pressed Coke to the wall +saying: " You damned young jackass, be quiet." + +They were in the midst of these. festivities when a door +opened and disclosed the professor. He might. have been +coming into the middle of a row in one of the corridors of the +college at home only this time he carried a candle. His speech, +however, was a Washurst speech : " Gentlemen, gentlemen, +what does this mean ? " All seemed to expect Coleman to make +the answer. He was suddenly very cool. "Nothing, professor," he +said, " only that this-only that Coke has insulted me. I suppose +that it was only the irresponsibility of a boy, and I beg that you +will not trouble over it." + +" Mr. Coke," said the professor, indignantly, " what have +you to say to this? " Evidently he could not clearly see Coke, +and he peered around his candle at where the virtuous Peter +Tounley was expostulating with the young man. The figures of +all the excited group moving in the candle light caused vast and +uncouth shadows to have conflicts in the end of the room. + +Peter Tounley's task was not light, and beyond that he had +the conviction that his struggle with Coke was making him also +to appear as a rowdy. This conviction was proven to be true by +a sudden thunder from the old professor, " Mr. Tounley, desist ! " + +In wrath he desisted and Coke flung himself forward. He +paid less attention to the professor than if the latter had been a +jack-rabbit. " You say I insulted you? he shouted crazily in +Coleman's face. + +"Well * * * I meant to, do you see ? " + +Coleman was glacial and lofty beyond everything. +"I am glad to have you admit the truth of what I have said." + +Coke was, still suffocating with his peasant rage, which +would not allow him to meet the clear, calm +expressions of Coleman. "Yes * * * I insulted you * * * I insulted +you because what I said was correct * * my prehensile attributes +* * yes but I have never----" + +He was interrupted by a chorus from the other students. +"Oh, no, that won't do. Don't say that. Don't repeat that, Coke." + +Coleman remembered the weak bewilderment of +the little professor in hours that had not long passed, +and it was with something of an impersonal satisfac- +tion that he said to himself: " The old boy's got his +war-paint on again." The professor had stepped +sharply up to Coke and looked at him with eyes that +seemed to throw out flame and heat. There was a +moment's pause, and then the old scholar spoke, bit- +ing his words as if they were each a short section of +steel wire. " Mr. Coke, your behaviour will end your +college career abruptly and in gloom, I promise you. +You have been drinking." + +Coke, his head simply floating in a sea of universal defiance, +at once blurted out: " Yes, sir." + +"You have been drinking?" cried the professor, ferociously. +"Retire to your-retire to your----retire---" And then in a voice of +thunder he shouted: "Retire." + +Whereupon seven hoodlum students waited a decent +moment, then shrieked with laughter. But the old +professor would have none of their nonsense. He quelled them +all with force and finish. + +Coleman now spoke a few words." Professor, I +can't tell you how sorry I am that I should be +concerned in any such riot as this, and since we are +doomed to be bound so closely into each other's +society I offer myself without reservation as being +willing to repair the damage as well as may be, done. I +don t see how I can forget at once that Coke's conduct +was insolently unwarranted, but * * * if he has anything +to sayof a nature that might heal the +breach I would be willing to to meet +him in the openest manner." As he made these re- +marks Coleman's dignity was something grand, and, +Morever, there was now upon his face that curious +look of temperance and purity which had been noted +in New York as a singular physical characteristic. If +he. was guilty of anything in this affair at all-in fact, +if he had ever at any time been guilty of anything- +no mark had come to stain that bloom of innocence. +The professor nodded in the fullest appreciation and +sympathy. " Of course * * * really there is no other +sleeping placeI suppose it would be better-" +Then he again attacked Coke. "Young man, you +have chosen an unfortunate moment to fill us with a +suspicion that you may not be a gentleman. For the +time there is nothing to be done with you." He addressed +the other students. " There is nothing for +me to do, young gentleman, but to leave Mr. Coke in your care. +Good-night, sirs. Good-night, Coleman." He left the room with +his candle. + +When Coke was bade to " Retire " he had, of course, simply +retreated fuming to a corner of the room where he remained +looking with yellow eyes like an animal from a cave. When the +others were able to see through the haze of mental confusion +they found that Coleman was with deliberation taking off his +boots. " Afterward, when he removed his waist-coat, he took +great care to wind his large gold watch. + +The students, much subdued, lay again in their +places, and when there was any talking it was of an +extremely local nature, referring principally to the +floor As being unsuitable for beds and also referring +from time to time to a real or an alleged selfishness +on the part of some one of the recumbent men. Soon +there was only the sound of heavy breathing. + +When the professor had returned to what he called the +Wainwright part of the house he was greeted instantly with the +question: "What was it?" His wife and daughter were up in +alarm. "What was it " they repeated, wildly. + +He was peevish. " Oh, nothing, nothing. But that young +Coke is a regular ruffian. He had gotten him. self into some +tremendous uproar with Coleman. When I arrived he seemed +actually trying to assault him. Revolting! He had been drinking. +Coleman's behaviour, I must say, was splendid. Recognised at once the +delicacy of my position-he not being a student. If I had found +him in the wrong it would have been simpler than finding him in +the right. Confound that rascal of a Coke." Then, as he began a +partial disrobing, he treated them to grunted scrap of information. +" Coke was quite insane * * * I feared that I couldn't +control him * * * Coleman was like ice * * * and as much as I +have seen to admire in him during the last few days, this quiet +beat it all. If he had not recognised my helplessness as far as he +was concerned the whole thing might have been a most +miserable business. He is a very fine young man." The +dissenting voice to this last tribute was the voice of Mrs. +Wainwright. She said: " Well, Coleman drinks, too-everybody +knows that." + +" I know," responded the professor, rather bashfully, but I +am confident that he had not touched a drop." Marjory said +nothing. + +The earlier artillery battles had frightened most of the +furniture out of the houses of Arta, and there was left in this +room only a few old red cushions, and the Wainwrights were +camping upon the floor. Marjory was enwrapped in Coleman's +macintosh, and while the professor and his wife maintained +some low talk of the recent incident she in silence had turned +her cheek into the yellow velvet collar of the coat. She felt +something against her bosom, and putting her hand +carefully into the top pocket of the coat she found three cigars. +These she took in the darkness and laid aside, telling herself to +remember their position in the morning. She had no doubt that +Coleman: would rejoice over them, before he could get back to, +Athens where there were other good cigars. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE ladies of the Wainwright party had not complained +at all when deprived of even such civilised advantages as a +shelter and a knife and fork and soap and water, but Mrs. +Wainwright complained bitterly amid the half-civilisation of +Arta. She could see here no excuse for the absence of several +hundred things which she had always regarded as essential to +life. She began at 8.30 A. M. to make both the professor and +Marjory woeful with an endless dissertation upon the beds in +the hotel at Athens. Of course she had not regarded them at +the time as being exceptional beds * * * that was quite true, * +* * but then one really never knew what one was really missing +until one really missed it * * * She would never have thought +that she would come to consider those Athenian beds as +excellent * * * but experience is a great teacher * * * makes- +one reflect upon the people who year in and year out have no +beds at all, poor things. * * * Well, it made one glad if one did +have a good bed, even if it was at the time on the other side of +the world. If she ever reached it she did not know what could +ever induce her to leave it again. * * * She would never be +induced--- + +"'Induced!'" snarled the professor. The word represented to +him a practiced feminine misusage of truth, and at such his +white warlock always arose. "" Induced!' Out of four American +women I have seen lately, you seem to be the only one who +would say that you had endured this thing because you had +been 'induced' by others to come over here. How absurd!" + +Mrs. Wainwright fixed her husband with a steely eye. She +saw opportunity for a shattering retort. " You don't mean, +Harrison, to include Marjory and I in the same breath with +those two women? " + +The professor saw no danger ahead for himself. He merely +answered: " I had no thought either way. It did not seem +important." + +" Well, it is important," snapped Mrs. Wainwright. + +" Do you know that you are speaking in the same breath of +Marjory and Nora Black, the actress? " + +" No," said the professor. " Is that so ? " He was astonished, +but he was not aghast at all. "Do you mean to say that is Nora +Black, the comic opera star ? " + +" That's exactly who she is," said Mrs. Wainwright, +dramatically. " And I consider that-I consider that Rufus +Coleman has done no less than-misled us." + +This last declaration seemed to have no effect upon the +professor's pure astonishment, but Marjory looked at her +mother suddenly. However, she said no word, +exhibiting again that strange and, inscrutable countenance +which masked even the tiniest of her maidenly emotions. + +Mrs. Wainwright was triumphant, and she immediately set +about celebrating her victory. " Men never see those things," +she said to her husband. " Men never see those things. You +would have gone on forever without finding out that your-your- +hospitality was, being abused by that Rufus Coleman." + +The professor woke up." Hospitality ?" he said, +indignantly. " Hospitality ? I have not had any +hospitality to be abused. Why don't you talk sense? +It is not that, but-it might-" He hesitated and +then spoke slowly. " It might be very awkward. Of +course one never knows anything definite about such +people, but I suppose * * * Anyhow, it was strange +in Coleman to allow her to meet us. " + +"It Was all a pre-arranged plan," announced the +triumphant Mrs. Wainwright. " She came here on putpose +to meet Rufus Coleman, and he knew it, and I should not +wonder if they had not the exact spot picked out where +they were going to meet." + +"I can hardly believe that," said the professor, in distress. +"I can, hardly believe that. It does, not seem to me that +Coleman--" + +" Oh yes. Your dear Rufus Coleman," cried Mrs. +Wainwright. " You think he is very fine now. But +I can remember when you didn't think---" + +And the parents turned together an abashed look at their +daughter. The professor actually flushed with shame. It seemed +to him that he had just committed an atrocity upon the heart of +his child. The instinct of each of them was to go to her and +console her in their arms. She noted it immediately, and seemed +to fear it. She spoke in a clear and even voice. " I don't think, +father, that you should distress me by supposing that I am +concerned at all if Mr. Coleman cares to get Nora Black over +here." + +" Not at all," stuttered the professor. " I---" + +Mrs. Wainwright's consternation turned suddenly to, anger. +" He is a scapegrace. A rascal. A-- a--" + +" Oh," said Marjory, coolly, " I don't see why it isn't his own +affair. He didn't really present her to you, mother, you +remember? She seemed quite to force her way at first, and then +you-you did the rest. It should be very easy to avoid her, now +that we are out of the wilderness. And then it becomes a private +matter of Mr. Coleman's. For my part, I rather liked her. I don't +see such a dreadful calamity." + +"Marjory!" screamed her mother. "How dreadful. Liked her! +Don't let me hear you say such shocking things." + +" I fail to see anything shocking," answered Marjory, +stolidly. + +The professor was looking helplessly from his +daughter to his wife, and from his wife to his daughter, +like a man who was convinced that his troubles +would never end. This new catastrophe created a +different kind of difficulty, but he considered that the +difficulties were as robust as had been the preceding +ones. He put on his hat and went out of the room. +He felt an impossibility of saying anything to +Coleman, but he felt that he must look upon him. He +must look upon this man and try to know from his +manner the measure of guilt. And incidentally he +longed for the machinery of a finished society which +prevents its parts from clashing, prevents it with its +great series of I law upon law, easily operative but +relentless. Here he felt as a man flung into the jungle +with his wife and daughter, +where they could become the victims of any sort of savagery. +His thought referred once more to what he considered the invaluable +services of Coleman, and as he observed them in conjunction +with the present accusation, he was simply dazed. It was then +possible that one man could play two such divergent parts. He +had not learned this at Washurst. But no; the world was not +such a bed of putrefaction. He would not believe it; he would +not believe it. + +After adventures which require great nervous en. durance, it +is only upon the second or third night that the common man +sleeps hard. The students had expected to slumber like dogs on +the first night after their trials. but none slept long, And few +slept. + +Coleman was the first man to arise. When he left the room +the students were just beginning to blink. He took his +dragoman among the shops and he bought there all the little +odds and ends which might go to make up the best breakfast in +Arta. If he had had news of certain talk he probably would not +have been buying breakfast for eleven people. Instead, he +would have been buying breakfast for one. During his absence +the students arose and performed their frugal toilets. +Considerable attention was paid to Coke by the others. " He +made a monkey of you," said Peter Tounley with unction. " He +twisted you until you looked like a wet, grey rag. You had +better leave this wise guy alone." + +It was not the night nor was it meditation that had taught +Coke anything, but he seemed to have learned something from +the mere lapse of time. In appearance he was subdued, but he +managed to make a temporary jauntiness as he said : " Oh, I +don't know." + +" Well, you ought to know," said he who was called Billie. +"You ought to know. You made an egregious snark of +yourself. Indeed, you sometimes resembled a boojum. Anyhow, +you were a plain chump. You exploded your face about +something of which you knew nothing, and I'm damned if I +believe you'd make even a good retriever." + +"You're a half-bred water-spaniel," blurted Peter Tounley. +"And," he added, musingly, "that is a pretty low animal." + +Coke was argumentative. "Why am I? " he asked, turning his +head from side to side. " I don't see where I was so wrong." + +" Oh, dances, balloons, picnics, parades and ascensions," +they retorted, profanely. " You swam voluntarily into water that +was too deep for you. Swim out. Get dry. Here's a towel." + +Coke, smitten in the face with a wet cloth rolled into a ball, +grabbed it and flung it futilely at a well-dodging +companion " No," he cried, " I don't see it. Now look here. I +don't see why we shouldn't all resent this Nora Black +business." + +One student said: "Well, what's the matter with Nora B lack, +anyhow ?" + +Another student said "I don't see how you've been issued +any license to say things about Nora Black." + +Another student said dubiously: " Well, he knows her well." + +And then three or four spoke at once. " He was very badly +rattled when she appeared upon the scene." + +Peter Tounley asked: "Well, which of you people know +anything wrong about Nora Black? " + +There was a pause, and then Coke said: " Oh, of course-I +don't know-but-" + +He who was called Billie then addressed his com- panions. +" It wouldn't be right to repeat any old lie about Nora Black, and +by the same token it wouldn't be right to see old Mother +Wainwright chummin' with her. There is no wisdom in going +further than that. Old Mother Wainwright don't know that her +fair companion of yesterday is the famous comic opera star. For +my part, I believe that Coleman is simply afraid to tell her. I +don't think he wished to see Nora Black yesterday any more +than he wished to see the devil. The discussion, as I +understand itconcerned itself only with what Coleman had to +do with the thing, and yesterday anybody could see that he +was in a panic." + +They heard a step on the stair, and directly Coleman entered, +followed by his dragoman. They were laden with the raw +material for breakfast. The correspondent looked keenly among +the students, for it was plain that they had been talking of him. +It, filled him with rage, and for a stifling moment he could not +think why he failed to immediately decamp in chagrin and leave +eleven orphans to whatever fate. their general incompetence +might lead them. It struck him as a deep shame that even then +he and his paid man were carrying in the breakfast. He wanted +to fling it all on the floor and walk out. Then he remembered +Marjory. She was the reason. She was the reason for +everything. + +But he could not repress certain, of his thoughts. "Say, you +people," he said, icily, " you had better soon learn to hustle for +yourselves. I may be a dragoman, and a butler, and a cook, and +a housemaid, but I'm blowed if I'm a wet nurse." In reality, he +had taken the most generous pleasure in working for the others +before their eyes had even been opened from sleep, but it was +now all turned to wormwood. It is certain that even this could +not have deviated this executive man from labour and +management. because these were his life. But he felt that he was +about to walk out of the room, consigning them all to Hades. +His glance of angry, reproach fastened itself mainly upon Peter +Tounley, because he knew that of all, Peter was the most +innocent. + +Peter, Tounley was abashed by this glance. So you've +brought us something to eat, old man. That is tremendously +nice of you-we-appreciate it like everything." + +Coleman was mollified by Peter's tone. Peter had had that +emotion which is equivalent to a sense of guilt, although in +reality he was speckless. Two or three of the other students +bobbed up to a sense of the situation. They ran to Coleman, +and with polite cries took his provisions from him. One dropped +a bunch of lettuce on the floor, and others reproached him with +scholastic curses. Coke was seated near the window, half +militant, half conciliatory. It was +impossible for him to keep up a manner of deadly enmity while +Coleman was bringing in his breakfast. He would have much +preferred that Coleman had not brought in his breakfast. He +would have much preferred to have foregone breakfast +altogether. He would have much preferred anything. There +seemed to be a conspiracy of circumstance to put him in the +wrong and make him appear as a ridiculous young peasant. He +was the victim of a benefaction, and he hated Coleman harder +now than at any previous time. He saw that if he stalked out +and took his breakfast alone in a cafe, the others would +consider him still more of an outsider. Coleman had expressed +himself like a man of the world and a gentleman, and Coke was +convinced that he was a superior man of the world and a +superior gentleman, but that he simply had not had words to +express his position at the proper time. Coleman was glib. +Therefore, Coke had been the victim of an attitude as well as of +a benefaction. And so he deeply hated Coleman. + +The others were talking cheerfully. "What the deuce are +these, Coleman ? Sausages? Oh, my. And look at these +burlesque fishes. Say, these Greeks don't care what they eat. +Them thar things am sardines in the crude state. No ? Great +God, look at those things. Look. What? Yes, they are. +Radishes. Greek synonym for radishes." + +The professor entered. " Oh," he said apologetically, +as if he were intruding in a boudoir. All his serious desire +to probe Coleman to the bottom ended in embarrassment. +Mayhap it was not a law of feeling, but it happened at any rate. +" He had come in a puzzled frame of mind, even an accusative +frame of mind, and almost immediately he found himself suffer. +ing like a culprit before his judge. It is a phenomenon of what +we call guilt and innocence. + +" Coleman welcomed him cordially. " Well, professor, +good-morning. I've rounded up some things that at least may be +eaten." + +" You are very good " very considerate, Mr. Coleman," +answered the professor, hastily. " I'am sure we are much +indebted to you." He had scanned the correspondent's face, +land it had been so devoid of guile that he was fearful that his +suspicion, a base suspicion, of this noble soul would be +detected. " No, no, we can never thank you enough." + +Some of the students began to caper with a sort of decorous +hilarity before their teacher. " Look at the sausage, professor. +Did you ever see such sausage " Isn't it salubrious " And see +these other things, sir. Aren't they curious " I shouldn't wonder +if they were alive. Turnips, sir? No, sir. I think they are +Pharisees. I have seen a Pharisee look like a pelican, but I have +never seen a Pharisee look like a turnip, so I think these turnips +must be Pharisees, sir, Yes, they may be walrus. We're not sure. +Anyhow, their angles are geometrically all wrong. Peter, look out." +Some green stuff was flung across the room. The professor laughed; +Coleman laughed. Despite Coke, dark-browed, sulking. and yet +desirous of reinstating himself, the room had waxed warm with +the old college feeling, the feeling of lads who seemed never to +treat anything respectfully and yet at the same time managed to +treat the real things with respect. The professor himself +contributed to their wild carouse over the strange Greek viands. +It was a vivacious moment common to this class in times of +relaxation, and it was understood perfectly. + +Coke arose. " I don't see that I have any friends here," he +said, hoarsely, " and in consequence I don't see why I should +remain here." + +All looked at him. At the same moment Mrs. Wainwright and +Marjory entered the room. + + + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +"Good-morning," said Mrs. Wainwright jovially to the +students and then she stared at Coleman as if he were a sweep +at a wedding. + +" Good-morning," said Marjory. + +Coleman and the students made reply. " Good-morning. +Good-morning. Good-morning. Good-morning--" + +It was curious to see this greeting, this common phrase, this +bit of old ware, this antique, come upon a dramatic scene and +pulverise it. Nothing remained but a ridiculous dust. Coke, +glowering, with his lips still trembling from heroic speech, was +an angry clown, a pantaloon in rage. Nothing was to be done to +keep him from looking like an ass. He, strode toward the door +mumbling about a walk before breakfast. + +Mrs. Wainwright beamed upon him. " Why, Mr. Coke, not +before breakfast ? You surely won't have time." It was grim +punishment. He appeared to go blind, and he fairly staggered +out of the door mumbling again, mumbling thanks or apologies +or explanations. About the mouth of Coleman played a sinister +smile. The professor cast. upon his wife a glance expressing +weariness. It was as if he said " There you go again. You +can't keep your foot out of it." She understood the glance, +and so she asked blankly: "Why, What's the matter? Oh." +Her belated mind grasped that it waw an aftermath of the +quarrel of Coleman and Coke. Marjory looked as if she +was distressed in the belief that her mother had been +stupid. Coleman was outwardly serene. It was Peter +Tounley who finally laughed a cheery, healthy laugh and they +all looked at him with gratitude as if his sudden mirth had been +a real statement or recon- ciliation and consequent peace. + +The dragoman and others disported themselves until a +breakfast was laid upon the floor. The adventurers squatted +upon the floor. They made a large company. The professor and +Coleman discussed the means of getting to Athens. Peter +Tounley sat next to Marjory. " Peter," she said, privately, " what +was all this trouble between Coleman and Coke ? " + +Peter answered blandly: " Oh, nothing at Nothing at all." + +" Well, but--" she persisted, " what was the cause of it?" + +He looked at her quaintly. He was not one of those in love +with her, but be was interested in the affair. " Don't you know +? " he asked. + +She understood from his manner that she had been some +kind of an issue in the quarrel. " No," she answered, hastily. " I +don't." + +"Oh, I don't mean that," said Peter. "I only meant --I only +meant--oh, well, it was nothing-really." + +" It must have been about something," continued Marjory. +She continued, because Peter had denied that she was +concerned in it. " Whose fault ? " + +"I really don't know. It was all rather confusing," lied Peter, +tranquilly. + +Coleman and the professor decided to accept a plan of the +correspondent's dragoman to start soon on the first stage of +the journey to Athens. The dragoman had said that he had +found two large carriages rentable. + +Coke, the outcast, walked alone in the narrow streets. The +flight of the crown prince's army from Larissa had just been +announced in Arta, but Coke was probably the most +woebegone object on the Greek peninsula. + +He encountered a strange sight on the streets. A woman +garbed in the style for walking of an afternoon on upper +Broadway was approaching him through a mass of kilted +mountaineers and soldiers in soiled overcoats. Of course he +recognised Nora Black. + +In his conviction that everybody in the world was at this +time considering him a mere worm, he was sure that she would +not heed him. Beyond that he had been presented to her notice +in but a transient and cursory fashion. But contrary to his +conviction, she turned a radiant smile upon him. " Oh," she +said, brusquely, " you are one of the students. Good +morning." In her manner was all the confidence of an old +warrior, a veteran, who addresses the universe with assurance +because of his past battles. + +Coke grinned at this strange greeting. " Yes, Miss Black," he +answered, " I am one of the students." + +She did not seem to quite know how to formulate her next +speech. " Er-I suppose you're going to Athens at once " You +must be glad after your horrid experiences." + +" I believe they are going to start for Athens today," said +Coke. + +Nora was all attention. "'They ?'" she repeated. +"Aren't you going with them? " + +" Well," he said, " * * Well---" + +She saw of course that there had been some kind of trouble. +She laughed. " You look as if somebody had kicked you down +stairs," she said, candidly. She at once assumed an intimate +manner toward him which was like a temporary motherhood. " +Come, walk with me and tell me all about it." There was in her +tone a most artistic suggestion that whatever had happened +she was on his side. He was not loath. The street was full of +soldiers whose tongues clattered so loudly that the two +foreigners might have been wandering in a great cave of the +winds. " Well, what was the row about ? " asked Nora. " And +who was in it? " + +It would have been no solace to Coke to pour out +his tale even if it had been a story that he could have told Nora. +He was not stopped by the fact that he had gotten himself in +the quarrel because he had insulted the name of the girt at his +side. He did not think of it at that time. The whole thing was +now extremely vague in outline to him and he only had a dull +feeling of misery and loneliness. He wanted her to cheer him. + +Nora laughed again. " Why, you're a regular little kid. Do +you mean to say you've come out here sulking alone because +of some nursery quarrel? " He was ruffled by her manner. It did +not contain the cheering he required. " Oh, I don't know that I'm +such a regular little kid," he said, sullenly. " The quarrel was +not a nursery quarrel." + +"Why don't you challenge him to a duel? " asked Nora, +suddenly. She was watching him closely. + +" Who?" said Coke. + +" Coleman, you stupid," answered Nora. + +They stared at each other, Coke paying her first the tribute +of astonishment and then the tribute of admiration. "Why, +how did you guess that?" he demanded. + +" Oh," said Nora., " I've known Rufus Coleman for years, +and he is always rowing with people." + +"That is just it," cried Coke eagerly. "That is just it. +I fairly hate the man. Almost all of the other fellows +will stand his abuse, but it riles me, I tell +you. I think he is a beast. And, of course, if you seriously +meant what you said about challenging him to a duel--I +mean if there is any sense in that sort of thing-I would +challenge Coleman. I swear I would. I think he's a great +bluffer, anyhow. Shouldn't wonder if he would back out. +Really, I shouldn't. + +Nora smiled humourously at a house on her side of the +narrow way. "I wouldn't wonder if he did either " she +answered. After a time she said " Well, do you mean to +say that you have definitely shaken them? Aren't you +going back to Athens with them or anything? " + +" I-I don't see how I can," he said, morosely. + +" Oh," she said. She reflected for a time. At last she +turned to him archly and asked: "Some words over a +lady?" + +Coke looked at her blankly. He suddenly remembered +the horrible facts. " No-no-not over a lady." + +" My dear boy, you are a liar," said Nora, freely. "You +are a little unskilful liar. It was some words over a lady, +and the lady's name is Marjory Wainwright." + +Coke felt as though he had suddenly been let out of a +cell, but he continued a mechanical denial. "No, no * * It +wasn't truly * * upon my word * * " + +"Nonsense," said Nora. " I know better. Don't you +think you can fool me, you little cub. I know +you're in love with Marjory Wainwright, and you think +Coleman is your rival. What a blockhead you are. Can't +you understand that people see these things?" + +" Well-" stammered Coke. + +"Nonsense," said Nora again. "Don't try to fool +me, you may as well understand that it's useless. I +am too wise." + +" Well-" stammered Coke. + +" Go ahead," urged Nora. " Tell me about it. Have it +out." + +He began with great importance and solemnity. "Now, +to tell you the truth * * that is why I hate him * * I hate him +like anything. * * I can't see why everybody admires him so. +I don't see anything to him myself. I don't believe he's got +any more principle than a wolf. I wouldn't trust him with +two dollars. Why, I know stories about him that would +make your hair curl. When I think of a girl like Marjory-- " + +His speech had become a torrent. But here Nora +raised her hand. " Oh! Oh! Oh! That will do. That will do. +Don't lose your senses. I don't see why this girl Marjory +is any too good. She is no chicken, I'll bet. Don't let +yourself get fooled with that sort of thing." + +Coke was unaware of his incautious expressions. He +floundered on. while Nora looked at him as if she +wanted to wring his neck. " No-she's too fine and +too good-for him or anybody like him-she's too +fine and too good-" + +" Aw, rats," interrupted Nora, furiously. "You +make me tired." + +Coke had a wooden-headed conviction that he must +make Nora understand Marjory's infinite superiority +to all others of her sex, and so he passed into a +pariegyric, each word of which was a hot coal to the girl +addressed. Nothing would stop him, apparently. He +even made the most stupid repetitions. Nora finally +stamped her foot formidably. "Will you stop? +Will you stop ? " she said through her clenched teeth. +" Do you think I want to listen to your everlasting +twaddle about her? Why, she's-she's no better than +other people, you ignorant little mamma's boy. She's +no better than other people, you swab! " + +Coke looked at her with the eyes of a fish. He did +not understand. "But she is better than other +people," he persisted. + +Nora seemed to decide suddenly that there would +be no accomplishment in flying desperately against +this rock-walled conviction. " Oh, well," she said, +with marvellous good nature, " perhaps you are right, +numbskull. But, look here; do you think she cares +for him?" + +In his heart, his jealous heart, he believed that +Marjory loved Coleman, but he reiterated eternally to +himself that it was not true. As for speaking it to, +another, that was out of the question. " No," he +said, stoutly, " she doesn't care a snap for him." If +he had admitted it, it would have seemed to him that. +he was somehow advancing Coleman's chances. + +"'Oh, she doesn't, eh ?" said Nora enigmatically. + +"She doesn't?" He studied her face with an abrupt, +miserable suspicion, but he repeated doggedly: " No, +she doesn't." + +"Ahem," replied Nora. " Why, she's set her cap +for him all right. She's after him for certain. It's as +plain as day. Can't you see that, stupidity ?" + +"No," he said hoarsely. + +"You are a fool," said Nora. " It isn't Coleman +that's after her. It is she that is after Coleman." + +Coke was mulish. " No such thing. Coleman's +crazy about her. Everybody has known it ever +since he was in college. You ask any of the other +fellows." + +Nora was now very serious, almost doleful. She +remained still for a time, casting at Coke little glances +of hatred. " I don't see my way clear to ask any of +the other fellows," she said at last, with considerable +bitterness. " I'm not in the habit of conducting such +enquiries." + +Coke felt now that he disliked her, and he read +plainly her dislike of him. If they were the two +villains of the play, they were not having fun together +at all. Each had some kind of a deep knowledge that +their aspirations, far from colliding, were of such +character that the success of one would mean at least +assistance to the other, but neither could see how to +confess if. Pethapt it was from shame, perhaps it +was because Nora thought Coke to have little wit ; +perhaps it was because Coke thought Nora to have +little conscience. Their talk was mainly rudderless. +From time to time Nora had an inspiration to come +boldly at the point, but this inspiration was commonly +defeated by, some extraordinary manifestation of +Coke's incapacity. To her mind, then, it seemed like +a proposition to ally herself to a butcher-boy in a +matter purely sentimental. She Wondered indignantly +how she was going to conspire With this lad, +who puffed out his infantile cheeks in order to conceitedly +demonstrate that he did not understand the +game at all. She hated Marjory for it. Evidently it +was only the weaklings who fell in love with that girl. +Coleman was an exception, but then, Coleman was +misled, by extraordinary artifices. She meditatecf for +a moment if she should tell Coke to go home and not +bother her. What at last decided the question was +his unhappiness. Shd clung to this unhappiness for +its value as it stood alone, and because its reason for +existence was related to her own unhappiness. " You +Say you are not going back toAthens with your party. +I don't suppose you're going to stay here. I'm going +back to Athens to-day. I came up here to see a +battle, but it doesn't seem that there are to be any +more battles., The fighting will now all be on the +other side of'the mountains." Apparent she had +learned in some haphazard way that the Greek +peninsula was divided by a spine of almost inaccessible +mountains, and the war was thus split into two +simultaneous campaigns. The Arta campaign was known +to be ended. "If you want to go back to Athens +without consorting with your friends, you had better go +back with me. I can take you in my carriage as far +as the beginning of the railroad. Don't you worry. +You've got money enough, haven't you ? The pro- +fessor isn't keeping your money ?" + +"Yes," he said slowly, "I've got money enough." +He was apparently dubious over the proposal. +In their abstracted walk they had arrived in front of +the house occupied by Coleman and the Wainwright +party. Two carriages, forlorn in dusty age, stood be- +fore the door. Men were carrying out new leather +luggage and flinging it into the traps amid a great +deal of talk which seemed to refer to nothing. Nora +and Coke stood looking at the scene without either +thinking of the importance of running away, when +out tumbled seven students, followed immediately but +in more decorous fashion by the Wainwrights and +Coleman. + +Some student set up a whoop. " Oh, there he is. +There's Coke. Hey, Coke, where you been? Here +he is, professor." +For a moment after the hoodlum had subsided, the +two camps stared at each other in silence. + + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +NORA and Coke were an odd looking pair at the +time. They stood indeed as if rooted to the spot, +staring vacuously, like two villagers, at the surprising +travellers. It was not an eternity before the practiced +girl of the stage recovered her poise, but to the end of +the incident the green youth looked like a culprit and +a fool. Mrs. Wainwright's glower of offensive +incredulity was a masterpiece. Marjory nodded +pleasantly; the professor nodded. The seven students +clambered boisterously into the forward carriage +making it clang with noise like a rook's nest. They +shouted to Coke. " Come on; all aboard; come on, +Coke; - we're off. Hey, there, Cokey, hurry up." +The professor, as soon as he had seated himself on +the forward seat of' the second carriage, turned in +Coke's general direction and asked formally: " Mr. +Coke, you are coming with us ? " He felt seemingly +much in doubt as to the propriety of abandoning the +headstrong young man, and this doubt was not at all +decreased by Coke's appearance with Nora Black. As +far as he could tell, any assertion of authority on his +part would end only in a scene in which Coke would +probably insult him with some gross violation of +collegiate conduct. As at first the young man made +no reply, the professor after waiting spoke again. +"You understand, Mr. Coke, that if you separate +yourself from the party you encounter my strongest +disapproval, and if I did not feel responsible to the +college and your father for your safe journey to New +York I-I don't know but what I would have you ex- +pelled by cable if that were possible." + +Although Coke had been silent, and Nora Black had +had the appearance of being silent, in reality she had +lowered her chin and whispered sideways and swiftly. +She had said: " Now, here's your time. Decide +quickly, and don't look such a wooden Indian." +Coke pulled himself together with a visible effort, +and spoke to the professor from an inspiration in +which he had no faith. " I understand my duties to +you, sir, perfectly. I also understand my duty to the +college. But I fail to see where either of these +obligations require me to accept the introduction of +objectionable people into the party. If I owe a duty to +the college and to you, I don't owe any to Coleman, +and, as I understand it, Coleman was not in the +original plan of this expedition. If such had been the +case, I would not have been here. I can't tell what +the college may see fit to do, but as for my father I +I have no doubt of how he will view it." + +The first one to be electrified by the speech was +Coke himself. He saw with a kind of sub-conscious +amazement this volley of bird-shot take effect upon +the face of the old professor. The face of Marjory +flushed crimson as if her mind had sprung to a fear +that if Coke could develop ability in this singular +fashion he might succeed in humiliating her father in +the street in the presence of the seven students, her +mother, Coleman and-herself. She had felt the bird- +shot sting her father. + +When Coke had launched forth, Coleman with his +legs stretched far apart had just struck a match on +the wall of the house and was about to light a cigar. +His groom was leading up his horse. He saw the +value of Coke's argument more appreciatively and +sooner perhaps than did Coke. The match dropped +from his fingers, and in the white sunshine and still +air it burnt on the pavement orange coloured and +with langour. Coleman held his cigar with all five +fingers-in a manner out of all the laws of smoking. +He turned toward Coke. There was danger in the +moment, but then in a flash it came upon him that +his role was not of squabbling with Coke, far less of +punching him. On the contrary, he was to act the +part of a cool and instructed man who refused to be +waylaid into foolishness by the outcries of this +pouting youngster and who placed himself in complete +deference to the wishes of the professor. Before the +professor had time to embark upon any reply to Coke, +Coleman was at the side of the carriage and, with a +fine assumption of distress, was saying: "Professor, +I could very easily ride back to Agrinion alone. It +would be all right. I don't want to-" + +To his surprise the professor waved at him to be +silent as if he were a mere child. The old man's face +was set with the resolution of exactly what hewas +going to say to Coke. He began in measured tone, +speaking with feeling, but with no trace of anger. + +" Mr. Coke, it has probably escaped your attention +that Mr. Coleman, at what I consider a great deal of +peril to himself, came out to rescue this party-you +and others-and although he studiously disclaims all +merit in his finding us and bringing us in, I do not +regard it in that way, and I am surprised that any +member of this party should conduct himself in +this manner toward a man who has been most +devotedly and generously at our service." It was +at this time that the professor raised himself and +shook his finger at Coke, his voice now ringing with +scorn. In such moments words came to him and +formed themselves into sentences almost too rapidly +for him to speak them. " You are one of the most +remarkable products of our civilisation which I have +yet come upon. What do you mean, sir? Where +are your senses? Do you think that all this pulling +and pucking is manhood? I will tell you what I will +do with you. I thought I brought out eight students +to Greece, but when I find that I brought out, seven +students and--er--an--ourang-outang--don't get +angry, sir--I don't care for your anger--I say when I +discover this I am naturally puzzled for a moment. I +will leave you to the judgment of your peers. Young +gentlemen! " +Of the seven heads of the forward carriage none +had to be turned. All had been turned since the +beginning of the talk. If the professor's speech had +been delivered in one of the class-rooms of +Washurst they would have glowed with delight over the +butchery of Coke, but they felt its portentous aspect. +Butchery here in Greece thousands of miles from +home presented to them more of the emphasis of +downright death and destruction. The professor +called out " Young gentlemen, I have done all that I +can do without using force, which, much to my regret, +is impracticable. If you will persuade your fellow +student to accompany you I think our consciences +will be the better for not having left a weak minded +brother alone among the by-paths." +The valuable aggregation of intelligence and refine- +ment which decorated the interior of the first carriage +did not hesitate over answering this appeal. In fact, +his fellow students had worried among themselves +over Coke, and their desire to see him come out of his +troubles in fair condition was intensified by the fact +that they had lately concentrated much thought upon +him. There was a somewhat comic pretense of +speaking so that only Coke could hear. Their chorus was +law sung. " Oh, cheese it, Coke. Let up on your-self, +you blind ass. Wait till you get to Athens and +then go and act like a monkey. All this is no +good-" + +The advice which came from the carriage was all in +one direction, and there was so much of it that the +hum of voices sounded like a wind blowing through a +forest. + +Coke spun suddenly and said something to Nora +Black. Nora laughed rather loudly, and then the two +turned squarely and the Wainwright party contemplated +what were surely at that time the two most insolent +backs in the world. + +The professor looked as if he might be going to +have a fit. Mrs. Wainwright lifted her eyes toward +heaven, and flinging out her trembling hands, cried: +" Oh, what an outrage. What an outrage! That +minx-" The concensus of opinion in the first carriage +was perfectly expressed by Peter Tounley, who +with a deep drawn breath, said : " Well, I'm damned! " +Marjory had moaned and lowered her head as from a +sense of complete personal shame. Coleman lit his +cigar and mounted his horse. " Well, I suppose there +is nothing for it but to be off, professor? " His tone +was full of regret, with sort of poetic regret. For a +moment the professor looked at him blankly, and then +gradually recovered part of his usual manner. " Yes," +he said sadly, " there is nothing for it but to go on." +At a word from the dragoman, the two impatient +drivers spoke gutturally to their horses and the car- +riages whirled out of Arta. Coleman, his dragoman +and the groom trotted in the dust from the wheels of +the Wainwright carriage. The correspondent always +found his reflective faculties improved by the constant +pounding of a horse on the trot, and he was not sorry +to have now a period for reflection, as well as this +artificial stimulant. As he viewed the game he had in his +hand about all the cards that were valuable. In fact, +he considered that the only ace against him was Mrs. +Wainwright. He had always regarded her as a stupid +person, concealing herself behind a mass of trivialities +which were all conventional, but he thought now that +the more stupid she was and the more conventional in +her triviality the more she approached to being the +very ace of trumps itself. She was just the sort of a +card that would come upon the table mid the neat +play of experts and by some inexplicable arrangement +of circumstance, lose a whole game for the wrong man. +After Mrs. Wainwright he worried over the students. +He believed them to be reasonable enough; +in fact, he honoured them distinctly in regard to their +powers of reason, but he knew that people generally +hated a row. It, put them off their balance, made +them sweat over a lot of pros and cons, and prevented +them from thinking for a time at least only of themselves. +Then they came to resent the principals in a +row. Of course the principal, who was thought to be +in the wrong, was the most rescnted, but Coleman be- +lieved that, after all, people always came to resent the +other principal, or at least be impatient and suspicious +of him. If he was a correct person, why was +he in a row at all? The principal who had been in +the right often brought this impatience and suspicion +upon himself, no doubt, by never letting the matter +end, continuing to yawp about his virtuous suffering, +and not allowing people to return to the steady +contemplation of their own affairs. As a precautionary +measure he decided to say nothing at all about the +late trouble, unless some one addressed him upon it. +Even then he would be serenely laconic. He felt that +he must be popular with the seven students. In the +first place, it was nice that in the presence of Marjory +they should like him, and in the second place he +feared to displease them as a body because he believed +that he had some dignity. Hoodlums are seldom +dangerous to other hoodlums, but if they catch +pomposity alone in the field, pomposity is their prey. +They tear him to mere bloody ribbons, amid heartless +shrieks. When Coleman put himself on the same +basis with the students, he could cope with them +easily, but he did not want the wild pack after him +when Marjory could see the chase. And so be rea- +soned that his best attitude was to be one of rather +taciturn serenity. + +On the hard military road the hoofs of the horses +made such clatter that it was practically impossible to +hold talk between the carriages and the horsemen +without all parties bellowing. The professor, how- +ever, strove to overcome the difficulties. He was +apparently undergoing a great amiability toward +Coleman. Frequently he turned with a bright face, and +pointing to some object in the landscape, obviously +tried to convey something entertaining to Coleman's +mind. Coleman could see his lips mouth the words. +He always nodded cheerily in answer and yelled. + +The road ultimately became that straight lance-handle +which Coleman-it seemed as if many years had +passed-had traversed with his dragoman and the +funny little carriers. He was fixing in his mind a +possible story to the Wainwrights about the snake and +his first dead Turk. But suddenly the carriages left +this road and began a circuit of the Gulf of Arta, +winding about an endless series of promontories. The +journey developed into an excess of dust whirling from +a road, which half circled the waist of cape after cape. +All dramatics were lost in the rumble of wheels and +in the click of hoofs. They passed a little soldier +leading a prisoner by a string. They passed more +frightened peasants, who seemed resolved to flee down +into the very boots of Greece. And people looked at +them with scowls, envying them their speed. At the +little town from which Coleman embarked at one stage +of the upward journey, they found crowds in the +streets. There was no longer any laughter, any confidence, +any vim. All the spirit of the visible Greek +nation seemed to have been knocked out of it in two +blows. But still they talked and never ceased talking. +Coleman noticed that the most curious changes had +come upon them since his journey to the frontier. +They no longer approved of foreigners. They seemed +to blame the travellers for something which had +transpired in the past few days. It was not that they +really blamed the travellers for the nation's calamity: +It was simply that their minds were half stunned by +the news of defeats, and, not thinking for a moment to +blame themselves, or even not thinking to attribute +the defeats to mere numbers and skill, they were +savagely eager to fasten it upon something near enough +at hand for the operation of vengeance. + +Coleman perceived that the dragoman, all his former +plumage gone, was whining and snivelling as he argued +to a dark-browed crowd that was running beside the +cavalcade. The groom, who always had been a +miraculously laconic man, was suddenly launched forth +garrulously. The, drivers, from their high seats, palavered +like mad men, driving with oat hand and gesturing +with the other, explaining evidently their own great +innocence. + +Coleman saw that there was trouble, but he only sat +more stiffly in his saddle. The eternal gabble moved +him to despise the situation. At any rate, the travellers +would soon be out of this town and on to a more +sensible region. + +However he saw the driver of the first carriage sud- +denly pull up boforg a little blackened coffee shop and +inn. The dragman spurred forward and began wild +expostulation. The second carriage pulled close behind +the other. The crowd, murmuring like a Roman mob in +Nero's time, closed around them. + + + +. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +COLEMAN pushed his horse coolly through to the +dragoman;s side. " What is it ? " he demanded. The +dragoman was broken-voiced. " These peoples, they +say you are Germans, all Germans, and they are +angry," he wailed. " I can do nossing-nossing." + +" Well, tell these men to drive on," said Coleman, +"tell them theymust drive on." + +" They will not drive on," wailed the dragoman, +still more loudly. " I can do nossing. They say here +is place for feed the horse. It is the custom and they +will note drive on." + +" Make them drive on." + +" They will note," shrieked the agonised servitor. +Coleman looked from the men waving their arms +and chattering on the box-seats to the men of the +crowd who also waved their arms and chattered. In +this throng far to the rear of the fighting armies there +did not seem to be a single man who was not +ablebodied, who had not been free to enlist as a soldier. +They were of that scurvy behind-the-rear-guard which +every nation has in degree proportionate to its worth. +The manhood of Greece had gone to the frontier, +leaving at home this rabble of talkers, most of whom +were armed with rifles for mere pretention. Coleman +loathed them to the end of his soul. He thought +them a lot of infants who would like to prove their +courage upon eleven innocent travellers, all but +unarmed, and in this fact he was quick to see a great +danger to the Wainwright party. One could deal +with soldiers; soldiers would have been ashamed to +bait helpless people ; but this rabble- + +The fighting blood of the correspondent began to +boil, and he really longed for the privilege to run +amuck through the multitude. But a look at the +Wainwrights kept him in his senses. The professor +had turned pale as a dead man. He sat very stiff and +still while his wife clung to him, hysterically beseeching +him to do something, do something, although +what he was to do she could not have even imagined. + +Coleman took the dilemma by its beard. He +dismounted from his horse into the depths of the crowd +and addressed the Wainwrights. " I suppose we had +better go into this place and have some coffee while +the men feed their horses. There is no use in trying +to make them go on." His manner was fairly +casual, but they looked at him in glazed horror. " It +is the only thing to do. This crowd is not nearly so +bad as they think they are. But we've got to look as +if we felt confident." He himself had no confidence +with this angry buzz in his ears, but be felt certain +that the only correct move was to get everybody as +quickly as possible within the shelter of the inn. It +might not be much of a shelter for them, but it was +better than the carriages in the street. + +The professor and Mrs. Wainwright seemed to be +considering their carriage as a castle, and they looked +as if their terror had made them physically incapable +of leaving it. Coleman stood waiting. Behind him +the clapper-tongued crowd was moving ominously. +Marjory arose and stepped calmly down to him. +He thrilled to the end of every nerve. It was as if +she had said: " I don't think there is great danger, +but if there is great danger, why * * here I am * +ready * with you." It conceded everything, +admitted everything. It was a surrender without a +blush, and it was only possible in the shadow of the +crisis when they did not know what the next +moments might contain for them. As he took her +hand and she stepped past him he whispered swiftly +and fiercely in her ear, " I love you." She did not +look up, but he felt that in this quick incident they +had claimed each other, accepted each other with a +far deeper meaning and understanding than could be +possible in a mere drawing-room. She laid her hand +on his arm, and with the strength of four men he +twisted his horse into the making of furious prancing +side-steps toward the door of the inn, clanking side- +steps which mowed a wide lane through the crowd for +Marjory, his Marjory. He was as haughty as a new +German lieutenant, and although he held the fuming +horse with only his left hand, he seemed perfectly +capable of hurling the animal over a house without +calling into service the arm which was devoted to +Marjory. + +It was not an exhibition of coolness such as wins +applause on the stage when the hero placidly lights a +cigarette before the mob which is clamouring for his +death. It was, on the contrary, an exhibition of +downright classic disdain, a disdain which with the +highest arrogance declared itself in every glance of his +eye into the faces about him. " Very good * * +attack me if you like * * there is nothing to prevent +it * * you mongrels." Every step of his progress +was made a renewed insult to them. The very air +was charged with what this lone man was thinking +of this threatening crowd. + +His audacity was invincible. They actually made +way for it as quickly as children would flee from a +ghost. The horse, dancing; with ringing steps, with +his glistening neck arched toward the iron hand at his +bit, this powerful, quivering animal was a regular +engine of destruction, and they gave room until Coleman +halted him -at an exclamation from Marjory. + +" My mother and father." But they were coming +close behind and Coleman resumed this contemptuous +journey to the door of the inn. The groom, with his +new-born tongue, was clattering there to the populace. +Coleman gave him the horse and passed after the +Wainwrights into the public room of the inn. He +was smiling. What simpletons! + +A new actor suddenly appeared in the person of the +keeper of the inn. He too had a rifle and a prodigious +belt of cartridges, but it was plain at once that he had +elected to be a friend of the worried travellers. A +large part of the crowd were thinking it necessary to +enter the inn and pow-wow more. But the innkeeper +stayed at the door with the dragoman, and together +they vociferously held back the tide. The spirit of +the mob had subsided to a more reasonable feeling. +They no longer wished to tear the strangers limb from +limb on the suspicion that they were Germans. They +now were frantic to talk as if some inexorable law +had kept them silent for ten years and this was the +very moment of their release. Whereas, their simul- +taneous and interpolating orations had throughout +made noise much like a coal-breaker. +Coleman led the Wainwrights to a table in a far +part of the room. They took chairs as if he had com- +manded them. " What an outrage," he said jubilantly. +" The apes." He was keeping more than half an eye +upon the door, because he knew that the quick coming +of the students was important. + +Then suddenly the storm broke in wrath. Something +had happened in the street. The jabbering crowd at +the door had turned and were hurrying upon some +central tumult. The dragoman screamed to Coleman. +Coleman jumped and grabbed the dragoman. " Tell +this man to take them somewhere up stairs," he cried, +indicating the Wainwrights with a sweep of his arm. +The innkeeper seemed to understand sooner than the +dragoman, and he nodded eagerly. The professor was +crying: "What is it, Mr. Coleman? What is it ? " +An instant later, the correspondent was out in the +street, buffeting toward a scuffle. Of course it was +the students. It appeared, afterward, that those +seven young men, with their feelings much ruffled, +had been making the best of their way toward the +door of the inn, when a large man in the crowd, during +a speech which was surely most offensive, had laid +an arresting hand on the shoulder of Peter Tounley. +Whereupon the excellent Peter Tounley had hit the +large man on the jaw in such a swift and skilful manner +that the large man had gone spinning through a +group of his countrymen to the hard earth, where he +lay holding his face together and howling. Instantly, +of course, there had been a riot. It might well be +said that even then the affair could have ended in a lot +of talking, but in the first place the students did not +talk modern Greek, and in the second place they were +now past all thought of talking. They regarded this +affair seriously as a fight, and now that they at last +were in it, they were in it for every pint of blood in +their bodies. Such a pack of famished wolves had +never before been let loose upon men armed with +Gras rifles. + +They all had been expecting the row, and when +Peter Tounley had found it expedient to knock over +the man, they had counted it a signal: their arms +immediately begun to swing out as if they had been +wound up. It was at this time that Coleman swam +brutally through the Greeks and joined his countrymen. +He was more frightened than any of those novices. +When he saw Peter Tounley overthrow a dreadful +looking brigand whose belt was full of knives, and who +-crashed to the ground amid a clang of cartridges, he +was appalled by the utter simplicity with which the +lads were treating the crisis. It was to them no com- +mon scrimmage at Washurst, of course, but it flashed +through Coleman's mind that they had not the +slightegt sense of the size of the thing. He expected +every instant to see the flash of knives or to hear the +deafening intonation of a rifle fired against hst ear. It +seemed to him miraculous that the tragedy was so long +delayed. + +In the meantirne he was in the affray. He jilted +one man under the chin with his elbow in a way that +reeled him off from Peter Tounley's back; a little person +in thecked clothes he smote between the eyes; he +recieved a gun-butt emphatically on the aide of the +neck; he felt hands tearing at him; he kicked the pins +out from under three men in rapid succession. He +was always yelling. " Try to get to the inn, boys, try +to get to the inn. Look out, Peter. Take care for his +knife, Peter--" Suddenly he whipped a rifle out of +the hands of a man and swung it, whistling. He had +gone stark mad with the others. + +The boy Billy, drunk from some blows and bleeding, +was already. staggering toward the inn over the clearage +which the wild Coleman made with the clubbed +rifle. Tho others follewed as well as they might while +beating off a discouraged enemy. The remarkable +innkeeper had barred his windows with strong wood +shutters. He held the door by the crack for them, and +they stumbled one by on through the portal. Coleman +did not know why they were not all dead, nor did +he understand the intrepid and generous behaviour of +the innkeeper, but at any rate he felt that the +fighting was suspended, and he wanted to see Marjory. +The innkeeper was, doing a great pantomime in the +middle of the darkened room, pointing to the outer +door and then aiming his rifle at it to explain his +intention of defending them at all costs. Some of the +students moved to a billiard table and spread them- +selves wearily upon it. Others sank down where they +stood. Outside the crowd was beginning to roar. +Coleman's groom crept out from under the little +Coffee bar and comically saluted his master. The +dragoman was not present. Coleman felt that he +must see Marjory, and he made signs to the innkeeper. +The latter understood quickly, and motioned that +Coleman should follow him. They passed together +through a dark hall and up a darker stairway, where +after Coleman stepped out into a sun-lit room, saying +loudly: "Oh, it's all right. It's all over. Don't worry." + +Three wild people were instantly upon him. " Oh, +what was it? What did happen? Is anybody hurt? +Oh, tell us, quick!" It seemed at the time that it +was an avalanche of three of them, and it was not +until later that he recognised that Mrs. Wainwright had +tumbled the largest number of questions upon him. +As for Marjory, she had said nothing until the time +when she cried: " Oh-he is bleeding-he is bleeding. +Oh, come, quick!" She fairly dragged him out of +one room into another room, where there was a jug of +water. She wet her handkerchief and softly smote +his wounds. "Bruises," she said, piteously, tearfully. +" Bruises. Oh, dear! How they must hurt you.' +The handkerchief was soon stained crimson. + +When Coleman spoke his voice quavered. " It isn't +anything. Really, it isn't anything." He had not +known of these wonderful wounds, but he almost +choked in the joy of Marjory's ministry and her half +coherent exclamations. This proud and beautiful +girl, this superlative creature, was reddening her +handkerchief with his blood, and no word of his could +have prevented her from thus attending him. He +could hear the professor and Mrs. Wainwright fussing +near him, trying to be of use. He would have liked +to have been able to order them out of the room. +Marjory's cool fingers on his face and neck had conjured +within him a vision at an intimacy tnat was even +sweeter than anything which he had imagined, and he +longed to pour out to her the bubbling, impassioned +speech which came to his lips. But, always doddering +behind him, were the two old people, strenuous to be +of help to him. + +Suddenly a door opened and a youth appeared, +simply red with blood. It was Peter Tounley. His +first remark was cheerful. "Well, I don't suppose +those people will be any too quick to look for more +trouble." + +Coleman felt a swift pang because he had forgotten +to announce the dilapidated state of all the students. +He had been so submerged by Marjory's tenderness +that all else had been drowned from his mind. His +heart beat quickly as he waited for Marjory to leave +him and rush to Peter Tounley. + +But she did nothing of the sort. " Oh, Peter," she +cried in distress, and then she turned back to Coleman. +It was the professor and Mrs. Wainwright who, at last +finding a field for their kindly ambitions, flung them. +selves upon Tounley and carried him off to another +place. Peter was removed, crying: " Oh, now, look + +here, professor, I'm not dying or anything of the sort +Coleman and Marjory were left alone. He suddenly +and forcibly took one of her hands and the blood +stained hankerchief dropped to the floor. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +From below they could hear the thunder of weapons +and fits upon the door of the inn amid a great +clamour of. tongues. Sometimes there arose the +argumtntative howl of the innkeeper. Above this roar, +Coleman's quick words sounded in Marjory's ear. + +" I've got to go. I've got to go back to the boys, but +-I love you." + +" Yes go, go," she whispered hastily. " You should +be there, but-come back." + +He held her close to him. " But you are mine, remember," +he said fiercely and sternly. " You are +mine-forever-As I am yours-remember." +Her eyes half closed. She made intensely solemn +answer. "Yes." He released her and vphs gone. +In the glooming coffee room of the inn he found +the students, the dragoman, the groom and the innkeeper +armed with a motley collection of weapons which +ranged from the rifle of the innkeeper to the table leg +in the hands of PeterTounley. The last named young +student of archeology was in a position of temporary +leadefship and holding a great pow-bow with the +innkeeper through the medium of peircing outcries by +the dragoman. Coleman had not yet undestood why +none of them had been either stabbed or shot in the +fight in the steeet, but it seemed to him now that +affairs were leading toward a crisis of tragedy. He +thought of the possibilities of having the dragoman go +to an upper window and harangue the people, but he +saw no chance of success in such a plan. He saw that +the crowd would merely howl at the dragoman while +the dragoman howled at the crowd. He then asked +if there was any other exit from the inn by which +they could secretly escape. He learned that the door +into the coffee room was the only door which pierced +the four great walls. All he could then do was to +find out from the innkeeper how much of a siege the +place could stand, and to this the innkeeper answered +volubly and with smiles that this hostelry would easily +endure until the mercurial temper of the crowd had +darted off in a new direction. It may be curious to +note here that all of Peter Tounley's impassioned +communication with the innkeeper had been devoted +to an endeavour to learn what in the devil was the +matter with these people, as a man about to be bitten +by poisonous snakes should, first of all, furiously +insist upon learning their exact species before deciding +upon either his route, if he intended to run away, or +his weapon if he intended to fight them. + +The innkeeper was evidently convinced that this +house would withstand the rage of the populace, and +he was such an unaccountably gallant little chap that +Coleman trusted entirely to his word. His only fear +or suspicion was an occasional one as to the purity of +the dragoman's translation. + +Suddenly there was half a silence on the mob without +the door. It is inconceivable that it could become +altogether silent, but it was as near to a rational +stillness of tongues as it was able. Then there was a +loud knocking by a single fist and a new voice began +to spin Greek, a voice that was somewhat like the +rattle of pebbles in a tin box. Then a startling voice +called out in English. " Are you in there, Rufus? " + +Answers came from every English speaking person +in the room in one great outburst. "Yes." + +" Well, let us in," called Nora Black. " It is all +right. We've got an officer with us." + +" Open the door," said Coleman with speed. The +little innkeeper labouriously unfastened the great bars, +and when the door finally opened there appeared on +the threshold Nora Black with Coke and an officer of +infantry, Nora's little old companion, and Nora's +dragoman. + +" We saw your carriage in the street," cried the +queen of comic opera as she swept into the room. +She was beaming with delight. " What is all the row, +anyway? O-o-oh, look at that student's nose. Who +hit him? And look at Rufus. What have you boys +been doing?" + +Her little Greek officer of infantry had stopped the +mob from flowing into the room. Coleman looked +toward the door at times with some anxiety. Nora, +noting it, waved her hand in careless reassurance; +" Oh, it's, all right. Don't worry about them any +more. He is perfectly devoted to me. He would +die there on the threshold if I told him it would +please me. Speaks splendid French. I found him +limping along the road and gave him a lift. And now +do hurry up and tell me exactly what happened." +They all told what had happened, while Nora and +Coke listened agape. Coke, by the way, had quite +floated back to his old position with the students. It +had been easy in the stress of excitement and wonder. +Nobody had any titne to think of the excessively remote +incidents of the early morning. All minor interests +were lost in the marvel of the present situation. + +"Who landed you in the eye, Billie?" asked the +awed Coke. " That was a bad one." +" Oh, I don't know," said Billie. " You really +couldn't tell who hit you, you know. It was a football +rush. They had guns and knives, but they didn't use +'em. I don't know why Jinks! I'm getting pretty +stiff. My face feels as if it were made of tin. Did +they give you people a row, too ? " + +" No; only talk. That little officer managed them. +Out-talked them, I suppose. Hear him buzz, now." +The Wainwrights came down stairs. Nora Black +went confidently forward to meet them. "You've +added one more to your list of rescuers," She cried, +with her glowing, triumphant smile. "Miss Black of +the New York Daylight-at your service. How in +the world do you manage to get yourselves into such +dreadful Scrapes? You are the most remarkable people. +You need a guardian. Why, you might have all +been killed. How exciting it must seem to be regularly +of your party." She had shaken cordiaily one of +Mrs. Wainwright's hands without that lady indicating +assent to the proceeding but Mrs. Wainwright had +not felt repulsion. In fact she had had no emotion +springing directly from it. Here again the marvel of +the situation came to deny Mrs. Wainwright the right +to resume a state of mind which had been so painfully +interesting to her a few hours earlier. + +The professor, Coleman and all the students were +talking together. Coke had addressed Coleman civilly +and Coleman had made a civil reply. Peace was upon +them. + +Nora slipped her arm lovingly through Marjbry's +arm. "That Rufus! Oh, that Rufus," she cried joyously. +" I'll give him a good scolding as soon as I +see him alone. I might have foreseen that he would +get you all into trouble. The old stupid ! " + +Marjory did not appear to resent anything. " Oh, I +don't think it was Mr. Coleman's fault at ail," she an- +swered calmly. "I think it was more the fault of +Peter Tounley, poor boy." + +" Well, I'd be glad to believe it, I'd be glad to believe it," +said Nora. "I want Rufus to keep out of +that sort of thing, but he is so hot-headed and foolish." +If she had pointed out her proprietary stamp on Coleman's +cheek she could not have conveyed what she +wanted with more clearness. + +" Oh," said the impassive Marjory, " I don't think +you need have any doubt as to whose fault it was, if +there were any of our boys at fault. Mr. Coleman +was inside when the fighting commenced, and only ran +out to help the boys. He had just brought us safely +through the mob, and, far from being hot-headed and +foolish, he was utterly cool in manner, impressively +cool, I thought. I am glad to be able to reassure you +on these points, for I see that they worry you." + +".Yes, they do worry me," said Nora, densely. +They worry me night and day when he is away from +me." + +" Oh," responded Marjory, " I have never thought +of Mr. Coleman as a man that one would worry about +much. We consider him very self-reliant, able to take +care of himself under almost any conditions, but then, +of course, we do not know him at all in the way that +you know him. I should think that you would find +that he came off rather better than you expected from +most of his difficulties. But then, of course, as. I said, +you know him so much better than we do." Her +easy indifference was a tacit dismissal of Coleman as +a topic. + +Nora, now thoroughly alert, glanced keenly into the +other girl's face, but it was inscrutable. The actress +had intended to go careering through a whole circle +of daring illusions to an intimacy with,Coleman, but +here, before she had really developed her attack, +Marjory, with a few conventional and indifferent +sentences, almost expressive of boredom, had made +the subject of Coleman impossible. An effect was left +upon Nora's mind that Marjory had been extremely +polite in listening to much nervous talk about a person +in whom she had no interest. + +The actress was dazed. She did not know how it +had all been done. Where was the head of this thing? +And where Was the tail? A fog had mysteriously +come upon all her brilliant prospects of seeing Marjory +Wainwright suffer, and this fog was the product of +a kind of magic with which she was not familiar. +She could not think how to fight it. After being +simply dubious throughout a long pause, she in the +end went into a great rage. She glared furiously at +Marjory, dropped her arm as if it had burned her and +moved down upon Coleman. She must have reflected +that at any rate she could make him wriggle. When +she was come near to him, she called out: "Rufus!" +In her tone was all the old insolent statement of +ownership. Coleman might have been a poodle. She +knew how to call his same in a way that was anything +less than a public scandal. On this occasion everybody +looked at him and then went silent, as people +awaiting the startling denouement of a drama. +" Rufus! " She was baring his shoulder to show the +fieur-de-lis of the criminal. The students gaped. + +Coleman's temper was, if one may be allowed to +speak in that way, broken loose inside of him. He +could hardly beeathe; he felt that his body was about +to explode into a thousand fragments. He simply +snarled out " What? " Almost at once he saw that +she had at last goaded him into making a serious +tactical mistake. It must be admitted that it is only +when the relations between a man and a woman are +the relations of wedlock, or at least an intimate +resemblance to it, that the man snarls out " What? " to +the woman. Mere lovers say " I beg your pardon ? " +It is only Cupid's finished product that spits like a +cat. Nora Black had called him like a wife, and he +had answered like a husband. For his cause, his +manner could not possibly have been worse. He saw +the professor stare at him in surprise and alarm, and +felt the excitement of the eight students. These +latter were diabolic in the celerity with which they +picked out meanings. It was as plain to them as if +Nora Black had said: " He is my property." + +Coleman would have given his nose to have been +able to recall that single reverberating word. But he +saw that the scene was spelling downfall for him, and +he went still more blind and desperate of it. His +despair made him burn to make matters Worse. He +did not want to improve anything at all. " What?" +he demanded. " What do ye' want?" + +Nora was sweetly reproachful. " I left my jacket +in the carriage, and I want you to get it for me." + +" Well, get it for yourself, do you see? Get it for +yourself." + +Now it is plainly to be seen that no one of the +people listening there had ever heard a man speak +thus to a woman who was not his wife. Whenever +they had heard that form of spirited repartee it had +come from the lips of a husband. Coleman's rude +speech was to their ears a flat announcement of an +extraordinary intimacy between Nora Black and the +correspondent. Any other interpretation would not +have occurred to them. It was so palpable that it +greatly distressed them with its arrogance and +boldness. The professor had blushed. The very +milkiest word in his mind at the time was the word +vulgarity. + +Nora Black had won a great battle. It was her +Agincourt. She had beaten the clever Coleman in a +way that had left little of him but rags. However, +she could have lost it all again if she had shown her +feeling of elation. At Coleman's rudeness her manner +indicated a mixture of sadness and embarrassment. +Her suffering was so plain to the eye that Peter +Tounley was instantly moved. " Can't I get your +jacket for you, Miss Black? " he asked hastily, and at +her grateful nod he was off at once. + +Coleman was resolved to improve nothing. His +overthrow seemed to him to be so complete that he +could not in any way mend it without a sacrifice of his +dearest prides. He turned away from them all and +walked to an isolated corner of the room. He would +abide no longer with them. He had been made an +outcast by Nora Black, and he intended to be an +outcast. Therc was no sense in attempting to stem this +extraordinary deluge. It was better to acquiesce. +Then suddenly he was angry with Marjory. He +did not exactly see why he was angry at Marjory, +but he was angry at her nevertheless. He thought +of how he could revenge himself upon her. He +decided to take horse with his groom and dragoman and +proceed forthwith on the road, leaving the jumble as +it stood. This would pain Marjory, anyhow, he +hoped. She would feel it deeply, he hoped. +Acting upon this plan, he went to the professor. +Well, of course you are all right now, professor, and +if you don't mind, I would like to leave you-go on +ahead. I've got a considerable pressure of business +on my mind, and I think I should hurry on to Athens, +if you don't mind." + +The professor did not seem to know what to say. +" Of course, if you wish it-sorry, I'm sure-of course +it is as you please-but you have been such a power +in our favour-it seems too bad to lose you-but-if +you wish it-if you insist-" + +" Oh, yes, I quite insist," said Coleman, calmly. "I +quite insist. Make your mind easy on that score, +professor. I insist." + +"Well, Mr. Coleman," stammered the old man. +" Well, it seems a great pity to lose you-you have +been such a power in our favour-" + +"Oh, you are now only eight hours from the rail- +way. It is very easy. You would not need my as- +sistance, even if it were a benefit! + +" But-" said the professor. + +Coleman's dragoman came to him then and said: +"There is one man here who says you made to take +one rifle in the fight and was break his head. He +was say he wants sunthing for you was break his +head. He says hurt." + +"How much does he want?" asked Coleman, im- +patiently. + +The dragoman wrestled then evidently with a desire +to protect this mine from outside fingers. "I-I think +two gold piece plenty." +"Take them," said Coleman. It seemed to him +preposterous that this idiot with a broken head +should interpolate upon his tragedy. " Afterward +you and the groom get the three horses and we will +start for Athens at once." + +"For Athens? At once? " said Marjory's voice +in his ear. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +"Om," said Coleman, " I was thinking of starting." + +"Why? " asked Marjory, unconcernedly. + +Coleman shot her a quick glance. " I believe my +period of usefulness is quite ended," he said. with just +a small betrayal of bitter feeling. + +" It is certainly true that you have had a remark- +able period of usefulness to us," said Marjory with a +slow smile, "but if it is ended, you should not run +away from us." + +Coleman looked at her to see what she could mean. +From many women, these words would have been +equal, under the circumstances, to a command to stay, +but he felt that none might know what impulses +moved the mind behind that beautiful mask. In his +misery he thought to hurt her into an expression of +feeling by a rough speech. " I'm so in love with Nora +Black, you know, that I have to be very careful of +myself." + +" Oh," said Marjory, never thought of that. I +should think you would have to be careful of yourself." +She did not seem moved in any way. Coleman +despaired of finding her weak spot. She was a'damantine, +this girl. He searched his mind for something +to say which would be still more gross than his last +outbreak, but when he felt that he was about to hit +upon it, the professor interrupted with an agitated +speech to Marjory. "You had better go to your +mother, my child, and see that you are all ready to +leave here as soon as the carriages come up." + +"We have absolutely nothing to make ready," said +Marjory, laughing. " But I'll go and see if mother +needs anything before we start that I can get for her." +She went away without bidding good-bye to Coleman. +The sole maddening impression to him was that the +matter of his going had not been of sufficient importance +to remain longer than a moment upon her mind. +At the same time he decided that he would go, irretrievably go. + +Even then the dragoman entered the room. " We +will pack everything -upon the horse?" + +" Everything-yes." + +Peter Tounley came afterward. " You are not going to bolt ? " + +" Yes, I'm off," answered Coleman recovering him- +self for Peter's benefit. " See you in Athens, probably." + +Presently the dragoman announced the readiness of +the horses. Coleman shook hands with the students +and the Professor amid cries of surprise and polite +regret. "What? Going, oldman? Really? What +for ? Oh, wait for us. We're off in a few minutes. +Sorry as the devil, old boy, to' see you go." He +accepted their protestations with a somewhat sour +face. He knew perfectly well that they were thinking +of his departure as something that related to Nora +Black. At the last, he bowed to the ladies as a +collection. Marjory's answering bow was affable; the +bow of Mrs. Wainwright spoke a resentment for some- +thing; and Nora's bow was triumphant mockery. As +he swung into the saddle an idea struck him with over +whelming force. The idea was that he was a fool. +He was a colossal imbecile. He touched the spur to +his horse and the animal leaped superbly, making the +Greeks hasten for safety in all directions. He was off ; +he could no more return to retract his devious idiocy +than he could make his horse fly to Athens. What +was done was done. He could not mend it. And he +felt like a man that had broken his own heart; +perversely, childishly, stupidly broken his own heart. +He was sure that Marjory was lost to him. No +man could be degraded so publicly and resent it so +crudely and still retain a Marjory. In his abasement +from his defeat at the hands of Nora Black he had +performed every imaginable block-headish act and had +finally climaxed it all by a departure which left the +tongue of Nora to speak unmolested into the ear of +Marjory. Nora's victory had been a serious blow to +his fortunes, but it had not been so serious as his own +subsequent folly. He had generously muddled his +own affairs until he could read nothing out of them +but despair. + +He was in the mood for hatred. He hated many +people. Nora Black was the principal item, but he +did not hesitate to detest the professor, Mrs. Wain- +wright, Coke and all the students. As for Marjory, +he would revenge himself upon her. She had done +nothing that he defined clearly but, at any rate, he +would take revenge for it. As much as was possible, +he would make her suffer. He would convince her +that he was a tremendous and inexorable person. +But it came upon his mind that he was powerless in +all ways. If he hated many people they probably +would not be even interested in his emotion and, as +for his revenge upon Marjory, it was beyond his +strength. He was nothing but the complaining victim +of Nora Black and himself. + +He felt that he would never again see Marjory, and +while feeling it he began to plan his attitude when +next they met. He would be very cold and reserved. +At Agrinion he found that there would be no train +until the next daybreak. The dragoman was excessively +annoyed over it, but Coleman did not scold at +all. As a matter of fact his heart had given a great +joyus bound. He could not now prevent his being +overtaken. They were only a few leagues away, and +while he was waiting for the train they would easily +cover the distance. If anybody expressed surprise at +seeing him he could exhibit the logical reasons. +If there had been a train starting at once he would +have taken it. His pride would have put up with no +subterfuge. If the Wainwrights overtook him it was +because he could not help it. But he was delighted +that he could not help it. There had been an inter- +position by some specially beneficent fate. He felt +like whistling. He spent the early half of the night +in blissful smoke, striding the room which the dragoman +had found for him. His head was full of plans +and detached impressive scenes in which he figured +before Marjory. The simple fact that there was no +train away from Agrinion until the next daybreak had +wrought a stupendous change in his outlook. He +unhesitatingly considered it an omen of a good future. +He was up before the darkness even contained presage +of coming light, but near the railway station was +a little hut where coffee was being served to several +prospective travellers who had come even earlier to +the rendezvous. There was no evidence of the Wainwrights. + +Coleman sat in the hut and listened for the rumble +of wheels. He was suddenly appalled that the Wainwrights +were going to miss the train. Perhaps they +had decided against travelling during the night. Perbaps +this thing, and perhaps that thing. The morning +was very cold. Closely muffled in his cloak, he went +to the door and stared at where the road was whiten- +ing out of night. At the station stood a little spectral +train, and the engine at intervals emitted a long, piercing +scream which informed the echoing land that, in +all probability, it was going to start after a time for +the south. The Greeks in the coffee room were, of +course, talking. + +At last Coleman did hear the sound of hoofs and +wheels. The three carriages swept up in grand procession. +The first was laden with students ; in the +second was the professor, the Greek officer, Nora +Black's old lady and other persons, all looking marvellously +unimportant and shelved. It was the third +carriage at which Coleman stared. At first be +thought the dim light deceived his vision, but in a +moment he knew that his first leaping conception of +the arrangement of the people in this vehicle had +been perfectly correct. Nora Black and Mrs. Wainwright +sat side by side on the back seat, while facing +them were Coke and Marjory. + +They looked cold but intimate. + +The oddity of the grouping stupefied Coleman. It +was anarchy, naked and unashamed. He could not +imagine how such changes could have been consummated +in the short time he had been away from them, +but he laid it all to some startling necromancy on the +part of Nora Black, some wondrous play which had +captured them all because of its surpassing skill and +because they were, in the main, rather gullible people. +He was wrong. The magic had been wrought +by the unaided foolishness of Mrs. Wainwfight. As +soon as Nora Black had succeeded in creating an +effect of intimacy and dependence between herself +and Coleman, the professor had flatly stated to his +wife that the presence of Nora Black in the party, in +the inn, in the world, was a thiag that did not meet +his approval in any way. She should be abolished. +As for Coleman, he would not defend him. He preferred +not to talk to him. It made him sad. Coleman at +least had been very indiscreet, very indiscreet. +It was a great pity. But as for this blatant woman, +the sooner they rid themselves of her, the sooner he +would feel that all the world was not evil. + +Whereupon Mrs. Wainwright had changed front +with the speed of light and attacked with horse, foot +and guns. She failed to see, she had declared, where +this poor, lone girt was in great fault. Of course it +was probable that she had listened to this snaky. +tongued Rufus Coleman, but that was ever the mistake +that women made. Oh, certainly ; the professor +would like to let Rufus Coleman off scot-free. That +was the way with men. They defended each other in +all cases. If wrong were done it was the woman who +suffered. Now, since this poor girl was alone far off +here in Greece, Mrs. Wainwright announced that she +had such full sense of her duty to her sex that her +conscience would not allow her to scorn and desert a +sister, even if that sister was, approximately, the victim +of a creature like Rufus Coleman. Perhaps the +poor thing loved this wretched man, although it was +hard to imagine any woman giving her heart to such. +a monster. + +The professor had then asked with considerable +spirit for the proofs upon which Mrs. Wainwright +named Coleman a monster, and had made a wry face +over her completely conventional reply. He had told +her categorically his opinion of her erudition in such +matters. + +But Mrs. Wainwright was not to be deterred from +an exciting espousal of the cause of her sex. Upon +the instant that the professor strenuously opposed her +she becamean apostle, an enlightened, uplifted apostle +to the world on the wrongs of her sex. She had +come down with this thing as if it were a disease. +Nothing could stop her. Her husband, her daughter, +all influences in other directions, had been overturned +with a roar, and the first thing fully clear to the professor's +mind had been that his wife was riding affably +in the carriage with Nora Black. +Coleman aroused when he heard one of the students +cry out: " Why, there is Rufus Coleman's dragoman. +He must be here." A moment later they thronged +upon him. " Hi, old man, caught you again! Where +did you break to? Glad to catch you, old boy. How +are you making it? Where's your horse?" + +" Sent the horses on to, Athens," said Coleman. +He had not yet recovered his composure, and he was +glad to find available this commonplace return to their +exuberant greetings and questions. " Sent them on to +Athens with the groom." + +In the mean time the engine of the little train was +screaming to heaven that its intention of starting was +most serious. The diligencia careered to the station +platform and unburdened. Coleman had had his +dragoman place his luggage in a little first-class carriage +and he defiantly entered it and closed the door. +He had a sudden return to the old sense of downfall, +and with it came the original rebellious desires. However, +he hoped that somebody would intrude upon +him. +It was Peter Tounley. The student flung open the +door and then yelled to the distance : " Here's an +empty one." He clattered into the compartment. +" Hello, Coleman! Didn't know you were in here! " +At his heels came Nora Black, Coke and Marjory. +" Oh! " they said, when they saw the occupant of the +carriage. " Oh ! " Coleman was furious. He could +have distributed some of his traps in a way to create +more room, but he did not move. + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THERE was a demonstration of the unequalled facilities +of a European railway carriage for rendering +unpleasant things almost intolerable. These people +could find no way to alleviate the poignancy of their +position. Coleman did not know where to look. +Every personal mannerism becomes accentuated in a +European railway carriage. If you glance at a man, +your glance defines itself as a stare. If you carefully +look at nothing, you create for yourself a resemblance +to all wooden-headed things. A newspaper is, then, in +the nature of a preservative, and Coleman longed for +a newspaper. + +It was this abominable railway carriage which +exacted the first display of agitation from Marjory. +She flushed rosily, and her eyes wavered over the +cornpartment. Nora Black laughed in a way that +was a shock to the nerves. Coke seemed very angry, +indeed, and Peter Tounley was in pitiful distress. +Everything was acutely, painfully vivid, bald, painted +as glaringly as a grocer's new wagon. It fulfilled +those traditions which the artists deplore when they +use their pet phrase on a picture, "It hurts." The +damnable power of accentuation of the European +railway carriage seemed, to Coleman's amazed mind, +to be redoubled and redoubled. + +It was Peter Tounley who seemed to be in the greatest +agony. He looked at the correspondent beseechingly +and said: "It's a very cold morning, Coleman." +This was an actual appeal in the name of humanity. + +Coleman came squarely. to the front and even +grinned a little at poor Peter Tounley's misery. +"Yes, it is a cold morning, Peter. I should say it to +one of the coldest mornings in my recollection." + +Peter Tounley had not intended a typical American +emphasis on the polar conditions which obtained +in the compartment at this time, but Coleman had +given the word this meaning. Spontaneously every +body smiled, and at once the tension was relieved. +But of course the satanic powers of the railway carriage +could not be altogether set at naught. Of course +it fell to the lot of Coke to get the seat directly in +front of Coleman, and thus, face to face, they were +doomed to stare at each other. + +Peter Tounley was inspired to begin conventional +babble, in which he took great care to make an appear. +ance of talking to all in the carriage. " Funny thing +I never knew these mornings in Greece were so cold. +I thought the climate here was quite tropical. It +must have been inconvenient in the ancient times, +when, I am told, people didn't wear near so many- +er-clothes. Really, I don't see how they stood it. +For my part, I would like nothing so much as a buffalo +robe. I suppose when those great sculptors were doing +their masterpieces, they had to wear gloves. +Ever think of that? Funny, isn't it? Aren't you +cold, Marjory ? I am. jingo! Imagine the Spartans +in ulsters, going out to meet an enemy in cape-overcoats, +and being desired by their mothers to return +with their ulsters or wrapped in them." + +It was rather hard work for Peter Tounley. Both +Marjory and Coleman tried to display an interest in +his labours, and they laughed not at what he said, but +because they believed it assisted him. The little train, +meanwhile, wandered up a great green slope, and the +day rapidly coloured the land. + +At first Nora Black did not display a militant mood, +but as time passed Coleman saw clearly that she was +considering the advisability of a new attack. She had +Coleman and Marjory in conjunction and where they +were unable to escape from her. The opportunities +were great. To Coleman, she seemed to be gloating +over the possibilities of making more mischief. She +was looking at him speculatively, as if considering the +best place to hit him first. Presently she drawled : +" Rufus, I wish you would fix my rug about me a little +better." Coleman saw that this was a beginning. +Peter Tounley sprang to his feet with speed and en- +thusiasm. " Oh, let me do it for you." He had her +well muffled in the rug before she could protest, even +if a protest had been rational. The young man had +no idea of defending Coleman. He had no knowledge +of the necessity for it. It had been merely the exercise +of his habit of amiability, his chronic desire to +see everybody comfortable. His passion in this direction +was well known in Washurst, where the students +had borrowed a phrase from the photographers in order +to describe him fully in a nickname. They called +him " Look-pleasant Tounley." This did not in any +way antagonise his perfect willingness to fight on +occasions with a singular desperation, which usually +has a small stool in every mind where good nature has +a throne. + +" Oh, thank you very much, Mr. Tounley," said +Nora Black, without gratitude. " Rufus is always so +lax in these matters." + +"I don't know how you know it," said Coleman +boldly, and he looked her fearlessly in the eye. The +battle had begun. + +" Oh," responded Nora, airily, " I have had opportunity +enough to know it, I should think, by this +time." + +" No," said Coleman, " since I have never paid you +particular and direct attention, you cannot possibly +know what I am lax in and what I am not lax in. I +would be obliged to be of service at any time, Nora, +but surely you do not consider that you have a right +to my services superior to any other right." + +Nora Black simply went mad, but fortunately part +of her madness was in the form of speechlessness. +Otherwise there might have been heard something +approaching to billingsgate. + +Marjory and Peter Tounley turned first hot and then +cold, and looked as if they wanted to fly away; and +even Coke, penned helplessly in with this unpleasant +incident, seemed to have a sudden attack of distress. +The only frigid person was Coleman. He had made +his declaration of independence, and he saw with glee +that the victory was complete. Nora Black might +storm and rage, but he had announced his position in +an unconventional blunt way which nobody in the +carriage could fail to understand. He felt somewhat +like smiling with confidence and defiance in Nora's +face, but he still had the fear for Marjory. + +Unexpectedly, the fight was all out of Nora Black. +She had the fury of a woman scorned, but evidently +she had perceived that all was over and lost. The +remainder of her wrath dispensed itself in glares which +Coleman withstood with great composure. + +A strained silence fell upon the group which lasted +until they arrived at the little port of Mesalonghi, +whence they were to take ship for Patras. Coleman +found himself wondering why he had not gone flatly +at the great question at a much earlier period, indeed +at the first moment when the great question began to +make life exciting for him. He thought that if he +had charged Nora's guns in the beginning they would +have turned out to be the same incapable artillery. +Instead of that he had run away and continued to run +away until he was actually cornered and made to fight, +and his easy victory had defined him as a person +who had, earlier, indulged in much stupidity and +cowardice. +Everything had worked out so simply, his terrors +had been dispelled so easily, that he probably was led +to overestimate his success. And it occurred suddenly +to him. He foresaw a fine occasion to talk privately +to Marjory when all had boarded the steamer for +Patras and he resolved to make use of it. This he +believed would end the strife and conclusively laurel +him. + +The train finally drew up on a little stone pier and +some boatmen began to scream like gulls. The +steamer lay at anchor in the placid blue cove. The +embarkation was chaotic in the Oriental fashion and +there was the customary misery which was only relieved +when the travellers had set foot on the deck of +the steamer. Coleman did not devote any premature +attention to finding Marjory, but when the steamer +was fairly out on the calm waters of the Gulf of Corinth, +he saw her pacing to and fro with Peter Tounley. +At first he lurked in the distance waiting for an opportunity, +but ultimately he decided to make his own +opportunity. He approached them. "Marjory,would +you let me speak to you alone for a few moments? +You won't mind, will you, Peter? " + +" Oh, no, certainly not," said Peter Tounley. + +"Of course. It is not some dreadful revelation, is +it? " said Marjory, bantering him coolly. + +" No," answered Coleman, abstractedly. He was +thinking of what he was going to say. Peter Tounley +vanished around the corner of a deck-house and Marjory +and Coleman began to pace to and fro even as +Marjory and Peter Tounley had done. Coleman had +thought to speak his mind frankly and once for all, and +on the train he had invented many clear expressions +of his feeling. It did not appear that he had forgotten +them. It seemed, more, that they had become entangled +in his mind in such a way that he could not +unravel the end of his discourse. + +In the pause, Marjory began to speak in admiration +of the scenery. " I never imagined that Greece was so +full of mountains. One reads so much of the Attic +Plains, but aren't these mountains royal? They look +so rugged and cold, whereas the bay is absolutely as +blue as the old descriptions of a summer sea." + +" I wanted to speak to you about Nora Black," said +Coleman. + +"Nora Black? Why?" said Marjory, lifting her eye- +brows. + +You know well enough," said Coleman, in a head. +long fashion. " You must know, you must have seen +it. She knows I care for you and she wants to stop it. +And she has no right to-to interfere. She is a fiend, +a perfect fiend. She is trying to make you feel that I +care for her." + +" And don't you care for her ? " asked Marjory. + +"No," said Coleman, vehemently. " I don't care +for her at all." + +" Very well," answered Marjory, simply. " I believe +you." She managed to give the words the effect of a +mere announcement that she believed him and it was +in no way plain that she was glad or that she esteemed +the matter as being of consequence. + +He scowled at her in dark resentment. " You mean +by that, I suppose, that you don't believe me ? " + +" Oh," answered Marjory, wearily, " I believe you. +I said so. Don't talk about it any more." + +"Then," said Coleman, slowly, " you mean that you +do not care whether I'm telling the truth or not?" + +" Why, of course I care," she said. " Lying is not +nice." + +He did not know, apparently, exactly how to deal +with her manner, which was actually so pliable that-it +was marble, if one may speak in that way. He looked +ruefully at the sea. He had expected a far easier +time. " Well-" he began. + +" Really," interrupted Marjory, " this is something +which I do not care to discuss. I would rather you +would not speak to me at all about it. It seems too +-too-bad. I can readily give you my word that I +believe you, but I would prefer you not to try to talk +to me about it or-anything of that sort. Mother!" + +Mrs. Wainwright was hovering anxiously in the +vicinity, and she now bore down rapidly upon the +pair. "You are very nearly to Patras," she said +reproachfully to her daughter, as if the fact had some +fault of Marjory's concealed in it. She in no way ac- +knowledged the presence of Coleman. + +" Oh, are we ? " cried Marjory. + +"Yes," said Mrs. Wainwright. " We are." + +She stood waiting as if she expected Marjory to in- +stantly quit Coleman. The girl wavered a moment +and then followed her mother. " Good-bye." she said. +"I hope we may see you again in Athens." It was a +command to him to travel alone with his servant on +the long railway journey from Patras to Athens. It +was a dismissal of a casual acquaintance given so +graciously that it stung him to the depths of his pride. +He bowed his adieu and his thanks. When the yelling +boatmen came again, he and his man proceeded +to the shore in an early boat without looking in any +way after the welfare of the others. + +At the train, the party split into three sections. +Coleman and his man had one compartment, Nora +Black and her squad had another, and the Wainwrights +and students occupied two more. + +The little officer was still in tow of Nora Black. +He was very enthusiastic. In French she directed +him to remain silent, but he did not appear to understand. +" You tell him," she then said to her dragoman, +" to sit in a corner and not to speak until I tell +him to, or I won't have him in here." She seemed +anxious to unburden herself to the old lady companion. +" Do you know," she said, " that girl has a +nerve like steel. I tried to break it there in that inn, +but I couldn't budge her. If I am going to have her +beaten I must prove myself to be a very, very artful +person." + +" Why did you try to break her nerve ? " asked the +old lady, yawning. "Why do you want to have her +beaten ? " + +" Because I do, old stupid," answered Nora. " You +should have heard the things I said to her." + +"About what?" + +" About Coleman. Can't you understand anything +at all?" + +" And why should you say anything about Coleman +to her?" queried the old lady, still hopelessly befogged. + +" Because," cried Nora, darting a look of wrath at +her companion, " I want to prevent that marriage." +She had been betrayed into this avowal by the singularly +opaque mind of the old lady. The latter at once +sat erect. - " Oh, ho," she said, as if a ray of light had +been let into her head. " Oh, ho. So that's it, is it ? " + +"Yes, that's it, rejoined Nora, shortly. + +The old lady was amazed into a long period of +meditation. At last she spoke depressingly. " Well, +how are you going to prevent it? Those things can't +be done in these days at all. If they care for each +other-" + +Nora burst out furiously. "Don't venture opinions +until you know what you are talking about, please. +They don't care for each other, do you see? She +cares for him, but he don't give a snap of his fingers +for her." + +" But," cried the bewildered lady, " if he don't care +for her, there will be nothing to prevent. If he don't +care for her, he won't ask her to marry him, and so +there won't be anything to prevent." + +Nora made a broad gesture of impatience. " Oh, +can't you get anything through your head ? Haven't +you seen that the girl has been the only young +woman in that whole party lost up there in the mountains, +and that naturally more than half of the men +still think they are in love with her? That's what it +is. Can't you see ? It always happens that way. +Then Coleman comes along and makes a fool of himself +with the others." + +The old lady spoke up brightly as if at last feeling +able to contribute something intelligent to the talk. +" Oh, then, he does care for her." + +Nora's eyes looked as if their glance might shrivel +the old lady's hair. "Don't I keep telling you that +it is no such thing ? Can't you understand? It is +all glamour! Fascination! Way up there in the +wilderness! Only one even passable woman in sight." + +" I don't say that I am so very keen," said the old +lady, somewhat offended, "but I fail to see where I +could improve when first you tell me he don't care +for her, and then you tell me that he does care for +her." + +" Glamour,' ' Fascination,'" quoted Nora. " Don't +you understand the meaning of the words ? " + +" Well," asked the other, didn't he know her, then, +before he came over here ?" + +Nora was silent for a time, while a gloom upon her +face deepened. It had struck her that the theories +for which she protested so energetically might not be +of such great value. Spoken aloud, they had a sudden +new flimsiness. Perhaps she had reiterated to herself +that Coleman was the victim of glamour only because +she wished it to be true. One theory, however, re- +mained unshaken. Marjory was an artful rninx, with +no truth in her. + +She presently felt the necessity of replying to the +question of her companion. " Oh," she said, care- +lessly, " I suppose they were acquainted-in a way." + +The old lady was giving the best of her mind to +the subject. " If that's the case-" she observed, +musingly, " if that's the case, you can't tell what is +between 'em." + +The talk had so slackened that Nora's unfortunate +Greek admirer felt that here was a good opportunity +to present himself again to the notice of the actress. +The means was a smile and a French sentence, but +his reception would have frightened a man in armour. +His face blanched with horror at the storm, he had +invoked, and he dropped limply back as if some one +had shot him. "You tell this little snipe to let me +alone! " cried Nora, to the dragoman. " If he dares +to come around me with any more of those Parisian +dude speeches, I-I don't know what I'll do! I +won't have it, I say." The impression upon the +dragoman was hardly less in effect. He looked with +bulging eyes at Nora, and then began to stammer at +the officer. The latter's voice could sometimes be +heard in awed whispers for the more elaborate explanation +of some detail of the tragedy. Afterward, he +remained meek and silent in his corner, barely more +than a shadow, like the proverbial husband of imperious +beauty. + +"Well," said the old lady, after a long and thoughtful +pause, " I don't know, I'm sure, but it seems to me +that if Rufus Coleman really cares for that girl, there +isn't much use in trying to stop him from getting her. +He isn't that kind of a man." + +" For heaven's sake, will you stop assuming that he +does care for her ? " demanded Nora, breathlessly. + +"And I don't see," continued the old lady, "what +you want to prevent him for, anyhow." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +" I FEEL in this radiant atmosphere that there could +be no such thing as war-men striving together in +black and passionate hatred." The professor's words +were for the benefit of his wife and daughter. ,He +was viewing the sky-blue waters of the Gulf of Corinth +with its background of mountains that in the sunshine +were touched here and there with a copperish glare. +The train was slowly sweeping along the southern +shore. " It is strange to think of those men fighting +up there in the north. And it is strange to think +that we ourselves are but just returning from it." + +" I cannot begin to realise it yet," said Mrs. Wain- +wright, in a high voice. + +" Quite so," responded the professor, reflectively. + +"I do not suppose any of us will realise it fully +for some time. It is altogether too odd, too very +odd." + +"To think of it!" cried Mrs. WainWright. "To +think of it! Supposing those dreadful Albanians or +those awful men from the Greek mountains had +caught us! Why, years from now I'll wake up in the +night and think of it! " + +The professor mused. " Strange that we cannot +feel it strongly now. My logic tells me to be aghast +that we ever got into such a place, but my nerves at +present refuse to thrill. I am very much afraid that +this singular apathy of ours has led us to be unjust to +poor Coleman." +Here Mrs. Wainwright objected. " Poor Coleman! +I don't see why you call him poor Coleman. + +" Well," answered the professor, slowly, " I am in +doubt about our behaviour. It-" + +" Oh," cried the wife, gleefully," in doubt about +our behaviour! I'm in doubt about his behaviour." + +" So, then, you do have a doubt. of his behaviour?" +" Oh, no," responded Mrs. Wainwright, hastily, +" not about its badness. What I meant to say was +that in the face of his outrageous conduct with that- +that woman, it is curious that you should worry +about our behaviour. It surprises me, Harrison." + +The professor was wagging his head sadly. " I +don't know I don't know It seems hard to +judge * * I hesitate to-" + +Mrs. Wainwright treated this attitude with disdain. +" It is not hard to judge," she scoffed, " and I fail to +see why you have any reason for hesitation at all. +Here he brings this woman-- " + +The professor got angry. "Nonsense! Nonsense! +I do not believe that he brought her. If I ever saw a +spectacle of a woman bringing herself, it was then. +You keep chanting that thing like an outright +parrot." + +"Well," retorted Mrs. Wainwright, bridling, "I +suppose you imagine that you understand such +things, Men usually think that, but I want to tell +you that you seem to me utterly blind." + +" Blind or not, do stop the everlasting reiteration of +that sentence." + +Mrs. Wainwright passed into an offended silence, +and the professor, also silent, looked with a gradually +dwindling indignation at the scenery. + +Night was suggested in the sky before the train +was near to Athens. " My trunks," sighed Mrs. +Wainwright. " How glad I will be to get back to my +trunks! Oh, the dust! Oh, the misery ! Do find +out when we will get there, Harrison. Maybe the +train is late." + +But, at last, they arrived in Athens, amid a darkness +which was confusing, and, after no more than the +common amount of trouble, they procured carriages +and were taken to the hotel. Mrs. Wainwright's +impulses now dominated the others in the family. +She had one passion after another. The majority of +the servants in the hotel pretended that they spoke +English, but, in three minutes, she drove them distracted +with the abundance and violence of her requests. +It came to pass that in the excitement the +old couple quite forgot Marjory. It was not until +Mrs. Wainwright, then feeling splendidly, was dressed +for dinner, that she thought to open Marjory's door +and go to render a usual motherly supervision of the +girl's toilet. + +There was no light: there did not seem to be any- +body in the room. " Marjory ! " called the mother, in +alarm. She listened for a moment and then ran +hastily out again. " Harrison ! " she cried. " I can't +find Marjory!" The professor had been tying his +cravat. He let the loose ends fly. "What?" he +ejaculated, opening his mouth wide. Then they both +rushed into Marjory's room. "Marjory!" beseeched +the old man in a voice which would have invoked the +grave. + +The answer was from the bed. "Yes?" It was +low, weary, tearful. It was not like Marjory. It was +dangerously the voice of a hcart-broken woman. +They hurried forward with outcries. "Why, Marjory! +Are you ill, child? How long have you been lying in +the dark? Why didn't you call us? Are you ill?" + +" No," answered this changed voice, " I am not ill. +I only thought I'd rest for a time. Don't bother." + +The professor hastily lit the gas and then father +and mother turned hurriedly to the bed. In the first +of the illumination they saw that tears were flowing +unchecked down Marjory's face. + +The effect.of this grief upon the professor was, in +part, an effect of fear. He seemed afraid to touch it, +to go near it. He could, evidently, only remain in +the outskirts, a horrified spectator. The mother, how. +ever, flung her arms about her daughter. " Oh, Marjory! " +She, too, was weeping. + +The girl turned her face to the pillow and held out +a hand of protest. " Don't, mother! Don't !" + +"Oh, Marjory! Oh, Marjory!" + +" Don't, mother. Please go away. Please go +away. Don't speak at all, I beg of you." + +" Oh, Marjory! Oh, Marjory!" + +" Don't." The girl lifted a face which appalled +them. It had something entirely new in it. " Please +go away, mother. I will speak to father, but I won't +-I can't-I can't be pitied." + +Mrs. Wainwright looked at her husband. " Yes," +said the old man, trembling. "Go! " She threw up +her hands in a sorrowing gesture that was not without +its suggestion that her exclusion would be a mistake. +She left the room. + +The professor dropped on his knees at the bedside +and took one of Marjory's hands. His voice dropped +to its tenderest note. "Well, my Marjory?" + +She had turned her face again to the pillow. At +last she answered in muffled tones, " You know." +Thereafter came a long silence full of sharpened +pain. It was Marjory who spoke first. "I have +saved my pride, daddy, but-I have-lost-everything +--else." Even her sudden resumption of the old epithet +of her childhood was an additional misery to the +old man. He still said no word. He knelt, gripping +her fingers and staring at the wall. + +" Yes, I have lost~everything-else." + +The father gave a low groan. He was thinking +deeply, bitterly. Since one was only a human being, +how was one going to protect beloved hearts assailed +with sinister fury from the inexplicable zenith? In +this tragedy he felt as helpless as an old grey ape. +He did not see a possible weapon with which he could +defend his child from the calamity which was upon +her. There was no wall, no shield which could turn +this sorrow from the heart of his child. If one of his +hands loss could have spared her, there would have +been a sacrifice of his hand, but he was potent for +nothing. He could only groan and stare at the wall. +He reviewed the past half in fear that he would suddenly +come upon his error which was now the cause +of Marjory's tears. He dwelt long upon the fact that +in Washurst he had refused his consent to Marjory's +marriage with Coleman, but even now he could not +say that his judgment was not correct. It was simply +that the doom of woman's woe was upon Marjory, +this ancient woe of the silent tongue and the governed +will, and he could only kneel at the bedside and stare +at the wall. + +Marjory raised her voice in a laugh. " Did I betray +myself? Did I become the maiden all forlorn ? Did +I giggle to show people that I did not care? No-I +did not-I did not. And it was such a long time, +daddy! Oh, such a long time! I thought we would +never get here. I thought I would never get where I +could be alone like this, where I could-cry-if I +wanted to. I am not much of - a crier, am I, daddy? +But this time-this-time-" + +She suddenly drew herself over near to her father +and looked at him. " Oh, daddy, I want to tell you +one thing. just one simple little thing." She waited +then, and while she waited her father's head went +lower and lower. " Of course, you know-I told you +once. I love him! I love him! Yes, probably he is +a rascal, but, do you know, I don't think I would +mind if he was a-an assassin. This morning I sent +him away, but, daddy, he didn't want to go at all. +I know he didn't. This Nora Black is nothing to him. +I know she is not. I am sure of it. Yes-I am sure +of it. * * * I never expected to talk this way to any +living creature, but-you are so good, daddy. +Dear old daddy---" + +She ceased, for she saw that her father was praying. + +The sight brought to her a new outburst of sobbing, +for her sorrow now had dignity and solemnity from +thebowed white head of her old father, and she felt +that her heart was dying amid the pomp of the church. +It was the last rites being performed at the death-bed. +Into her ears came some imagining of the low melan. +choly chant of monks in a gloom. + +Finally her father arose. He kissed her on the +brow. " Try to sleep, dear," he said. He turned out +the gas and left the room. His thought was full of +chastened emotion. + +But if his thought was full of chastened emotion, it +received some degree of shock when he arrived in the +presence of Mrs. Wainwright. " Well, what is all this +about ? " she demanded, irascibly. " Do you mean to +say that Marjory is breaking her heart over that man +Coleman ? It is all your fault-" She was apparently still +ruffled over her exclusion. + +When the professor interrupted her he did not +speak with his accustomed spirit, but from something +novel in his manner she recognised a danger signal. +" Please do not burst out at it in that way." + +"Then it Is true?" she asked. Her voice was a +mere awed whisper. + +" It is true," answered the professor. + +"Well," she said, after reflection, "I knew it. I +alway's knew it. If you hadn't been so blind! You +turned like a weather-cock in your opinions of Coleman. +You never could keep your opinion about him +for more than an hour. Nobody could imagine what +you might think next. And now you see the result +of it! I warned you! I told you what this Coleman +was, and if Marjory is suffering now, you have only +yourself to blame for it. I warned you! " + +" If it is my fault," said the professor, drearily, " I +hope God may forgive me, for here is a great wrong +to my daughter." + +Well, if you had done as I told you-" she began. + +Here the professor revolted. " Oh, now, do not be- +gin on that," he snarled, peevishly. Do not begin +on that." + +" Anyhow," said Mrs. Wainwright, it is time that +we should be going down to dinner. Is Marjory com- +ing? " + +" No, she is not," answered the professor, " and I +do not know as I shall go myself." + +" But you must go. Think how it would look! +All the students down there dining without us, and +cutting up capers! You must come." + +" Yes," he said, dubiously, " but who will look after +Marjory ? " + +" She wants to be left alone," announced Mrs. +Wainwright, as if she was the particular herald of this +news. " She wants to be left alone." + +" Well, I suppose we may as well go down." +Before they went, the professor tiptoed into his +daughter's room. In the darkness he could only see +her waxen face on the pillow, and her two eyes gazing +fixedly at the ceiling. He did not speak, but immedi. +ately withdrew, closing the door noiselessly behind +him. + + +I + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +IF the professor and Mrs. Wainwright had descended +sooner to a lower floor of the hotel, they +would have found reigning there a form of anarchy. +The students were in a smoking room which was also +an entrance hall to the dining room, and because there +was in the middle of this apartment a fountain containing +gold fish, they had been moved to license and +sin. They had all been tubbed and polished and +brushed and dressed until they were exuberantly beyond +themselves. The proprietor of the hotel brought +in his dignity and showed it to them, but they minded +it no more than if he had been only a common man. +He drew himself to his height and looked gravely +at them and they jovially said: " Hello, Whiskers." +American college students are notorious in their country +for their inclination to scoff at robed and crowned +authority, and, far from being awed by the dignity of +the hotel-keeper, they were delighted with it. It was +something with which to sport. With immeasurable +impudence, they copied his attitude, and, standing before +him, made comic speeches, always alluding with +blinding vividness to his beard. His exit disappointed +them. He had not remained long under fire. They +felt that they could have interested themselves with +him an entire evening. " Come back, Whiskers! Oh, +come back! " Out in the main hall he made a ges. +ture of despair to some of his gaping minions and then +fled to seclusion. + +A formidable majority then decided that Coke was +a gold fish, and that therefore his proper place was in +the fountain. They carried him to it while he strug. +gled madly. This quiet room with its crimson rugs +and gilded mirrors seemed suddenly to have become +an important apartment in hell. There being as yet +no traffic in the dining room, the waiters were all at +liberty to come to the open doors, where they stood +as men turned to stone. To them, it was no less than +incendiarism. + +Coke, standing with one foot on the floor and the +other on the bottom of the shallow fountain, blas- +phemed his comrades in a low tone, but with inten- +tion. He was certainly desirous of lifting his foot out +of the water, but it seemed that all movement to that +end would have to wait until he had successfully ex- +pressed his opinions. In the meantime, there was +heard slow footsteps and the rustle of skirts, and then +some people entered the smoking room on their way +to dine. Coke took his foot hastily out of the fountain. + +The faces of the men of the arriving party went +blank, and they turned their cold and pebbly eyes +straight to the front, while the ladies, after little ex. +pressions of alarm, looked As if they wanted to run. +In fact, the whole crowd rather bolted from this ex- +traordinary scene. + +" There, now," said Coke bitterly to his companions. +"You see? We looked like little schoolboys-" + +" Oh, never mind, old man," said Peter Tounley. +"We'll forgive you, although you did embarrass us. +But, above everything, don't drip. Whatever you do, +don't drip." + +The students took this question of dripping and +played upon it until they would have made quite insane +anybody but another student. They worked it +into all manner of forms, and hacked and haggled at +Coke until he was driven to his room to seek other +apparel. " Be sure and change both legs," they told +him. " Remember you can't change one leg without +changing both legs." + +After Coke's departure, the United States minister +entered the room, and instantly they were subdued. +It was not his lofty station-that affected them. There +are probably few stations that would have at all af- +fectedthem. They became subdued because they un- +feignedly liked the United States minister. They, +were suddenly a group of well-bred, correctly attired +young men who had not put Coke's foot in the fountain. +Nor had they desecrated the majesty of the +hotelkeeper. + +"Well, I am delighted," said the minister, laughing +as he shook hands with them all. " I was not sure I +would ever see you again. You are not to be trusted, +and, good boys as you are, I'll be glad to see you once +and forever over the boundary of my jurisdiction. +Leave Greece, you vagabonds. However, I am truly +delighted to see you all safe." + +" Thank you, sir," they said. + +" How in the world did you get out of it? You +must be remarkable chaps. I thought you were in a +hopeless position. I wired and cabled everywhere I +could, but I could find out nothing." + +" A correspondent," said Peter Tounley. " I don't +know if you have met him. His name is Coleman. +He found us." + +" Coleman ? " asked the minister, quickly. + +" Yes, sir. He found us and brought us out safely." + +" Well, glory be to Coleman," exclaimed the min- +ister, after a long sigh of surprise. " Glory be to Cole- +man! I never thought he could do it." + +The students were alert immediately. "Why, did +you know about it, sir? Did he tell you he was coming +after us ? " + +"Of course. He came tome here in Athens. and +asked where you were. I told him you were in a +peck of trouble. He acted quietly and somewhat +queerly,. and said that he would try to look you up. +He said you were friends of his. I warned him +against trying it. Yes, I said it was impossible, I +had no idea that he would really carry the thing out. +But didn't he tell you anything about this himself?" + +" No, sir ' " answered Peter Tounley. " He never +said much about it. I think he usually contended +that it was mainly an accident." + +" It was no accident," said the minister, sharply. +"When a man starts out to do a thing and does it, +you can't say it is an accident." + +" I didn't say so, sir," said Peter Tounley diffidently. + +" Quite true, quite true ! You didn't, but-this +Coleman must be a man! " + +" We think so, sir," said be who was called Billie. +" He certainly brought us through in style." + +" But how did he manage it? " cried the minister, +keenly interested. " How did he do it ? " + +" It is hard to say, sir. But he did it. He met us +in the dead of night out near Nikopolis-" + +"Near Nikopolis?" + +"Yes, sir. And he hid us in a forest while a fight +was going on, and then in the morning he brought us +inside the Greek lines. Oh, there is a lot to tell-" + +Whereupon they told it, or as much as they could +of it. In the end, the minister said: " Well, where are +the professor and Mrs. Wainwright ? I want you all +to dine with me to-night. I am dining in the public +room, but you won't mind that after Epirus." +" They should be down now, sir," answered a Student. + +People were now coming rapidly to dinner and presently +the professor and Mrs. Wainwright appeared. +The old man looked haggard and white. He accepted +the minister's warm greeting with a strained pathetic +smile. " Thank you. We are glad to return safely." + +Once at dinner the minister launched immediately +into the subject of Coleman. " He must be altogether +a most remarkable man. When he told me, very +quietly, that he was going to try to rescue you, I +frankly warned him against any such attempt. I +thought he would merely add one more to a party of +suffering people. But the. boys tell- me that he did +actually rescue you." + +"Yes, he did," said the professor. " It was a very +gallant performance, and we are very grateful." + +"Of course," spoke Mrs. Wainwright, "we might +have rescued ourselves. We were on the right road, +and all we had to do was to keep going on." + +" Yes, but I understand-" said the minister. " I +understand he took you into a wood to protect you +from that fight, and generally protected you from all, +kinds of trouble. It seems wonderful to me, not so +much because it was done as because it was done by +the man who, some time ago, calmy announced to me +that he was going to do it. Extraordinary." + +"Of course," said Mrs. Wainwright. " Oh, of +course." + +"And where is he now? " asked the minister suddenly. +"Has he now left you to the mercies of civilisation ? " + +There was a moment's curious stillness, and then +Mrs. Wainwright used that high voice which-the +students believed-could only come to her when she +was about to say something peculiarly destructive to +the sensibilities. " Oh, of course, Mr. Coleman rendered +us a great service, but in his private character +he is not a man whom we exactly care to associate +with." + +" Indeed" said the minister staring. Then he +hastily addressed the students. " Well, isn't this a +comic war? Did you ever imagine war could be like +this ? " The professor remained looking at his wife +with an air of stupefaction, as if she had opened up to +him visions of imbecility of which he had not even +dreamed. The students loyally began to chatter at +the minister. " Yes, sir, it is a queer war. After all +their bragging, it is funny to hear that they are running +away with such agility. We thought, of course, +of the old Greek wars." + +Later, the minister asked them all to his rooms for +coffee and cigarettes, but the professor and Mrs. +Wainwright apologetically retired to their own quarters. +The minister and the students made clouds of smoke, +through which sang the eloquent descriptions of late +adventures. + +The minister had spent days of listening to questions +from the State Department at Washington as to +the whereabouts of the Wainwright party. "I suppose +you know that you,are very prominent people in, the +United States just now ? Your pictures must have +been in all the papers, and there must have been +columns printed about you. My life here was made +almost insupportable by your friends, who consist, I +should think, of about half the population of the +country. Of course they laid regular siege to the de. +partment. I am angry at Coleman for only one thing. +When he cabled the news of your rescue to his news. +paper from Arta, he should have also wired me, if only +to relieve my failing mind. My first news of your +escape was from Washington-think of that." + +"Coleman had us all on his hands at Arta," said +Peter Tounley. " He was a fairly busy man." + +" I suppose so," said the minister. " By the way," +he asked bluntly, "what is wrong with him? What +did Mrs. Wainwright mean? " + +They were silent for a time, but it seemed plain to +him that it was not evidence that his question had +demoralised them. They seemed to be deliberating +upon the form of answer. Ultimately Peter Tounley +coughed behind his hand. " You see, sir," he began, +" there is-well, there is a woman in the case. Not +that anybody would care to speak of it excepting to +you. But that is what is the cause of things, and then, +you see, Mrs. Wainwright is-well-" He hesitated +a moment and then completed his sentence in the +ingenuous profanity of his age and condition. " She is +rather an extraordinary old bird." + +" But who is the woman ? + +"Why, it is Nora Blaick, the actress." +"Oh," cried the minister, enlightened. " Her +Why, I saw her here. She was very beautiful, but she +seemed harmless enough. She was somewhat-er- +confident, perhaps, but she did not alarm me. She +called upon me, and I confess I-why, she seemed +charming." +" She's sweet on little Rufus. That's the point," +said an oracular voice. + +" Oh," cried the host, suddenly. " I remember. She +asked me where he was. She said she had heard he +was in Greece, and I told her he had gone knight- +erranting off after you people. I remember now. I +suppose she posted after him up to Arta, eh ? " + +" That's it. And so she asked you where he was? + +" Yes." + +" Why, that old flamingo-Mrs. Wainwright insists +that it was a rendezvous." + +Every one exchanged glances and laughed a little. +" And did you see any actual fighting ? " asked the +minister. + +" No. We only beard it-" + +Afterward, as they were trooping up to their rooms, +Peter Tounley spoke musingly. " Well, it looks to me +now as if Old Mother Wainwright was just a bad-minded +old hen." + +" Oh, I don't know. How is one going to tell what +the truth is ? " + +" At any rate, we are sure now that Coleman had +nothing to do with Nora's debut in Epirus." + +They had talked much of Coleman, but in their tones +there always had been a note of indifference or +carelessness. This matter, which to some people was as +vital and fundamental as existence, remained to others +who knew of it only a harmless detail of life, with no +terrible powers, and its significance had faded greatly +when had ended the close associat.ions of the late adventure. + +After dinner the professor had gone directly to his +daughter's room. Apparently she had not moved. +He knelt by the bedside again and took one of her +hands. She was not weeping. She looked at him +and smiled through the darkness. " Daddy, I would +like to die," she said. " I think-yes-I would like to +die." + +For a long time the old man was silent, but he arose +at last with a definite abruptness and said hoarsely +" Wait! " + +Mrs. Wainwright was standing before her mirror +with her elbows thrust out at angles above her head, +while her fingers moved in a disarrangement of 'her +hair. In the glass she saw a reflection of her husband +coming from Marjory's room, and his face was set +with some kind of alarming purpose. She turned to +watch him actually, but he walked toward the door +into the corridor and did not in any wise heed her. + +" Harrison! " she called. " Where are you going? " + +He turned a troubled face upon her, and, as if she +had hailed him in his sleep, he vacantly said: +"What ? " + +"Where are you going?" she demanded with increasing +trepidation. + +He dropped heavily into a chair. "Going?" he +repeated. + +She was angry. "Yes! Going? Where are you +going? " + +"I am going-" he answered, "I am going to +see Rufus Coleman." + +Mrs. Wainwright gave voice to a muffled scream. +" Not about Marjory ? " + +"Yes," he said, "about Marjory." + +It was now Mrs. Wainwright's turn to look at her +husband with an air of stupefaction as if he had +opened up to her visions of imbecility of which she +had not even dreamed. " About Marjory!" she +gurgled. Then suddenly her wrath flamed out. +"Well, upon my word, Harrison Wainwright, you +are, of all men in the world, the most silly and stupid. +You are absolutely beyond belief. Of all projects! +And what do you think Marjory would have to say of +it if she knew it ? I suppose you think she would like +it ? Why, I tell you she would keep her right hand +in the fire until it was burned off before she would +allow you to do such a thing." + +" She must never know it," responded the professor, +in dull misery. + +" Then think of yourself! Think of the shame of +it! The shame of it ! " + +The professor raised his eyes for an ironical glance +at his wife. " Oh I have thought of the shame +of it!" + +" And you'll accomplish nothing," cried Mrs. Wain- +wright. " You'll accomplish nothing. He'll only +laugh at you." + +" If he laughs at me, he will laugh at nothing but a +poor, weak, unworldly old man. It is my duty to go." + +Mrs. Wainwright opened her mouth as if she was +about to shriek. After choking a moment she said: +" Your duty? Your duty to go and bend the knee to +that man? Yourduty?" + +"'It is my duty to go,"' he repeated humbly. "If +I can find even one chance for my daughter's happi- +ness in a personal sacrifice. He can do no more than +he can do no more than make me a little sadder." + +His wife evidently understood his humility as a +tribute to her arguments and a clear indication that +she had fatally undermined his original intention. +" Oh, he would have made you sadder," she quoth +grimly. "No fear! Why, it was the most insane +idea I ever heard of." + +The professor arose wearily. " Well, I must be +going to this work. It is a thing to have ended +quickly." There was something almost biblical in his +manner. + +" Harrison! " burst out his wife in amazed lamenta- +tion. You are not really going to do it? Not +really!" + +" I am going to do it," he answered. + +" Well, there! " ejaculated Mrs. Wainwright to the +heavens. She was, so to speak, prostrate. " Well, +there! " + +As the professor passed out of the door she cried +beseechingly but futilely after him. " Harrison." In +a mechanical way she turned then back to the mirror +and resumed the disarrangement of her hair. She ad- +dressed her image. " Well, of all stupid creatures +under the sun, men are the very worst! " And her +image said this to her even as she informed it, and afterward +they stared at each other in a profound and +tragic reception and acceptance of this great truth. +Presently she began to consider the advisability of +going to Marjdry with the whole story. Really, Harrison +must not be allowed to go on blundering until +the whole world heard that Marjory was trying to +break her heart over that common scamp of a Coleman. +It seemed to be about time for her, Mrs. Wainwright, +to come into the situation and mend matters. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIL + +WHEN the professor arrived before Coleman's door, +he paused a moment and looked at it. Previously, +he could not have imagined that a simple door would +ever so affect him. Every line of it seemed to express +cold superiority and disdain. It was only the door of +a former student, one of his old boys, whom, as the +need arrived, he had whipped with his satire in the +class rooms at Washurst until the mental blood had +come, and all without a conception of his ultimately +arriving before the door of this boy in the attitude of +a supplicant. Hewould not say it; Coleman probably +would not say it; but-they would both know it. A +single thought of it, made him feel like running away. +He would never dare to knock on that door. It would +be too monstrous. And even as he decided that he +was afraid to knock, he knocked. + +Coleman's voice said; "Come in." The professor +opened the door. The correspondent, without a coat, +was seated at a paper-littered table. Near his elbow, +upon another table, was a tray from which he had evidently +dined and also a brandy bottle with several +recumbent bottles of soda. Although he had so lately +arrived at the hotel he had contrived to diffuse his +traps over the room in an organised disarray which +represented a long and careless occupation if it did +not represent t'le scene of a scuffle. His pipe was in +his mouth. + +After a first murmur of surprise, he arose and +reached in some haste for his coat. " Come in, professor, +come in," he cried, wriggling deeper into his +jacket as he held out his hand. He had laid aside his +pipe and had also been very successful in flinging a +newspaper so that it hid the brandy and soda. This +act was a feat of deference to the professor's well +known principles. + +"Won't you sit down, sir ? " said Coleman cordially. +His quick glance of surprise had been immediately +suppressed and his manner was now as if the pro- +fessor's call was a common matter. + +" Thank you, Mr. Coleman, I-yes, I will sit down,". +replied the old man. His hand shook as he laid it on +the back of the chair and steadied himself down into +it. " Thank you!" - + +Coleman looked at him with a great deal of ex- +pectation. + +" Mr. Coleman ! " + +"Yes, sir." + +" I--" + +He halted then and passed his hand over his face. +His eyes did not seem to rest once upon Coleman, +but they occupied themselves in furtive and frightened +glances over the room. Coleman could make neither +head nor tail of the affair. He would not have believed +any man's statement that the professor could +act in such an extraordinary fashion. " Yes, sir," he +said again suggestively. The simple strategy resulted +in a silence that was actually awkward. Coleman, despite +his bewilderment, hastened into a preserving +gossip. " I've had a great many cables waiting for +me for heaven knows- how long and others have been +arriving in flocks to-night. You have no idea of the +row in America, professor. Why, everybody must +have gone wild over the lost sheep. My paper has +cabled some things that are evidently for you. For +instance, here is one that says a new puzzle-game +called Find the Wainwright Party has had a big success. +Think of that, would you." Coleman grinned +at the professor. " Find the Wainwright Party, a +new puzzle-game." + +The professor had seemed grateful for Coleman's +tangent off into matters of a light vein. " Yes?" he +said, almost eagerly. " Are they selling a game really +called that?" + +" Yes, really," replied Coleman. " And of course +you know that-er-well, all the Sunday papers would +of course have big illustrated articles-full pages- +with your photographs and general private histories +pertaining mostly to things which are none of their +business." +" Yes, I suppose they would do that," admitted the +professor. " But I dare say it may not be as bad as +you suggest." + +" Very like not," said Coleman. " I put it to you +forcibly so that in the future the blow will not be too +cruel. They are often a weird lot." + +" Perhaps they can't find anything very bad about +us." + +" Oh, no. And besides the whole episode will probably +be forgotten by the time you return to the United States." + +They talked onin this way slowly, strainedly, until +they each found that the situation would soon become +insupportable. The professor had come for a distinct +purpose and Coleman knew it; they could not sit +there lying at each other forever. Yet when he saw +the pain deepening in the professor's eyes, the correspondent +again ordered up his trivialities. " Funny +thing. My paper has been congratulating me, you +know, sir, in a wholesale fashion, and I think-I feel +sure-that they have been exploiting my name all +over the country as the Heroic Rescuer. There is no +sense in trying to stop them, because they don't care +whether it is true or not true. All they want is the +privilege of howling out that their correspondent rescued +you, and they would take that privilege without +in any ways worrying if I refused my consent. You +see, sir? I wouldn't like you to feel that I was such a +strident idiot as I doubtless am appearing now before +the public." + +" No," said the professor absently. It was plain +that he had been a very slack listener. " I-Mr. Coleman-" +he began. + +"Yes, sir," answered Coleman promptly and gently. + +It was obviously only a recognition of the futility +of further dallying that was driving the old man on- +ward. He knew, of course, that if he was resolved to +take this step, a longer delay would simply make it +harder for him. The correspondent, leaning forward, +was watching him almost breathlessly. + +" Mr. Coleman, I understand-or at least I am led +to believe-that you-at one time, proposed marriage +to my daughter? " + +The faltering words did not sound as if either man +had aught to do with them. They were an expression +by the tragic muse herself. Coleman's jaw fell and he +looked glassily at the professor. He said: "Yes!" +But already his blood was leaping as his mind flashed +everywhere in speculation. + +" I refused my consent to that marriage," said the +old man more easily. " I do not know if the matter +has remained important to you, but at any rate, I-I +retract my refusal." + +Suddenly the blank expression left Coleman's face +and he smiled with sudden intelligence, as if informa- +tion of what the professor had been saying had just +reached him. In this smile there was a sudden be. +trayal, too, of something keen and bitter which had +lain hidden in the man's mind. He arose and made a +step towards the professor and held out his hand. +"Sir, I thank yod from the bottom of my heart!" +And they both seemed to note with surprise that +Coleman's voice had broken. + +The professor had arisen to receive Coleman's hand. +His nerve was now of iron and he was very formal. +" I judge from your tone that I have not made a mis- +take-somcthing which I feared." + +Coleman did not seem to mind the professor's formality. +" Don't fear anything. Won't you sit down +again? Will you have a cigar. * * No, I couldn't +tell you how glad I am. How glad I am. I feel like +a fool. It--" + +But the professor fixed him with an Arctic eye and +bluntly said: " You love her ? " + +The question steadied Coleman at once. He +looked undauntedly straight into the professor's face. +He simply said: " I love her! " + +" You love her ? " repeated the professor. + +" I love her," repeated Coleman. + +After some seconds of pregnant silence, the +professor arose. " Well, if she cares to give her life to +you I will allow it, but I must say that I do not consider +you nearly good enough. Good-night." He +smiled faintly as he held out his hand. + +" Good-night, sir," said Coleman. " And I can't +tell, you, now-" + +Mrs. Wainwright, in her room was languishing in a +chair and applying to her brow a handkerch-ief wet +with cologne water. She, kept her feverish glarice +upon the door. Remembering well the manner of her +husband when he went out she could hardly identify +him when he came in. Serenity, composure, even +self-satisfaction, was written upon him. He, paid no +attention to her, but going to a chair sat down with +a groan of contentment. + +" Well ? " cried Mrs. Wainwright, starting up. +" Well ? " + +" Well-what ? " he asked. + +She waved her hand impatiently. " Harrison, +don't be absurd. You know perfectly well what I +mean. It is a pity you couldn't think of the anxiety +I have been in." She was going to weep. + +"Oh, I'll tell you after awhile," he said stretching +out his legs with the complacency of a rich merchant +after a successful day. + +"No! Tell me now," she implored him. "Can't +you see I've worried myself nearly to death?" She +was not going to weep, she was going to wax angry. + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the professor with +considerable pomposity, " I've arranged it. Didn't +think I could do it at first, but it turned out " + +"I Arranged it,"' wailed Mrs. Wainwright. " Arranged what? " + +It here seemed to strike the professor suddenly +that he was not such a flaming example for +diplomatists as he might have imagined. " Arranged," he +stammered. " Arranged ." + +" Arranged what? " + +" Why, I fixed-I fixed it up." + +" Fixed what up? " + +"It-it-" began the professor. Then he swelled +with indignation. " Why, can't you understand anything +at all? I-I fixed it." + +" Fixed what? " + +" Fixed it. Fixed it with Coleman." + +" Fixed what with Coleman? + +The professor's wrath now took control of him. +"Thunder and lightenin' ! You seem to jump at the +conclusion that I've made some horrible mistake. For +goodness' sake, give me credit for a particle of sense." + +" What did you do? " she asked in a sepulchral voice. + +" Well," said the professor, in a burning defiance, +" I'll tell you what I did. I went to Coleman and +told him that once-as he of course knew-I had re- +fused his marriage with my daughter, but that now---" + +" Grrr," said Mrs. Wainwright. + +" But that now-" continued the professor, +" I retracted that refusal." + +" Mercy on us! " cried Mrs. Wainwright, throwing +herself back in the chair. " Mercy on us! What +fools men are!" + +" Now, wait a minute-" +But Mrs. Wainwright began to croon: " Oh, if +Marjory should hear of this! Oh, if she should hear +of it! just let her. Hear-" + +" But she must not," cried the professor, tigerishly. +just you dare! " And the woman saw before her a +man whose eyes were lit with a flame which almost +expressed a temporary hatred. + +The professor had left Coleman so abruptly that +the correspondent found himself murmuring half. +coherent gratitude to the closed door of his room. +Amazement soon began to be mastered by exultation. +He flung himself upon the brandy and soda and nego- +tiated a strong glass. Pacing. the room with nervous +steps, he caught a vision of himself in a tall mirror. +He halted before it. " Well, well," he said. " Rufus, +you're a grand man. There is not your equal anywhere. +You are a great, bold, strong player, fit to sit +down to a game with the -best." + +A moment later it struck him that he had appropriated +too much. If the professor had paid him a visit +and made a wonderful announcement, he, Coleman, +had not been the engine of it. And then he enunciated +clearly something in his mind which, even in a +vague form, had been responsible for much of his early +elation. Marjory herself had compassed this thing. +With shame he rejected a first wild and preposterous +idea that she had sent her father to him. He reflected +that a man who for an instant could conceive +such a thing was a natural-born idiot. With an equal +feeling, he rejected also an idea that she could have +known anything of her father's purpose. If she had +known of his purpose, there would have been no visit. + +What, then, was the cause? Coleman soon decided +that the professor had witnessed some demonstration +of Marjory's emotion which had been sufficiently +severe in its character to force him to the extraordinary +visit. But then this also was wild and preposterous. +That coldly beautiful goddess would not +have given a demonstration of emotion over Rufus +Coleman sufficiently alarming to have forced her +father on such an errand. That was impossible. No, +he was wrong; Marjory even indirectly, could not be +connected with the visit. As he arrived at this decision, +the enthusiasm passed out of him and he wore +a doleful, monkish face. + +"Well, what, then, was the cause?" After eliminating +Marjory from the discussion waging in his +mind, he found it hard to hit upon anything rational. +The only remaining theory was to the effect that the +professor, having a very high sense of the correspond. +ent's help in the escape of the Wainwright party, had +decided that the only way to express his gratitude +was to revoke a certain decision which he now could +see had been unfair. The retort to this theory seemed +to be that if the professor had had such a fine conception +of the services rendered by Coleman, he had had +ample time to display his appreciation on the road to +Arta and on the road down from Arta. There was +no necessity for his waiting until their arrival in Athens. +It was impossible to concede that the professor's +emotion could be anew one; if he had it now, he +must have had it in far stronger measure directly +after he had been hauled out of danger. + +So, it may be seen that after Coleman had eliminated +Marjory from the discussion that was waging in his +mind, he had practically succeeded in eliminating the +professor as well. This, he thought, mournfully, was +eliminating with a vengeance. If he dissolved all the +factors he could hardly proceed. + +The mind of a lover moves in a circle, or at least on +a more circular course than other minds, some of +which at times even seem to move almost in a straight +line. Presently, Coleman was at the point where he +bad started, and he did not pause until he reached +that theory which asserted that the professor had +been inspired to his visit by some sight or knowledge +of Marjory in distress. Of course, Coleman was wistfully +desirous of proving to himself the truth of this +theory. + +The palpable agitation of the professor during the +interview seemed to support it. If he had come on +a mere journey of conscience, he would have hardly +appeared as a white and trembling old, man. But +then, said Coleman, he himself probably exaggerated +this idea of the professor's appearance. It might have +been that he was only sour and distressed over the +performance of a very disagreeable duty. + +The correspondent paced his room and smoked. +Sometimes he halted at the little table where was the +brandy and soda. He thought so hard that sometimes +it seemed that Marjory had been to him to propose +marriage, and at other times it seemed that there had +been no visit from any one at all. + +A desire to talk to somebody was upon him. He +strolled down stairs and into the smoking and reading +rooms, hoping to see a man he knew, even if it were +Coke. But the only occupants were two strangers, +furiously debating the war. Passing the minister's +room, Coleman saw that there was a light within, and +he could not forbear knocking. He was bidden to +enter, and opened the door upon the minister, care- +fully reading his Spectator fresh from London. +He looked up and seemed very glad. "How are +you?" he cried. "I was tremendously anxious to +see you, do you know! I looked for you to dine +with me to-night, but you were not down?" +"No ; I had a great deal of work." + +" Over the Wainwright affair? By the way, I want +you to accept my personal thanks for that work. In +a week more I would have gone demented and spent +the rest of my life in some kind of a cage, shaking +the bars and howling out State Department messages +about the Wainwrights. You see, in my territory +there are no missionaries to get into trouble, and I +was living a life of undisturbed and innocent calm, +ridiculing the sentiments of men from Smyrna and +other interesting towns who maintained that the +diplomatic service was exciting. However, when the +Wainwright party got lost, my life at once became +active. I was all but helpless, too; which was the +worst of it. I suppose Terry at Constantinople must +have got grandly stirred up, also. Pity he can't see +you to thank you for saving him from probably going +mad. By the way," he added, while looking +keenly at Coleman, " the Wainwrights don't seem to +be smothering you with gratitude? " + +" Oh, as much as I deserve-sometimes more," +answered Coleman. " My exploit was more or less of +a fake, you know. I was between the lines by accident, +or through the efforts of that blockhead of a +dragoman. I didn't intend it. And then, in the +night, when we were waiting in the road because of a +fight, they almost bunked into us. That's all." + +"They tell it better," said the minister, severely. +" Especially the youngsters." + +"Those kids got into a high old fight at a town up +there beyond Agrinion. Tell you about that, did +they? I thought not. Clever kids. You have noted +that there are signs of a few bruises and scratches?" +" Yes, but I didn't ask-" +" Well, they are from the fight. It seems the people +took us for Germans, and there was an awful palaver, +which ended in a proper and handsome shindig. It +raised the town, I tell you." + +The minister sighed in mock despair. " Take these +people home, will you ? Or at any rate, conduct +them out of the field of my responsibility. Now, +they would like Italy immensely, I am sure." + +Coleman laughed, and they smoked for a time. + +" That's a charming girl-Miss Wainwright," said the +minister, musingly. "And what a beauty! It does +my exiled eyes good to see her. I suppose all those +youngsters are madly in love with her ? I don't see +how they could help it." + +" Yes," said Coleman, glumly. " More than half of +them." + +The minister seemed struck with a sudden thought. +" You ought to try to win that splendid prize yourself. +The rescuer ! Perseus! What more fitting? " + +Coleman answered calmly: "Well * * * I think +I'll take your advice." + + + + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE next morning Coleman awoke with a sign of a +resolute decision on his face, as if it had been a +development of his sleep. He would see Marjory as soon +as possible, see her despite any barbed-wire entanglements +which might be placed in the way by her +mother, whom he regarded as his strenuous enemy. +And he would ask Marjory's hand in the presence of +all Athens if it became necessary. + +He sat a long time at his breakfast in order to see +the Wainwrights enter the dining room, and as he was +about to surrender to the will of time, they came in, +the professor placid and self-satisfied, Mrs. Wainwright +worried and injured and Marjory cool, beautiful, +serene. If there had been any kind of a storm there +was no trace of it on the white brow of the girl. +Coleman studied her closely but furtively while his +mind spun around his circle of speculation. +Finally he noted the waiter who was observing him +with a pained air as if it was on the tip of his tongue +to ask this guest if he was going to remain at breakfast +forever. Coleman passed out to the reading +room where upon the table a multitude of great red +guide books were crushing the fragile magazines of +London and Paris. On the walls were various +depressing maps with the name of a tourist agency +luridly upon them, and there were also some pictures +of hotels with their rates-in francs-printed beneath. +The room was cold, dark, empty, with the trail of the +tourist upon it. + +Coleman went to the picture of a hotel in Corfu +and stared at it precisely as if he was interested. He +was standing before it when he heard Marjory's voice +just without the door. "All right! I'll wait." He +did not move for the reason that the hunter moves +not when the unsuspecting deer approaches his hiding +place. She entered rather quickly and was well +toward the centre of the room before she perceived +Coleman. " Oh," she said and stopped. Then she +spoke the immortal sentence, a sentence which, +curiously enough is common to the drama, to the +novel, and to life. " I thought no one was here." +She looked as if she was going to retreat, but it would +have been hard to make such retreat graceful, and +probably for this reason she stood her ground. + +Coleman immediately moved to a point between +her and the door. "You are not going to run away +from me, Marjory Wainwright," he cried, angrily. +" You at least owe it to me to tell me definitely that +you don't love me-that you can't love me-" + +She did not face him with all of her old spirit, but +she faced him, and in her answer there was the old +Marjory. " A most common question. Do you ask +all your feminine acquaintances that? " + +"I mean-" he said. "I mean that I love you +and-" + +"Yesterday-no. To-day-yes. To-morrow-who +knows. Really, you ought to take some steps to +know your own mind." + +" Know my own mind," he retorted in a burst of in- +dignation. "You mean you ought to take steps to +know your own mind." + +" My own mind! You-" Then she halted in +acute confusion and all her face went pink. She had +been far quicker than the man to define the scene. +She lowered her head. Let me past, please-" + +But Coleman sturdily blocked the way and even +took one of her struggling hands. "Marjory-" +And then his brain must have roared with a thousand +quick sentences for they came tumbling out, one +over the other. * * Her resistance to the grip of his +fingers grew somewhat feeble. Once she raised her +eyes in a quick glance at him. * * Then suddenly +she wilted. She surrendered, she confessed without +words. " Oh, Marjory, thank God, thank God-" +Peter Tounley made a dramatic entrance on the +gallop. He stopped, petrified. "Whoo!" he cried. +"My stars! " He turned and fled. But Coleman +called after him in a low voice, intense with agitation. + +" Come back here, you young scoundrel! Come baok +here I " + +Peter returned, looking very sheepish. " I hadn't +the slightest idea you-" + +" Never mind that now. But look here, if you tell +a single soul-particularly those other young +scoundrels-I'll break-" + +" I won't, Coleman. Honest, I won't." He was +far more embarrassed than Coleman and almost equally +so with Marjory. He was like a horse tugging at a +tether. "I won't, Coleman! Honest!" + +" Well, all right, then." Peter escaped. + +The professor and his wife were in their sitting room +writing letters. The cablegrams had all been answered, +but as the professor intended to prolong his +journey homeward into a month of Paris and London, +there remained the arduous duty of telling their +friends at length exactly what had happened. There +was considerable of the lore of olden Greece in the +professor's descriptions of their escape, and in those +of Mrs. Wainwright there was much about the lack of +hair-pins and soap. + +Their heads were lowered over their writing when +the door into the corridor opened and shut quickly, +and upon looking up they saw in the room a radiant +girl, a new Marjory. She dropped to her knees by +her father's chair and reached her arms to his neck. +" Oh, daddy! I'm happy I I'm so happy! " + +" Why-what-" began the professor stupidly. + +" Oh, I am so happy, daddy! + +Of course he could not be long in making his conclusion. +The one who could give such joy to Marjory +was the one who, last night, gave her such grief. +The professor was only a moment in understanding. +He laid his hand tenderly upon her head " Bless my +soul," he murmured. "And so-and so-he-" + +At the personal pronoun, Mrs. Wainwright lum- +bered frantically to her feet. " What ? " she shouted. +Coleman ? " + +" Yes," answered Marjory. " Coleman." As she +spoke the name her eyes were shot with soft yet +tropic flashes of light. + +Mrs. Wainwright dropped suddenly back into her +chair. "Well-of-all-things!" +The professor was stroking his daughter's hair and +although for a time after Mrs. Wainwright's outbreak +there was little said, the old man and the girl seemed +in gentle communion, she making him feel her happiness, +he making her feel his appreciation. Providentially +Mrs. Wainwright had been so stunned by the +first blow that she was evidently rendered incapable of +speech. + +" And are you sure you will be happy with him? +asked her father gently. + +" All my life long," she answered. + +" I am glad! I am glad! " said the father, but even +as he spoke a great sadness came to blend with his +joy. The hour when he was to give this beautiful +and beloved life into the keeping of another had been +heralded by the god of the sexes, the ruthless god +that devotes itself to the tearing of children from the +parental arms and casting them amid the mysteries of +an irretrievable wedlock. The thought filled him +with solemnity. + +But in the dewy eyes of the girl there was no question. +The world to her was a land of glowing promise. + +" I am glad," repeated the professor. + +The girl arose from her knees. " I must go away +and-think all about it," she said, smiling. When +the door of her room closed upon her, the mother +arose in majesty. + +" Harrison Wainwright," she declaimed, "you are +not going to allow this monstrous thing! " + +The professor was aroused from a reverie by these +words. "What monstrous thing ? " he growled. + +" Why, this between Coleman and Marjory." + +" Yes," he answered boldly. + +" Harrison! That man who-" + +The professor crashed his hand down on the table. +"Mary! I will not hear another word of it! " + +" Well," said Mrs. Wainwright, sullen and ominous, +" time will tell! Time will tell!" + +When Coleman bad turned from the fleeing Peter +Tounley again to Marjory, he found her making the +preliminary movements of a flight. "What's the +matter? " he demanded anxiously. + +" Oh, it's too dreadful" + +" Nonsense," lie retorted stoutly. " Only Peter +Tounley! He don't count. What of that ? " + +' Oh, dear! " She pressed her palm to a burning +cheek. She gave him a star-like, beseeching glance. +Let me go now-please." + +" Well," he answered, somewhat affronted, " if you +like--" + +At the door she turned to look at him, and this +glance expressed in its elusive way a score of things +which she had not yet been able to speak. It explained +that she was loth to leave him, that she asked +forgiveness for leaving him, that even for a short absence +she wished to take his image in her eyes, that +he must not bully her, that there was something now +in her heart which frightened her, that she loved him, +that she was happy--- + +When she had gone, Coleman went to the rooms of +the American minister. A Greek was there who +talked wildly as he waved his cigarette. Coleman +waited in well-concealed impatience for the dvapora- +tion of this man. Once the minister, regarding the +correspondent hurriedly, interpolated a comment. +" You look very cheerful ? " + +" Yes," answered Coleman, " I've been taking your +advice." + +" Oh, ho ! " said the minister. + +The Greek with the cigarette jawed endlessly. +Coleman began to marvel at the enduring good man- +ners of the minister, who continued to nod and nod in +polite appreciation of the Greek's harangue, which, +Coleman firmly believed, had no point of interest +whatever. But at last the man, after an effusive farewell, +went his way. + +" Now," said the minister, wheeling in his chair +tell me all about it." + +Coleman arose, and thrusting his hands deep in his +trousers' pockets, began to pace the room with long +strides. He, said nothing, but kept his eyes on the +floor. + +" Can I have a drink ? " he asked, abruptly pausing. + +" What would you like? " asked the minister, benevolently, +as he touched the bell. + +" A brandy and soda. I'd like it very much. You +see," he said, as he resumed his walk, " I have no kind +of right to burden you with my affairs, but, to tell the +truth, if I don't get this news off my mind and into +somebody's ear, I'll die. It's this-I asked Marjory +Wainwright to marry me, and-she accepted, and- +that's all." + +" Well, I am very glad," cried the minister, arising +and giving his hand. "And as for burdening me with +your affairs, no one has a better right, you know, +since you released me from the persecution of Washington +and the friends of the Wainwrights. May good +luck follow you both forever. You, in my opinion, +are a very, very fortunate man. And, for her part +she has not done too badly." + +Seeing that it was important that Coleman should +have his spirits pacified in part, the minister continued: +" Now, I have got to write an official letter, so you +just walk up and down here and use up this surplus +steam. Else you'll explode." + +But Coleman was not to be detained. Now that he +had informed the minister, he must rush off some. +where, anywhere, and do-he knew not what. + +All right," said the minister, laughing. " You +have a wilder head than I thought. But look here," +he called, as Coleman was making for the door. " Am +I to keep this news a secret? " + +Coleman with his hand on the knob, turned im. +pressively. He spoke with deliberation. " As far as +I am concerned, I would be glad to see a man paint it +in red letters, eight feet high, on the front of the king's +palace." + +The minister, left alone, wrote steadily and did not +even look up when Peter Tounley and two others +entered, in response to his cry of permission. How +ever, he presently found time to speak over his +shoulder to them. "Hear the news?" + +"No, sir," they answered. + +" Well, be good boys, now, and read the papers and +look at pictures until I finish this letter. Then I will tell you." + +They surveyed him keenly. They evidently +judged that the news was worth hearing, but, obediently, +they said nothing. Ultimately the minister +affixed a rapid signature to the letter, and turning, +looked at the students with a smile. +" Haven't heard the news, eh ?" + +"No, Sir." + +"Well, Marjory Wainwright is engaged to marry +Coleman." + +The minister was amazed to see the effect of this +announcement upon the three students. He had expected +the crows and cackles of rather absurd +merriment with which unbearded youth often greets, +such news. But there was no crow or cackle. One +young man blushed scarlet and looked guiltily at the +floor. With a great effort he muttered: " Shes too +good for him." Another student had turned ghastly +pate and was staring. It was Peter Tounley who relieved +the minister's mind, for upon that young man's +face was a broad jack-o-lantern grin, and the minister +saw that, at any rate, he had not made a complete +massacre. + +Peter Tounley said triumphantly: "I knew it ! " + +The minister was anxious over the havoc he had +wrought with the two other students, but slowly the +colour abated in one face and grew in the other. To +give them opportunity, the minister talked busily to +Peter Tounley. "And how did you know it, you +young scamp ?" + +Peter was jubilant. " Oh, -I knew it! I knew it I +I am very clever." + +The student who had blushed now addressed the +minister in a slightly strained voice. " Are you positive +that it is true, Mr. Gordner?," + +" I had it on the best authority," replied the minister gravely. + +The student who had turned pale said: " Oh, it's +true, of course." + +" Well," said crudely the one who had blushed, +she's a great sight too good for Coleman or anybody +like him. That's all I've got to say." + +" Oh, Coleman is a good fellow," said Peter Tounley, +reproachfully. " You've no right to say that-exactly. +You don't know where you'd. be now if it were not for +Coleman." + +The, response was, first, an angry gesture. " Oh, +don't keep everlasting rubbing that in. For heaven's +sake, let up. - Supposing I don't. know where I'd be +now if,it were not for Rufus Coleman? What of it? +For the rest of my life have I got to--" + +The minister saw. that this was the embittered speech +of a really defeated youth, so, to save scenes, he gently +ejected the trio. " There, there, now ! Run along +home like good boys. I'll be busy until luncheon. +And I -dare say you won't find Coleman such a bad +chap."' + +In the corridor, one of the students said offensively +to Peter Tounley : " Say, how in hell did you find +out all this so early ? " + +Peter's reply was amiable in tone. " You are a +damned bleating little kid and you made a holy show +of yourself before Mr. Gordner. There's where you +stand. Didn't you see that he turned us out because +he didn't know but what you were going to blubber +or something. - you are a sucking pig, and if you +want to know how I find out things go ask the Delphic +Oracle, you blind ass." + +" You better look out or you may get a punch in +the eye!," + +"You take one punch in the general direction of +my eye, me son," said -Peter cheerfully, " and I'll +distribute your remains, over this hotel in a way that will +cause your, friends years of trouble to collect you. +Instead of anticipating an attack upon my eye, you +had much better be engaged in improving your mind, +which is at present not a fit machine to cope with exciting +situations. There's Coke! Hello, Coke, hear +the news? Well, Marjory Wainwright and Rufus +Coleman , are engaged.. Straight ? Certainly ! Go +ask the minister." + +Coke did not take Peter's word. "Is that so ? " he +asked the others. + +" So the minister told us," they answered, and then +these two, who seemed so unhappy, watched Coke's +face to see if they could not find surprised misery +there. But Coke coolly said: " Well, then, I suppose +it's true." + +It soon became evident that the students did not +care for each other's society. Peter Tounley was +probably an exception, but the others seemed to long +for quiet corners. They were distrusting each other, +and, in a boyish way, they were even capable of maligant +things. Their excuses for separation were badly +made. + +"I-I think I'll go for a walk." +" I'm going up stairs to read." +" Well, so long, old man.' " So long." There was +no heart to it. + +Peter Tounley went to Coleman's door, where he +knocked with noisy hilarity. " Come in I " The correspondent +apparently had just come from the street, +for his hat was on his head and a light top-coat was on +his back. He was searching hurriedly through some, +papers. " Hello, you young devil What are you +doing here ? + +Peter's entrance was a somewhat elaborate comedy +which Coleman watched in icy silence. Peter after a +long,and impudent pantomime halted abruptly and +fixing Coleman with his eye demanded: "Well?" + +"Well-what?." said Coleman, bristling a trifle. + +" Is it true ?" + +" Is what true ?" + +" Is it true? " Peter was extremely solemn. +" Say, me bucko," said Coleman suddenly, " if +you've. come up here to twist the beard of the patriarch, +don't you think you are running a chance? " + +"All right. I'll be good," said Peter, and he sat on +the bed. " But-is it true? + +" Is what true? " + +" What the whole hotel is saying." + +] "I haven't heard the hotel making any remarks +lately. Been talking to the other buildings, I sup- +pose." + +"Well, I want to tell you that everybody knows +that you and Marjory have done gone and got +yourselves engaged," said Peter bluntly. + +"And well? " asked Coleman imperturbably. + +" Oh, nothing," replied Peter, waving his hand. +" Only-I thought it might interest you." + +Coleman was silent for some time. He fingered his +papers. At last he burst out joyously. "And so +they know it already, do they? Well-damn them- +let them know it. But you didn't tell them yourself ? " + +" I ! " quoth Peter wrathfully. " No! The minister told us." + +Then Coleman was again silent for a time and Peter +Tounley sat on the. bed reflectively looking at the +ceiling. " Funny thing, Marjory 'way over here in +Greece, and then you happening over here the way +you did." + +" It isn't funny at all." + +" Why isn't it ? " + +" Because," said Coleman impressively,, " that is +why I came to Greece. It was all planned. See?" + +"Whirroo," exclaimed Peter. "This here is +magic." + +" No magic at all." Coleman displayed some complacence. +" No magic at all. just pure, plain-- +whatever you choose to call it." + +" Holy smoke," said Peter, admiring the situation. +"Why, this is plum romance, Coleman. I'm blowed +if it isn't." + +Coleman was grinning with delight. He took a +fresh cigar and his bright eyes looked at Peter through +the smoke., "Seems like it, don't it? Yes. Regular +romance. Have a drink, my boy, just to celebrate +my good luck. And be patient if I talk a great deal +of my-my-future. My head spins with it." He +arose to pace the room flinging out bis arms in a great +gesture. " God! When I think yesterday was not +like to-day I wonder how I stood it." There was a +knock at the door and a waiter left a note in Coleman's hand + +"Dear Ruf us:-We are going for a drive this afternoon +at three, and mother wishes you to come, if you. +care to. I too wish it, if you care to. Yours, +" MARJORY." + +With a radiant face, Coleman gave the note a little +crackling flourish in the air. " Oh, you don't know +what life is, kid." + +" S-steady the Blues," said Peter Tounley seriously. +You'll lose your head if you don't watch out." + +" Not I" cried Coleman with irritation. " But a +man must turn loose some times, mustn't he?" + +When the four, students had separated in the corri- +dor, Coke had posted at once to Nora Black's sitting +room. His entrance was somewhat precipitate, but +he cooled down almost at once, for he reflected that +he was not bearing good news. He ended by perching +in awkward fashion on the brink of his chair and +fumbling his hat uneasily. Nora floated to him in a +cloud of a white dressing gown. She gave him +a plump hand. "Well, youngman? "she said, with a +glowing smile. She took a chair, and the stuff of her +gown fell in curves over the arms of it., + +Coke looked hot and bothered, as if he could have +more than half wanted to retract his visit. " I-aw- +we haven't seen much of you lately," he began, sparing. +He had expected to tell his news at once. + +No," said Nora, languidly. " I have been resting +after that horrible journey-that horrible journey. +Dear, dear! Nothing,will ever induce me to leave +London, New York and Paris. I am at home there. +But here I Why, it is worse than living in Brooklyn. +And that journey into the wilds! No. no; not for +me! " + +" I suppose we'll all be glad to get home," said +Coke, aimlessly. + +At the moment a waiter entered the room and began +to lay the table for luncheon. He kept open the +door to the corridor, and he had the luncheon at a +point just outside the door. His excursions to the +trays were flying ones, so that, as far as Coke's purpose +was concerned, the waiter was always in the +room. Moreover, Coke was obliged, naturally, to depart +at once. He had bungled everything. + +As he arose he whispered hastily: " Does this +waiter understand English ? " + +"Yes," answered Nora. "Why?" + +"Because I have something to tell you-important." + +"What is it? " whispered Nora, eagerly. + +He leaned toward her and replied: " Marjory +Wainwright and Coleman are engaged." + +To his unfeigned astonishment, Nora Black burst +into peals of silvery laughter, " Oh, indeed? And +so this is your tragic story, poor, innocent lambkin? +And what did you expect? That I would faint?" - + +" I thought-I don't know-" murmured Coke in +confusion. + +Nora became suddenly business-like. " But how do +you know? Are you sure? Who told you? Anyhow, +stay to luncheon. Do-like a good boy. Oh, +you must." + +Coke dropped again into his chair. He studied her +in some wonder. " I thought you'd be surprised," +he said, ingenuously. + +" Oh, you did, did you ? Well, you see I'm not. +And now tell me all about it." + +"There's really nothing to tell but the plain fact. +Some of the boys dropped in at the minister's +rooms a little while ago, and, he told them of it. +That's all." + +Well, how did he know? + +"I am sure I can't tell you. Got it first hand, I +suppose. He likes Coleman, and Coleman is always +hanging up there." + +" Oh, perhaps Coleman was lying," said Nora +easily. Then suddenly her face brightened and she +spoke with animation. " Oh, I haven't told you how +my little Greek officer has turned out. Have I? +No? Well, it is simply lovely. Do you know, he belongs +to one of the best families in Athens? Hedoes. +And they're rich-rich as can be. My courier tells +me that the marble palace where they live is enough +to blind you, and that if titles hadn't gone out of +style-or something-here in Greece, my little officer +would be a prince! Think of that! The courier +didn't know it until we got to Athens, and the little +officer-the prince-gave me his card, of course. One +of the oldest, noblest and richest families in Greece. +Think of that! There I thought he was only a +bothersome little officer who came in handy at times, +and there he turns out to be a prince. I could hardly +keep myself from rushing right off to find him and +apologise to him for the way I treated him. It was +awful! And-" added the fair Nora, pensively, "if +he does meet me in Paris, I'll make him wear that +title down to a shred, you can bet. What's the good +of having a title unless you make it work?" + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +COKE did not stay to luncheon with Nora Black. +He went away saying to himself either that girl +don't care a straw for Coleman or she has got a heart +absolutely of flint, or she is the greatest actress on +earth or-there is some other reason." + +At his departure, Nora turned and called into an +adjoining room. " Maude I " The voice of her companion +and friend answered her peevishly. " What ?" + +"Don't bother me. I'm reading." + +" Well, anyhow, luncheon is ready, so you will have +to stir your precious self," responded Nora. " You're +lazy." + +" I don't want any luncheon. Don't bother me. +I've got a headache." + +" Well, if you don't come out, you'll miss the news. +That's all I've got to say." + +There was a rustle in the adjoining room, and +immediately the companion appeared, seeming much +annoyed but curious. " Well, what is it ? " + +" Rufus Coleman is engaged to be married to that +Wainwright girl, after all." + +" Well I declare! " ejaculated the little old lady. +" Well I declare." She meditated for a moment, +and then continued in a tone of satisfaction. " I told +you that you couldn't stop that man Coleman if he +had feally made up his mind to-" + +" You're a fool," said Nora, pleasantly. +" Why? " said the old lady. +Because you are. Don't talk to me about it. I +want to think of Marco." + +" 'Marco,'" quoted the old lady startled. + +"The prince. The prince. Can't you understand? +I mean the prince." + +" ' Marco!'" again quoted the old lady, under her +breath. + +" Yes, 'Marco,'" cried Nora, belligerently. " 'Marco,' +Do you object to the name? What's the matter with +you, anyhow?" + +" Well," rejoined the other, nodding her head wisely, +"he may be a prince, but I've always heard that +these continental titles are no good in comparison to +the English titles." + +"Yes, but who told you so, eh? " demanded Nora, +noisily. She herself answered the question. " The +English! " + +" Anyhow, that little marquis who tagged after you +in London is a much bigger man in every way, I'll +bet, than this little prince of yours." + +" But-good heavens-he didn't mean it. Why, he +was only one of the regular rounders. But Marco, he +is serious I He means it. He'd go through fire and +water for me and be glad of the chance." + +" Well," proclaimed the old lady, " if you are not +the strangest woman in the world, I'd like to know! +Here I thought-" + +"What did you think?" demanded Nora, suspisciously. +" I thought that Coleman---" + +"Bosh!" interrupted, the graceful Nora. "I tell +you what, Maude; you'd better try to think as little +as possible. It will suit your style of beauty better. +And above all, don't think of my affairs. I myself +am taking pains not to think of them. It's easier." + +Mrs. Wainwright, with no spirit of intention what. +ever, had sit about readjusting her opinions. It is +certain that she was unconscious of any evolution. If +some one had said to her that she was surrendering to +the inevitable, she would have been immediately on +her guard, and would have opposed forever all suggestions +of a match between Marjory and Coleman. On +the other hand, if some one had said to her that her +daughter was going to marry a human serpent, and +that there were people in Athens who would be glad +to explain his treacherous character, she would have +haughtily scorned the tale-bearing and would have +gone with more haste into the professor's way of +thinking. In fact, she was in process of undermining +herself., and the work could have been. retarded or +advanced by any irresponsible, gossipy tongue. + +The professor, from the depths of his experience +with her, arranged a course of conduct. " If I just +leave her to herself she will come around all right, +but if I go 'striking while the iron is hot,' or any of +those things, I'll bungle it surely." + +As they were making ready to go down to luncheon, +Mrs. Wainwright made her speech which first indicated +a changing mind. " Well, what will be, will be," +she murmured with a prolonged sigh of resignation. +" What will be, will be. Girls are very headstrong in +these days, and there is nothing much to be done with +them. They go their own roads. It wasn't so in my +girlhood. - We were obliged to pay attention to our +mothers wishes." + +" I did not notice that you paid much attention to +your mother's wishes when you married me," remarked +the professor. " In fact, I thought-" + +" That was another thing," retorted Mrs. Wainwright +with severity. " You were a steady young man +who had taken the highest honours all through your +college course, and my mother's sole objection was +that we were too hasty. She thought we -ought to +wait until you had a penny to bless yourself with, +and I can see now where she was quite right." +" Well, you married me, anyhow," said the professor, +victoriously. + +Mrs. Wainwright allowed her husband's retort to +pass over her thoughtful mood. " They say * * they +say Rufus Coleman makes as much as fifteen thousand +dollars a year. That's more than three times your income +* * I don't know. * * It all depends on whether +they try to save or not. His manner of life is, no +doubt, very luxurious. I don't suppose he knows +how to economise at all. That kind of a man usually +doesn't. And then, in the newspaper world positions +are so very precarious. Men may have valuable positions +one minute and be penniless in the street the +next minute. It isn't as if he had any real income, +and of course he has no real ability. If he was suddenly +thrown out of his position, goodness knows what +would become of him. Still stillfifteen thousand +dollars a year is a big incomewhile it lasts. I +suppose he is very extravagant. That kind of a man +usually is. And I wouldn't be surprised if he was +heavily in debt; very heavily in debt. Still * * if +Marjory has set her heart there is nothing to be done, +I suppose. It wouldn't have happened if you had +been as wise as you thought you were. * * I suppose +he thinks I have been very rude to him. Well, some +times I wasn't nearly so rude as I felt like being. +Feeling as I did, I could hardly be very amiable. * * +Of course this drive this afternoon was all your affair +and Marjory's. But, of course, I shall be nice to him." + +" And what of all this Nora Black business? " asked +the professor, with, a display of valour, but really with +much trepidation. + +" She is a hussy," responded Mrs. Wainwright with +energy. " Her conversation in the carriage on the +way down to Agrinion sickened me! " + +" I really believe that her plan was simply to break +everything off between Marjory and Coleman," said +the professor, " and I don't believe she had any-grounds +for all that appearance of owning Coleman and the +rest of it." + +" Of course she didn't" assented Mrs. Wainwright. +The vicious thing! " + +" On the other hand," said the professor, " there +might be some truth in it." +" I don't think so," said Mrs. Wainwright seriously. +I don't believe a word of it." + +" You do not mean to say that you think Coleman +a model man ? " demanded the professor. + +"Not at all! Not at all!" she hastily answered. +" But * * one doesn't look for model men these days." + +"'Who told you he made fifteen thousand a year? +asked the professor. + +"It was Peter Tounley this morning. We were +talking upstairs after breakfast, and he remarked that +he if could make fifteen thousand, a year: like Coleman, +he'd-I've forgotten what-some fanciful thing." + +" I doubt if it is true," muttered the old man wagging his head. + +"Of course it's true," said his wife emphatically. +" Peter Tounley says everybody knows it." + +Well * anyhow * money is not everything." + +But it's a. great deal, you know well enough. You +know you are always speaking of poverty as an evil, +as a grand resultant, a collaboration of many lesser +evils. Well, then? + +" But," began the professor meekly, when I say +that I mean-" + +" Well, money is money and poverty is poverty," +interrupted his wife. " You don't have to be very +learned to know that." + +"I do not say that Coleman has not a very nice +thing of it, but I must say it is hard to think of his +getting any such sum, as you mention." + +" Isn't he known as the most brilliant journalist in +New York?" she demanded harshly. + +" Y-yes, as long as it lasts, but then one never +knows when he will be out in the street penniless. +Of course he has no particular ability which would +be marketable if he suddenly lost his present employment. +Of course it is not as if he was a really talented young man. +He might not be able to make his way at all in any new direction." + +" I don't know about that," said Mrs. Wainwright +in reflective protestation. " I don't know about that. +I think he would." + +" I thought you said a moment ago-" The professor +spoke with an air of puzzled hesitancy. "I +thought you said a moment ago that he wouldn't succeed +in anything but journalism." + +Mrs. Wainwright swam over the situation with a +fine tranquility. " Well-I-I," she answered musingly, +"if I did say that, I didn't mean it exactly." + +" No, I suppose not," spoke the professor, and de- +spite the necessity for caution he could not keep out +of his voice a faint note of annoyance. + +" Of course," continued the wife, " Rufus Coleman +is known everywhere as a brilliant man, a very brilliant +man, and he even might do well in-in politics or +something of that sort." + +" I have a very poor opinion of that kind of a mind +which does well in American politics," said the pro- +fessor, speaking as a collegian, " but I suppose there +may be something in it." + +" Well, at any rate," decided Mrs. Wainwright. +" At any rate-" + +At that moment, Marjory attired for luncheon and +the drive entered from her room, and Mrs. Wainwright +checked the expression of her important conclusion. +Neither father or mother had ever seen her so glowing +with triumphant beauty, a beauty which would +carry the mind of a spectator far above physical +appreciation into that realm of poetry where creatures +of light move and are beautiful because they cannot +know pain or a burden. It carried tears to the old +father's eyes. He took her hands. " Don't be too +happy, my child, don't be too happy," he admonished +her tremulously. " It makes me afraid-it makes me +afraid." + + + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +IT seems strange that the one who was the most +hilarious over the engagement of Marjory and Cole- +man should be Coleman's dragoman who was indeed +in a state bordering on transport. It is not known +how he learned the glad tidings, but it is certain that +he learned them before luncheon. He told all the +visible employes of the hotel and allowed them to +know that the betrothal really had been his handi-work +He had arranged it. He did not make quite +clear how he had performed this feat, but at least he +was perfectly frank in acknowledging it. + +When some of the students came down to luncheon, +they saw him but could not decide what ailed him. +He was in the main corridor of the hotel, grinning +from ear to ear, and when he perceived the students +he made signs to intimate that they possessed in com- +mon a joyous secret. " What's the matter with that +idiot?" asked Coke morosely. " Looks as if his +wheels were going around too fast." +Peter Tounley walked close to him and scanned +him imperturbably, but with care. " What's up, +Phidias ? " The man made no articulate reply. He +continued to grin and gesture. "Pain in oo tummy? +Mother dead? Caught the cholera? Found out +that you've swallowed a pair of hammered brass and +irons in your beer? Say, who are you, anyhow? " +But he could not shake this invincible glee, so he +went away. + +The dragoman's rapture reached its zenith when +Coleman lent him to the professor and he was +commissioned to bring a carriage for four people to the +door at three o'clock. He himself was to sit on +the box and tell the driver what was required of +him. He dashed off, his hat in his hand, his hair flying, +puffing, important beyond everything, and apparently +babbling his mission to half the people he met +on the street. In most countries he would have +landed speedily in jail, but among a people who exist +on a basis of'jibbering, his violent gabble aroused no +suspicions as to his sanity. However, he stirred +several livery stables to their depths and set men running +here and there wildly and for the most part +futiltiy. + +At fifteen minutes to three o'clock, a carriage with +its horses on a gallop tore around the corner and up +to the . front of the hotel, where it halted with the +pomp and excitement of a fire engine. The dragoman +jumped down from his seat beside the driver and +scrambled hurriedly into the hoiel, in the gloom of +which hemet a serene stillness which was punctuated +only by the leisurely tinkle of silver and glass in the +dining room. For a moment the dragoman seemed +really astounded out of specch. Then he plunged +into the manager's room. Was it conceivable that +Monsieur Coleman was still at luncheon? Yes; in +fact, it was true. But the carriage, was at the door! +The carriage was at the door! The manager, +undisturbed, asked for what hour Monsieur Coleman had +been pleased to order a carriage. Three o'clock ! +Three o'clock? The manager pointed calmly at the +clock. Very well. It was now only thirteen minutes +of three o'clock. Monsieur Coleman doubtless would +appear at three. Until that hour the manager would +not disturb Monsieur Coleman. The dragoman +clutched both his hands in his hair and cast a look of +agony to the ceiling. Great God! Had he accomplished +the herculean task of getting a carriage for +four people to the door of the hotel in time for a drive +at three o'clock, only to meet with this stoniness, this +inhumanity? Ah, it was unendurable? He begged +the manager; he implored him. But at every word. +the manager seemed to grow more indifferent, more +callous. He pointed with a wooden finger at the +clock-face. In reality, it is thus, that Greek meets +Greek. + +Professor Wainwright and Coleman strolled together +out of the dining room. The dragoman rushed ecstatically +upon the correspondent. " Oh, Meester Coleman! +The carge is ready !" + +"Well, all right," said Coleman, knocking ashes +from his cigar. "Don't be in a hurry. I suppose +we'll be ready, presently." The man was in despair. + +The departure of the Wainwrights and Coleman on +this ordinary drive was of a somewhat dramatic and +public nature, No one seemed to know how to prevent +its being so. In the first place, the attendants +thronged out en masse for a reason which was plain +at the time only to Coleman's dragoman. And, rather +in the background, lurked the interested students. +The professor was surprised and nervous. Coleman +was rigid and angry. Marjory was flushed and some +what hurried, and Mrs. Wainwright was as proud as +an old turkey-hen. + +As the carriage rolled away, Peter Tounley turned +to his companions and said: " Now, that's official! +That is the official announcement! Did you see Old +Mother Wainwright? Oh, my eye, wasn't she puffed +up ! Say, what in hell do you suppose all these jay +hawking bell-boys poured out to the kerb for? Go +back to your cages, my good people-" + +As soon as the carriage wheeled into another +street, its occupants exchanged easier smiles, and +they must have confessed in some subtle way of +glances that now at last they were upon their own +mission, a mission undefined but earnest to them all. +Coleman had a glad feeling of being let into the family, +or becoming one of them + +The professor looked sideways at him and smiled +gently. " You know, I thought of driving you to +some ruins, but Marjory would not have it. She flatly +objected to any more ruins. So I thought we would +drive down to New Phalerum." +Coleman nodded and smiled as if he were immensely +pleased, but of course New Phalerum was to him no +more nor-less than Vladivostok or Khartoum. +Neither place nor distance had interest for him. +They swept along a shaded avenue where the dust lay +thick on the leaves; they passed cafes where crowds +were angrily shouting over the news in the little papers; +they passed a hospital before which wounded +men, white with bandages, were taking the sun; then +came soon to the and valley flanked by gaunt naked +mountains, which would lead them to the sea. Sometimes +to accentuate the dry nakedness of this valley, +there would be a patch of grass upon which poppies +burned crimson spots. The dust writhed out from +under the wheels of the carriage; in the distance the +sea appeared, a blue half-disc set between shoulders of +barren land. It would be common to say that Coleman +was oblivious to all about him but Marjory. On +the contrary, the parched land, the isolated flame of +poppies, the cool air from the sea, all were keenly +known to him, and they had developed an extraordinary +power of blending sympathetically into his +mood. Meanwhile the professor talked a great deal. +And as a somewhat exhilarating detail, Coleman perceived +that Ms. Wainwright was beaming upon him. + +At New Phalerum-a small collection of pale square +villas-they left the carriage and strolled, by the sea. +The waves were snarling together like wolves amid +the honeycomb rocks and from where the blue plane +sprang level to the horizon, came a strong cold breeze, +the kind of a breeze which moves an exulting man or +a parson to take off his hat and let his locks flutter +and tug back from his brow. + +The professor and Mrs. Wainwright were left to +themselves. + +Marjory and Coleman did not speak for a time. It +might have been that they did not quite know where +to make a beginning. At last Marjory asked: +"What has become of your splendid horse?" + +"Oh, I've told the dragoman to have him sold as +soon as he arrives," said Coleman absently. + +" Oh. I'm sorry * * I liked that horse." + +"Why? " + +"Oh, because-" + +"Well, he was a fine-" Then he, too, interrupted +himself, for he saw plainly that they had not +come to this place to talk about a horse. Thereat he +made speech of matters which at least did not afford +as many opportunities for coherency as would the +horse. Marjory, it can't be true * * * Is it true, +dearest * * I can hardly believe it. -I-" + +" Oh, I know I'm not nearly good enough for you." + +" Good enough for me, dear? + +" They all told me so, and they were right ! Why, +even the American minister said it. Everybody thinks +it." + +"Why, aren 't they wretches To think of them +saying such a thing! As if-as if anybody could be +too--" + +" Do you know-" She paused and looked at +him with a certain timid challenge. " I don't know +why I feel it, but-sometimes I feel that I've been +I've been flung at your head." + +He opened his mouth in astonishment. " Flung at +my head! + +She held up her finger. "And if I thought you +could ever believe it ! " + +" Is a girl flung at a man's head when her father +carries her thousands of miles away and the man +follows her all these miles, and at last-" + +" Her eyes were shining. "And you really came to +Greece-on purpose to-to-" + +" Confess you knew it all the time! Confess!" +The answer was muffled. " Well, sometimes I +thought you did, and at other times I thought you- +didn't." + +In a secluded cove, in which the sea-maids once had +played, no doubt, Marjory and Coleman sat in silence. +He was below her, and if he looked at her he had to +turn his glance obliquely upward. She was staring at +the sea with woman's mystic gaze, a gaze which men +at once reverence and fear since it seems to look into +the deep, simple heart of nature, and men begin to feel +that their petty wisdoms are futile to control these +strange spirits, as wayward as nature and as pure as +nature, wild as the play of waves, sometimes as unalterable +as the mountain amid the winds; and to +measure them, man must perforce use a mathematical +formula. + +He wished that she would lay her hand upon his +hair. He would be happy then. If she would only, +of her own will, touch his hair lightly with her +fingers-if she would do it with an unconscious air it +would be even better. It would show him that she +was thinking of him, even when she did not know she +was thinking of him. + +Perhaps he dared lay his head softly against her knee. +Did he dare? + +As his head touched her knee, she did not move. +She seemed to be still gazing at the sea. Presently +idly caressing fingers played in his hair near the +forehead. He looked up suddenly lifting his arms. +He breathed out a cry which was laden with a kind of +diffident ferocity. " I haven't kissed you yet-" + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Active Service, by Stephen Crane + diff --git a/2364.zip b/2364.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f0a8bdf --- /dev/null +++ b/2364.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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