active service-第24章

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ut　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　Iwe　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　d