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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　callsentree？　〃

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　yo