the red cross girl-第15节

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distinguished　author　had　become　famous　and　familiar。　Not　a
day　passed　but　that　some　new　honor；　at　least　so　the
newspapers　stated；　was　thrust　upon　him。　Paragraphs　announced
that　he　was　to　be　the　next　exchange　professor　to　Berlin；　that
in　May　he　was　to　lecture　at　the　Sorbonne；　that　in　June　he　was
to　receive　a　degree　from　Oxford。

A　fresh…water　college　on　one　of　the　Great　Lakes　leaped　to　the
front　by　offering　him　the　chair　of　history　at　that　seat　of
learning　at　a　salary　of　five　thousand　dollars　a　year。　Some　of
the　honors　that　had　been　thrust　upon　Doctor　Gilman　existed
only　in　the　imagination　of　Peter　and　Stetson；　but　this　offer
happened　to　be　genuine。

〃Doctor　Gilman　rejected　it　without　consideration。　He　read　the
letter　from　the　trustees　to　his　wife　and　shook　his　head。

〃We　could　not　be　happy　away　from　Stillwater；〃　he　said。　〃　We
have　only　a　month　more　in　the　cottage；　but　after　that　we
still　can　walk　past　it；　we　can　look　into　the　garden　and　see
the　flowers　she　planted。　We　can　visit　the　place　where　she
lies。　But　if　we　went　away　we　should　be　lonely　and　miserable
for　her；　and　she　would　be　lonely　for　us。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　could　not　know　why　Doctor　Gilman　had　refused　to
leave　Stillwater；　but　when　he　read　that　the　small　Eastern
college　at　which　Doctor　Gilman　had　graduated　had　offered　to
make　him　its　president；　his　jealousy　knew　no　bounds。

He　telegraphed　to　Black：　〃Reinstate　Gilman　at　once；　offer　him
six　thousandoffer　him　whatever　he　wants；　but　make　him
promise　for　no　consideration　to　leave　Stillwater　he　is　only
member　faculty　ever　brought　any　credit　to　the　college　if　we
lose　him　I'll　hold　you　responsible。〃

The　next　morning；　hat　in　hand；　smiling　ingratiatingly；　the
Chancellor　called　upon　Doctor　Gilman　and　ate　so　much　humble
pie　that　for　a　week　he　suffered　acute　mental　indigestion。　But
little　did　Hallowell　senior　care　for　that。　He　had　got　what　he
wanted。　Doctor　Gilman；　the　distinguished；　was　back　in　the
faculty；　and　had　made　only　one　conditionthat　he　might　live
until　he　died　in　the　ivy…covered　cottage。

Two　weeks　later；　when　Peter　arrived　at　Stillwater　to　take　the
history　examination；　which；　should　he　pass　it；　would　give　him
his　degree；　he　found　on　every　side　evidences　of　the
〃worldwide　fame〃　he　himself　had　created。　The　newsstand　at　the
depot；　the　book…stores；　the　drugstores；　the　picture…shops；
all　spoke　of　Doctor　Gilman；　and　postcards　showing　the　ivy…
covered　cottage；　photographs　and　enlargements　of　Doctor
Gilman；　advertisements　of　the　different。　editions　of　〃the〃
history　proclaimed　his　fame。　Peter；　fascinated　by　the　success
of　his　own　handiwork；　approached　the　ivy…covered　cottage　in　a
spirit　almost　of　awe。　But　Mrs。　Gilman　welcomed　him　with　the
same　kindly；　sympathetic　smile　with　which　she　always　gave
courage　to　the　unhappy　ones　coming　up　for　examinations；　and
Doctor　Gilman's　high　honors　in　no　way　had　spoiled　his　gentle
courtesy。

The　examination　was　in　writing；　and　when　Peter　had　handed　in
his　papers　Doctor　Gilman　asked　him　if　he　would　prefer　at　once
to　know　the　result。

〃I　should　indeed！〃　Peter　assured　him。

〃Then　I　regret　to　tell　you；　Hallowell；〃　said　the　professor；
〃that　you　have　not　passed。　I　cannot　possibly　give　you　a　mark
higher　than　five。〃　In　real　sympathy　the　sage　of　Stillwater
raised　his　eyes；　but　to　his　great　astonishment　he　found　that
Peter；　so　far　from　being　cast　down　or　taking　offense；　was
smiling　delightedly；　much　as　a　fond　parent　might　smile　upon
the　precocious　act　of　a　beloved　child。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　Doctor　Gilman　gently；　〃that　this　summer
you　did　not　work　very　hard　for　your　degree！〃

Peter　Laughed　and　picked　up　his　hat。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Professor；〃　he　said；　〃you're　right　I
got　working　for　something　worth　whileand　I　forgot　about　the
degree。〃



Chapter　3。　THE　INVASION　OF　ENGLAND

This　is　the　true　inside　story　of　the　invasion　of　England　in
1911　by　the　Germans；　and　why　it　failed。　I　got　my　data　from
Baron　von　Gottlieb；　at　the　time　military　attach？of　the
German　Government　with　the　Russian　army　in　the　second
Russian…Japanese　War；　when　Russia　drove　Japan　out　of
Manchuria；　and　reduced　her　to　a　third…rate　power。　He　told　me
of　his　part　in　the　invasion　as　we　sat；　after　the　bombardment
of　Tokio；　on　the　ramparts　of　the　Emperor's　palace；　watching
the　walls　of　the　paper　houses　below　us　glowing　and　smoking
like　the　ashes　of　a　prairie　fire。

Two　years　before；　at　the　time　of　the　invasion；　von　Gottlieb
had　been　Carl　Schultz；　the　head…waiter　at　the　East　Cliff
Hotel　at　Cromer；　and　a　spy。

The　other　end　of　the　story　came　to　me　through　Lester　Ford；
the　London　correspondent　of　the　New　York　Republic。　They　gave
me　permission　to　tell　it　in　any　fashion　I　pleased；　and　it　is
here　set　down　for　the　first　time。

In　telling　the　story；　my　conscience　is　not　in　the　least
disturbed；　for　I　have　yet　to　find　any　one　who　will　believe
it。

What　led　directly　to　the　invasion　was　that　some　week…end
guest　of　the　East　Cliff　Hotel　left　a　copy　of　〃The　Riddle　of
the　Sands〃　in　the　coffee…room；　where　von　Gottlieb　found　it；
and　the　fact　that　Ford　attended　the　Shakespeare　Ball。　Had
neither　of　these　events　taken　place；　the　German　flag　might
now　be　flying　over　Buckingham　Palace。　And；　then　again；　it
might　not。

As　every　German　knows；　〃The　Riddle　of　the　Sands〃　is　a　novel
written　by　a　very　clever　Englishman　in　which　is　disclosed　a
plan　for　the　invasion　of　his　country。　According　to　this　plan
an　army　of　infantry　was　to　be　embarked　in　lighters；　towed　by
shallow…draft；　sea…going　tugs；　and　despatched　simultaneously
from　the　seven　rivers　that　form　the　Frisian　Isles。　From　there
they　were　to　be　convoyed　by　battle…ships　two　hundred　and
forty　miles　through　the　North　Sea；　and　thrown　upon　the　coast
of　Norfolk　somewhere　between　the　Wash　and　Mundesley。　The　fact
that　this　coast　is　low…lying　and　bordered　by　sand　flats　which
at　low　water　are　dry；　that　England　maintains　no　North　Sea
squadron；　and　that　her　nearest　naval　base　is　at　Chatham；　seem
to　point　to　it　as　the　spot　best　adapted　for　such　a　raid。

What　von　Gottlieb　thought　was　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　as
soon　as　he　read　the　book　he　mailed　it　to　the　German
Ambassador　in　London；　and　under　separate　cover　sent　him　a
letter。　In　this　he　said：　〃I　suggest　your　Excellency　bring
this　book　to　the　notice　of　a　certain　royal　personage；　and　of
the　Strategy　Board。　General　Bolivar　said；　'When　you　want
arms；　take　them　from　the　enemy。'　Does　not　this　also　follow
when　you　want　ideas？〃

What　the　Strategy　Board　thought　of　the　plan　is　a　matter　of
history。　This　was　in　1910。　A　year　later；　during　the
coronation　week；　Lester　Ford　went　to　Clarkson's　to　rent　a
monk's　robe　in　which　to　appear　at　the　Shakespeare　Ball；　and
while　the　assistant　departed　in　search　of　the　robe；　Ford　was
left　alone　in　a　small　room　hung　with　full…length　mirrors　and
shelves；　and　packed　with　the　uniforms　that　Clarkson　rents　for
Covent　Garden　balls　and　amateur　theatricals。　While　waiting；
Ford　gratified　a　long；　secretly　cherished　desire　to　behold
himself　as　a　military　man；　by　trying　on　all　the　uniforms　on
the　lower　shelves；　and　as　a　result；　when　the　assistant
returned；　instead　of　finding　a　young　American　in　English
clothes　and　a　high　hat；　he　was　confronted　by　a　German　officer
in　a　spiked　helmet　fighting　a　duel　with　himself　in　the
mirror。　The　assistant　retreated　precipitately；　and　Ford；
conscious　that　he　appeared　ridiculous；　tried　to　turn　the
tables　by　saying；　〃　Does　a　German　uniform　always　affect　a
Territorial　like　that？〃

The　assistant　laughed　good…naturedly。

〃It　did　give　me　quite　a　turn；〃　he　said。　〃It's　this　talk　of
invasion；　I　fancy。　But　for　a　fact；　sir；　if　I　was　a　Coast
Guard；　and　you　came　along　the　beach　dressed　like　that；　I'd
take　a　shot　at　you；　just　on　the　chance；　anyway。〃

〃And；　quite　right；　too！〃　said　Ford。

He　was　wondering　when　the　invasion　did　come　whether　he　would
stick　at　his　post　in　London　and　dutifully　forward　the　news　to
his　paper；　or　play　truant　and　as　a　war　correspondent　watch
the　news　in　the　making。　So　the　words　of　Mr。　Clarkson's
assistant　did　not　sink　in。　But　a　few　weeks　later　young　Major
Bellew　recalled　them。　Bellew　was　giving　a　dinner　on　the
terrace　of　the　Savoy　Restaurant。　His　guests　were　his　nephew；
young　Herbert；　who　was　only　five　years　younger　than　his
uncle；　and　Herbert's　friend　Birrell；　an　Irishman；　both　in
their　third　term　at　the　university。　After　five　years'　service
in　India；　Bellew　had　spent　the　last　〃Eights〃　week　at　Oxford；
and　was　complaining　bitterly　that　since　his　day　the
undergraduate　had　deteriorated。　He　had　found　him　serious；
given　to　study；　far　too　well　behaved。　Instead　of　Jorrocks；　he
read　Galsworthy；　instead　of　〃wines〃　he　found　pleasure　in
debating　clubs　where　he　discussed　socialism。　Ragging；
practical　jokes；　ingenious　hoaxes；　that　once　were　wont　to　set
England　in　a　roar；　were　a　lost　art。　His　undergraduate　guests
combated　these　charges　fiercely。　His　criticisms　they　declared
unjust　and　without　intelligence。

〃You're　talking　rot！〃　said　his　dutiful　nephew。　〃Take　Phil
here；　for　example。　I've　roomed　with　him　three　years　and　I　can
testify　that　he　has　never　opened　a　book。　He　never　heard　of
Galsworthy　until　you　spoke　of　him。　And　you　can　see　for
yourself　his　table　manners　are　q