active service-第38章

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ays　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