active service-第49章

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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