active service-第50章

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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　those　other　young　　scoundrels…I'll　break…〃

〃　I　won't；　Coleman。　Honest；　I　won't。〃　He　was　far　more　embarrassed　than　Coleman　and　almost　equally　so　with　Marjory。　He　was　like　a　horse　tugging　at　a　tether。　〃I　won't；　Coleman！　Honest！〃

〃　Well；　all　right；　then。〃　Peter　escaped。

The　professor　and　his　wife　were　in　their　sitting　room　writing　letters。　The　cablegrams　had　all　been　answered；　but　as　the　professor　intended　to　prolong　his　journey　homeward　into　a　month　of　Paris　and　London；　there　remained　the　arduous　duty　of　telling　their　friends　at　length　exactly　what　had　happened。　There　was　considerable　of　the　lore　of　olden　Greece　in　the　professor's　descriptions　of　their　escape；　and　in　those　of　Mrs。　Wainwright　there　was　much　about　the　lack　of　hair…pins　and　soap。

Their　heads　were　lowered　over　their　writing　when　the　door　into　the　corridor　opened　and　shut　quickly；　and　upon　looking　up　they　saw　in　the　room　a　radiant　girl；　a　new　Marjory。　She　dropped　to　her　knees　by　her　father's　chair　and　reached　her　arms　to　his　neck。　　〃　Oh；　daddy！　I'm　happy　I　I'm　so　happy！　〃

〃　Why…what…〃　began　the　professor　stupidly。

〃　Oh；　I　am　so　happy；　daddy！

Of　course　he　could　not　be　long　in　making　his　conclusion。　The　one　who　could　give　such　joy　to　Marjory　　was　the　one　who；　last　night；　gave　her　such　grief。　The　professor　was　only　a　moment　in　understanding。　He　laid　his　hand　tenderly　upon　her　head　〃　Bless　my　soul；〃　he　murmured。　〃And　so…and　so…he…〃

At　the　personal　pronoun；　Mrs。　Wainwright　lum…　bered　frantically　to　her　feet。　〃　What　？　〃　she　shouted。　Coleman　？　〃

〃　Yes；〃　answered　Marjory。　〃　Coleman。〃　As　she　spoke　the　name　her　eyes　were　shot　with　soft　yet　tropic　flashes　of　light。

Mrs。　Wainwright　dropped　suddenly　back　into　her　chair。　〃Well…of…all…things！〃　The　professor　was　stroking　his　daughter's　hair　and　although　for　a　time　after　Mrs。　Wainwright's　outbreak　there　was　little　said；　the　old　man　and　the　girl　seemed　in　gentle　communion；　she　making　him　feel　her　happiness；　he　making　her　feel　his　appreciation。　Providentially　Mrs。　Wainwright　had　been　so　stunned　by　the　first　blow　that　she　was　evidently　rendered　incapable　of　speech。

〃　And　are　you　sure　you　will　be　happy　with　him？　asked　her　father　gently。

〃　All　my　life　long；〃　she　answered。

〃　I　am　glad！　I　am　glad！　〃　said　the　father；　but　even　as　he　spoke　a　great　sadness　came　to　blend　with　his　joy。　The　hour　when　he　was　to　give　this　beautiful　and　beloved　life　into　the　keeping　of　another　had　been　heralded　by　the　god　of　the　sexes；　the　ruthless　god　that　devotes　itself　to　the　tearing　of　children　from　the　parental　arms　and　casting　them　amid　the　mysteries　of　an　irretrievable　wedlock。　The　thought　filled　him　with　solemnity。

But　in　the　dewy　eyes　of　the　girl　there　was　no　question。　The　world　to　her　was　a　land　of　glowing　promise。

〃　I　am　glad；〃　repeated　the　professor。

The　girl　arose　from　her　knees。　〃　I　must　go　away　and…think　all　about　it；〃　she　said；　smiling。　When　the　door　of　her　room　closed　upon　her；　the　mother　arose　in　majesty。

〃　Harrison　Wainwright；〃　she　declaimed；　〃you　are　not　going　to　allow　this　monstrous　thing！　〃

The　professor　was　aroused　from　a　reverie　by　these　words。　〃What　monstrous　thing　？　〃　he　growled。

〃　Why；　this　between　Coleman　and　Marjory。〃

〃　Yes；〃　he　answered　boldly。

〃　Harrison！　That　man　who…〃

The　professor　crashed　his　hand　down　on　the　table。　〃Mary！　I　will　not　hear　another　word　of　it！　〃

〃　Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Wainwright；　sullen　and　ominous；　〃　time　will　tell！　Time　will　tell！〃

When　Coleman　bad　turned　from　the　fleeing　Peter　Tounley　again　to　Marjory；　he　found　her　making　the　preliminary　movements　of　a　flight。　〃What's　the　matter？　〃　he　demanded　anxiously。

〃　Oh；　it's　too　dreadful〃

〃　Nonsense；〃　lie　retorted　stoutly。　〃　Only　Peter　Tounley！　He　don't　count。　What　of　that　？　〃

'　Oh；　dear！　〃　She　pressed　her　palm　to　a　burning　cheek。　She　gave　him　a　star…like；　beseeching　glance。　Let　me　go　now…please。〃

〃　Well；〃　he　answered；　somewhat　affronted；　〃　if　you　like〃

At　the　door　she　turned　to　look　at　him；　and　this　glance　expressed　in　its　elusive　way　a　score　of　things　which　she　had　not　yet　been　able　to　speak。　It　explained　that　she　was　loth　to　leave　him；　that　she　asked　forgiveness　for　leaving　him；　that　even　for　a　short　absence　she　wished　to　take　his　image　in　her　eyes；　that　he　must　not　bully　her；　that　there　was　something　now　in　her　heart　which　frightened　her；　that　she　loved　him；　that　she　was　happy…

When　she　had　gone；　Coleman　went　to　the　rooms　of　the　American　minister。　A　Greek　was　there　who　talked　wildly　as　he　waved　his　cigarette。　Coleman　waited　in　well…concealed　impatience　for　the　dvapora…　tion　of　this　man。　Once　the　minister；　regarding　the　correspondent　hurriedly；　interpolated　a　comment。　〃　You　look　very　cheerful　？　〃

〃　Yes；〃　answered　Coleman；　〃　I've　been　taking　your　advice。〃

〃　Oh；　ho　！　〃　said　the　minister。

The　Greek　with　the　cigarette　jawed　endlessly。　Coleman　began　to　marvel　at　the　enduring　good　man…　ners　of　the　minister；　who　continued　to　nod　and　nod　in　polite　appreciation　of　the　Greek's　harangue；　which；　Coleman　firmly　believed；　had　no　point　of　interest　whatever。　But　at　last　the　man；　after　an　effusive　farewell；　went　his　way。

〃　Now；〃　said　the　minister；　wheeling　in　his　chair　tell　me　all　about　it。〃

Coleman　arose；　and　thrusting　his　hands　deep　in　his　trousers'　pockets；　began　to　pace　the　room　with　long　strides。　He；　said　nothing；　but　kept　his　eyes　on　the　floor。

〃　Can　I　have　a　drink　？　〃　he　asked；　abruptly　pausing。

〃　What　would　you　like？　〃　asked　the　minister；　benevolently；　as　he　touched　the　bell。

〃　A　brandy　and　soda。　I'd　like　it　very　much。　You　see；〃　he　said；　as　he　resumed　his　walk；　〃　I　have　no　kind　of　right　to　burden　you　with　my　affairs；　but；　to　tell　the　truth；　if　I　don't　get　this　news　off　my　mind　and　into　somebody's　ear；　I'll　die。　It's　this…I　asked　Marjory　Wainwright　to　marry　me；　and…she　accepted；　and…　that's　all。〃

〃　Well；　I　am　very　glad；〃　cried　the　minister；　arising　and　giving　his　hand。　〃And　as　for　burdening　me　with　your　affairs；　no　one　has　a　better　right；　you　know；　since　you　released　me　from　the　persecution　of　Washington　and　the　friends　of　the　Wainwrights。　May　good　luck　follow　you　both　forever。　You；　in　my　opinion；　are　a　very；　very　fortunate　man。　And；　for　her　part　she　has　not　done　too　badly。〃

Seeing　that　it　was　important　that　Coleman　should　have　his　spirits　pacified　in　part；　the　minister　continued：　〃　Now；　I　have　got　to　write　an　official　letter；　so　you　just　walk　up　and　down　here　and　use　up　this　surplus　steam。　Else　you'll　explode。〃

But　Coleman　was　not　to　be　detained。　Now　that　he　had　informed　the　minister；　he　must　rush　off　some。　where；　anywhere；　and　do…he　knew　not　what。

All　right；〃　said　the　minister；　laughing。　〃　You　have　a　wilder　head　than　I　thought。　But　look　here；〃　he　called；　as　Coleman　was　making　for　the　door。　〃　Am　I　to　keep　this　news　a　secret？　〃

Coleman　with　his　hand　on　the　knob；　turned　im。　pressively。　He　spoke　with　deliberation。　〃　As　far　as　I　am　concerned；　I　would　be　glad　to　see　a　man　paint　it　in　red　letters；　eight　feet　high；　on　the　front　of　the　king's　palace。〃

The　minister；　left　alone；　wrote　steadily　and　did　not　even　look　up　when　Peter　Tounley　and　two　others　entered；　in　response　to　his　cry　of　permission。　How　ever；　he　presently　found　time　to　speak　over　his　shoulder　to　them。　〃Hear　the　news？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　they　answered。

〃　Well；　be　good　boys；　now；　and　read　the　papers　and　look　at　pictures　until　I　finish　this　letter。　Then　I　will　tell　you。〃

They　surveyed　him　keenly。　They　evidently　judged　that　the　news　was　worth　hearing；　but；　obediently；　they　said　nothing。　Ultimately　the　minister　affixed　a　rapid　signature　to　the　letter；　and　turning；　looked　at　the　students　with　a　smile。　〃　Haven't　heard　the　news；　eh　？〃

〃No；　Sir。〃

〃Well；　Marjory　Wainwright　is　engaged　to　marry　Coleman。〃

The　minister　was　amazed　to　see　the　effect　of　this　announcement　upon　the　three　students。　He　had　expected　the　crows　and　cackles　of　rather　absurd　merriment　with　which　unbearded　youth　often　greets；　such　news。　But　there　was　no　crow　or　cackle。　One　young　man　blushed　scarlet　and　looked　guiltily　at　the　floor。　With　a　great　effort　he　muttered：　〃　Shes　too　good　for　him。