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　soon　together　they　walked　into　a　cavalry　outpost；　commanded　by　no　less　a　person　than　the　dashing　young　captain；　who　came　laughing　out　to　meet　them。

Suddenly　losing　all　colour　of　war；　the　condition　was　now　such　as　might　occur　in　a　drawing　room。　Coleman　felt　the　importance　of　establishing　highly　conventional　relations　between　the　captain　and　the　Wainwright　party。　To　compass　this　he　first　seized　his　dragoman；　and　the　dragoman；　enlightened　immediately；　spun　a　series　of　lies　which　must　have　led　the　captain　to　believe　that　the　entire　heart　of　the　American　republic　had　been　taken　out　of　that　western　continent　and　transported　to　Greece。　Coleman　was　proud　of　the　captain；　The　latter　immediately　went　and　bowed　in　the　manner　of　the　French　school　and　asked　everybody　to　have　a　cup　of　coffee；　although　acceptation　would　have　proved　his　ruin　and　disgrace。　Coleman　refused　in　the　name　of　courtesy。　He　called　his　party　forward；　and　now　they　proceeded　merely　as　one　crowd。　Marjory　had　dismounted　in　the　meantime。

The　moment　was　come。　Coleman　felt　it。　The　first　rush　was　from　the　students。　Immediately　he　was　buried　in　a　thrashing　mob　of　them。　〃Good　boy！　Good　boy！　Great　man！　Oh；　isn't　he　a　peach？　How　did　he　do　it？　He　came　in　strong　at　the　finish　！　Good　boy；　Coleman！〃　Through　this　mist　of　glowing　youthful　congratulatioin　he　saw　the　professor　standing　at　the　outskirts　with　direct　formal　thanks　already　moving　on　his　lips；　while　near　him　his　wife　wept　joyfully。　Marjory　was　evidently　enduring　some　inscrutable　emotion。

After　all；　it　did　penetrate　his　mind　that　it　was　indecent　to　accept　all　this　wild　gratitude；　but　there　was　built　within　him　no　intention　of　positively　declaring　himself　lacking　in　all　credit；　or　at　least；　lacking　in　all　credit　in　the　way　their　praises　defined　it。　In　truth　he　had　assisted　them；　but　he　had　been　at　the　time　largely　engaged　in　assisting　himself；　and　their　coming　had　been　more　of　a　boon　to　his　loneliness　than　an　addition　to　his　care。　　However；　he　soon　had　no　difficulty　in　making　his　conscience　appropriate　every　line　in　these　hymns　sung　in　his　honour。　The　students；　curiously　wise　of　men；　thought　his　conduct　quite　perfect。　〃　Oh；　say；　come　off　！　〃　he　protested。　〃　Why；　I　didn't　do　anything。　You　fellows　are　crazy。　You　would　have　gotten　in　all　right　by　yourselves。　Don't　act　like　asses…〃

As　soon　as　the　professor　had　opportunity　he　came　to　Coleman。　He　was　a　changed　little　man；　and　his　extraordinary　bewilderment　showed　in　his　face。　It　was　the　disillusion　and　amazement　of　a　stubborn　mind　that　had　gone　implacably　in　its　one　direction　and　found　in　the　end　that　the　direction　was　all　wrong；　and　that　really　a　certain　mental　machine　had　not　been　infallible。　Coleman　remembered　what　the　American　minister　in　Athens　had　described　of　his　protests　against　the　starting　of　the　professor's　party　on　this　journey；　and　of　the　complete　refusal　of　the　professor　to　recognise　any　value　in　the　advice。　And　here　now　was　the　consequent　defeat。　It　was　mirrored　in　the　professor's　astonished　eyes。　Coleman　went　directly　to　his　dazed　old　teacher。　〃　Well；　you're　out　of　it　now；　professor；〃　he　said　warmly。　〃　I　congratulate　you　on　your　escape；　sir。〃　The　professor　looked　at　him；　helpless　to　express　himself；　but　the　correspondent　was　at　that　time　suddenly　enveloped　in　the　hysterical　gratitude　of　Mrs。　Wainwright；　who　hurled　herself　upon　him　with　extravagant　manifestations。　Coleman　played　his　　part　with　skill。　To　both　the　professor　and　Mrs。　Wainwright　his　　manner　was　a　combination　of　modestly　filial　affection　and　a　　pretentious　disavowal　of　his　having　done　anything　at　all。　It　　seemed　to　charm　everybody　but　Marjory。　It　irritated　him　to　see　　that　she　was　apparently　incapable　of　acknowledging　that　he　was　a　grand　man。

He　was　actually　compelled　to　go　to　her　and　offer　congratulations　upon　her　escape；　as　he　had　congratulated　the　professor。　If　his　manner　to　her　parents　had　been　filial；　his　manner　to　her　was　parental。　〃　Well；　Marjory；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃you　have　been　in　considerable　danger。　I　suppose　you're　glad　to　be　through　with　it。〃　She　at　that　time　made　no　reply；　but　by　her　casual　turn　he　knew　that　he　was　expected　to　walk　along　by　her　side。　The　others　knew　it；　too；　and　the　rest　of　the　party　left　them　free　to　walk　side　by　side　in　the　rear。

〃　This　is　a　beautiful　country　here…abouts　if　one　gets　a　good　chance　to　see　it；〃　he　remarked。　Then　he　added：　〃But　I　suppose　you　had　a　view　of　it　when　you　were　going　out　to　Nikopolis？　〃

She　answered　in　muffled　tones。　〃Yes；　we　thought　it　very　beautiful。〃

Did　you　note　those　streams　from　the　mountains　〃　That　seemed　to　me　the　purest　water　I'd　ever　seen；　but　I　bet　it　would　make　one　ill　to　drink　it。　There　is；　you　know；　a　prominent　　German　chemist　who　has　almost　proven　that　really　pure　water　is　practical　poison　to　the　human　stomach。〃

〃Yes　？　〃　she　said。

There　was　a　period　of　silence；　during　which　he　was　perfectly　comfortable　because　he　knew　that　she　was　ill　at　ease。　If　the　silence　was　awkward；　she　was　suffering　from　it。　As　for　himself；　he　had　no　inclination　to　break　it。　His　position　was；　as　far　as　the　entire　Wainwright　party　was　concerned；　a　place　where　he　could　afford　to　wait。　She　turned　to　him　at　last。　〃Of　course；　I　know　how　much　you　have　done　for　us；　and　I　want　you　to　feel　that　we　all　appreciate　it　deeply…deeply。〃　There　was　discernible　to　the　ear　a　certain　note　of　desperation。

〃　Oh；　not　at　all；〃　he　said　generously。　〃　Not　at　all。　I　didn't　do　anything。　It　was　quite　an　accident。　Don't　let　that　trouble　you　for　a　moment。〃

〃Well；　of　course　you　would　say　that；〃　she　said　more　steadily。　〃　But　I…we…we　know　how　good　and　how…brave　it　was　in　you　to　come　for　us；　and　Iwe　must　never　forget　it。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact；〃　replied　Coleman；　with　an　appearance　of　ingenuous　candor；　〃　I　was　sent　out　here　by　the　Eclipse　to　find　you　people；　and　of　course　I　worked　rather　hard　to　reach　you；　but　the　final　meeting　was　purely　accidental　and　does　not　redound　to　my　credit　in　the　least。〃

As　he　had　anticipated；　Marjory　shot　him　a　little　glance　of　disbelief。　〃　Of　course　you　would　say　that；〃　she　repeated　with　gloomy　but　flattering　conviction。

〃　Oh；　if　I　had　been　a　great　hero；〃　he　said　smiling；　〃no　doubt　I　would　have　kept　up　this　same　manner　which　now　sets　so　well　upon　me；　but　I　am　telling　you　the　truth　when　I　say　that　I　had　no　part　in　your　rescue　at　all。〃

She　became　slightly　indignant。　〃　Oh；　if　you　care　to　tell　us　constantly　that　you　were　of　no　service　to　us；　I　don't　see　what　we　can　do　but　continue　to　declare　that　you　were。〃

Suddenly　he　felt　vulgar。　He　spoke　to　her　this　time　with　real　meaning。　〃　I　beg　of　'you　never　to　mention　it　again。　That　will　be　the　best　way。〃

But　to　this　she　would　not　accede。　〃No；　we　will　often　want　to　speak　of　it。〃

He　replied　〃How　do　you　like　Greece？　Don't　you　think　that　some　of　these　ruins　are　rather　out　of　shape　in　the　popular　mind？　Now；　for　my　part；　I　would　rather　look　at　a　good　strong　finish　at　a　horserace　than　to　see　ten　thousand　Parthenons　in　a　bunch。〃

She　was　immediately　in　the　position　of　defending　him　from　himself。　〃You　would　rather　see　no　such　thing。　You　shouldn't　talk　in　that　utterly　trivial　way。　I　like　the　Parthenon；　of　course；　but　I　can't　think　of　it　now　because　my　head。　is　too　full　of　my　escape　from　where　I　was　so…so　frightened。〃

Coleman　grinned。　〃　Were　you　really　frightened？〃

〃　Naturally；〃　she　answered。　〃　I　suppose　I　was　more　frightened　for　mother　and　father；　but　I　was　frightened　enough　for　myself。　It　was　not…not　a　nice　thing。〃

〃No；　it　wasn't；〃　said　Coleman。　〃I　could　hardly　believe　my　senses；　when　the　minister　at　Athens　told　me　that；　you　all　had　ventured　into　such　a　trap；　and　there　is　no　doubt　but　what　you　can　be　glad　that　you　are　well　out　of　it。〃

She　seemed　to　have　some　struggle　with　herself　and　then　she　deliberately　said：　〃Thanks　to　you。〃

Coleman　embarked　on　what　he　intended　to　make　a　series　of　high…minded　protests。　〃　Not　at　all…〃　but　at　that　moment　the　dragoman　whirled　back　from　the　van…guard　with　a　great　collection　of　the　difficulties　which　had　been　gathering　upon　him。　Coleman　was　obliged　to　resign　Marjory　and　again　take　up　the　active　leadership。　He　disposed　of　the　dragoman's　difficulties　mainly　by　declaring　that　they　were　not　difficulties　at　all。　He　had　learned　that　this　was　the　way　to　deal　with　dragomen。　The　fog　had　already　lifted　from　the　valley　and；　as　they　passed　along　the　wooded　mountain…side　the　fragrance　of　leaves　and　earth　came　to　them。　Ahead；　along　the　hooded　road；　they　could　see　the　blue　clad　figures　of　Greek　infantrymen。　Finally　they　passed　an　encampment　of　a　battalion　whose　line　was　at　a　right　angle　to　the　highway。　A　hundred　yards　in　advance　was　the　bridge　across　the　Louros　river。　And　there　a　battery　of　artillery　was　encamped。　The　dragoman　became　involved　in　all　sorts　of　discussions　with　other　Greeks；　but　Coleman　stuck　to　his　elbow　and　stifled　all　aimless　oration。　The　Wainwright　party　waited　for　them　in　the　rear　in　an　observant　but　patient　group。

Across　a　plain；　the　hills　directly　behind　Arta　loomed　up　showing　the　straight　yellow　scar　of　a　modern　entrenchment。　To　the　north　of　Arta　were　some　grey　mountains　with　a　dimly　marked　road　winding　to　the　summit。　On　one　side　of　this　road　were　two　shadows。　It　took　a　moment　for　the　eye　to　find　these　shadows；　but　when　this　was　accomplished　it