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　run　away　from　us。〃

Coleman　looked　at　her　to　see　what　she　could　mean。　From　many　women；　these　words　would　have　been　equal；　under　the　circumstances；　to　a　command　to　stay；　but　he　felt　that　none　might　know　what　impulses　moved　the　mind　behind　that　beautiful　mask。　In　his　misery　he　thought　to　hurt　her　into　an　expression　of　feeling　by　a　rough　speech。　〃　I'm　so　in　love　with　Nora　Black；　you　know；　that　I　have　to　be　very　careful　of　myself。〃

〃　Oh；〃　said　Marjory；　never　thought　of　that。　I　should　think　you　would　have　to　be　careful　of　yourself。〃　　She　did　not　seem　moved　in　any　way。　Coleman　despaired　of　finding　her　weak　spot。　She　was　a'damantine；　　this　girl。　He　searched　his　mind　for　something　to　say　which　would　be　still　more　gross　than　his　last　outbreak；　but　when　he　felt　that　he　was　about　to　hit　upon　it；　the　professor　interrupted　with　an　agitated　speech　to　Marjory。　〃You　had　better　go　to　your　mother；　my　child；　and　see　that　you　are　all　ready　to　leave　here　as　soon　as　the　carriages　come　up。〃

〃We　have　absolutely　nothing　to　make　ready；〃　said　Marjory；　laughing。　〃　But　I'll　go　and　see　if　mother　needs　anything　before　we　start　that　I　can　get　for　her。〃　She　went　away　without　bidding　good…bye　to　Coleman。　The　sole　maddening　impression　to　him　was　that　the　matter　of　his　going　had　not　been　of　sufficient　importance　　to　remain　longer　than　a　moment　upon　her　mind。　At　the　same　time　he　decided　that　he　would　go；　irretrievably　go。　

Even　then　the　dragoman　entered　the　room。　〃　We　will　pack　everything　…upon　the　horse？〃

〃　Everything…yes。〃

Peter　Tounley　came　afterward。　〃　You　are　not　going　to　bolt　？　〃

〃　Yes；　I'm　off；〃　answered　Coleman　recovering　him…　self　for　Peter's　benefit。　〃　See　you　in　Athens；　probably。〃

Presently　the　dragoman　announced　the　readiness　of　the　horses。　Coleman　shook　hands　with　the　students　and　the　Professor　amid　cries　of　surprise　and　polite　regret。　〃What？　Going；　oldman？　Really？　What　for　？　Oh；　wait　for　us。　We're　off　in　a　few　minutes。　Sorry　as　the　devil；　old　boy；　to'　see　you　go。〃　He　accepted　their　protestations　with　a　somewhat　sour　face。　He　knew　perfectly　well　that　they　were　thinking　of　his　departure　as　something　that　related　to　Nora　Black。　At　the　last；　he　bowed　to　the　ladies　as　a　collection。　Marjory's　answering　bow　was　affable；　the　bow　of　Mrs。　Wainwright　spoke　a　resentment　for　some…　thing；　and　Nora's　bow　was　triumphant　mockery。　As　he　swung　into　the　saddle　an　idea　struck　him　with　over　　whelming　force。　The　idea　was　that　he　was　a　fool。　He　was　a　colossal　imbecile。　He　touched　the　spur　to　his　horse　and　the　animal　leaped　superbly；　making　the　Greeks　hasten　for　safety　in　all　directions。　He　was　off　；　he　could　no　more　return　to　retract　his　devious　idiocy　than　he　could　make　his　horse　fly　to　Athens。　What　was　done　was　done。　He　could　not　mend　it。　And　he　felt　like　a　man　that　had　broken　his　own　heart；　perversely；　childishly；　stupidly　broken　his　own　heart。　He　was　sure　that　Marjory　was　lost　to　him。　No　man　could　be　degraded　so　publicly　and　resent　it　so　crudely　and　still　retain　a　Marjory。　In　his　abasement　from　his　defeat　at　the　hands　of　Nora　Black　he　had　performed　every　imaginable　block…headish　act　and　had　finally　climaxed　it　all　by　a　departure　which　left　the　tongue　of　Nora　to　speak　unmolested　into　the　ear　of　Marjory。　Nora's　victory　had　been　a　serious　blow　to　his　fortunes；　but　it　had　not　been　so　serious　as　his　own　subsequent　folly。　He　had　generously　muddled　his　own　affairs　until　he　could　read　nothing　out　of　them　but　despair。

He　was　in　the　mood　for　hatred。　He　hated　many　people。　Nora　Black　was　the　principal　item；　but　he　did　not　hesitate　to　detest　the　professor；　Mrs。　Wain…　wright；　Coke　and　all　the　students。　As　for　Marjory；　he　would　revenge　himself　upon　her。　She　had　done　nothing　that　he　defined　clearly　but；　at　any　rate；　he　would　take　revenge　for　it。　As　much　as　was　possible；　he　would　make　her　suffer。　He　would　convince　her　that　he　was　a　tremendous　and　inexorable　person。　But　it　came　upon　his　mind　that　he　was　powerless　in　all　ways。　If　he　hated　many　people　they　probably　would　not　be　even　interested　in　his　emotion　and；　as　for　his　revenge　upon　Marjory；　it　was　beyond　his　strength。　He　was　nothing　but　the　complaining　victim　　of　Nora　Black　and　himself。

He　felt　that　he　would　never　again　see　Marjory；　and　while　feeling　it　he　began　to　plan　his　attitude　when　next　they　met。　He　would　be　very　cold　and　reserved。　At　Agrinion　he　found　that　there　would　be　no　train　until　the　next　daybreak。　The　dragoman　was　excessively　　annoyed　over　it；　but　Coleman　did　not　scold　at　all。　As　a　matter　of　fact　his　heart　had　given　a　great　joyus　bound。　He　could　not　now　prevent　his　being　overtaken。　They　were　only　a　few　leagues　away；　and　while　he　was　waiting　for　the　train　they　would　easily　cover　the　distance。　If　anybody　expressed　surprise　at　seeing　him　he　could　exhibit　the　logical　reasons。　If　there　had　been　a　train　starting　at　once　he　would　have　taken　it。　His　pride　would　have　put　up　with　no　subterfuge。　If　the　Wainwrights　overtook　him　it　was　because　he　could　not　help　it。　But　he　was　delighted　that　he　could　not　help　it。　There　had　been　an　inter…　position　by　some　specially　beneficent　fate。　He　felt　like　whistling。　He　spent　the　early　half　of　the　night　in　blissful　smoke；　striding　the　room　which　the　dragoman　had　found　for　him。　His　head　was　full　of　plans　and　detached　impressive　scenes　in　which　he　figured　before　Marjory。　The　simple　fact　that　there　was　no　train　away　from　Agrinion　until　the　next　daybreak　had　wrought　a　stupendous　change　in　his　outlook。　He　unhesitatingly　considered　it　an　omen　of　a　good　future。　He　was　up　before　the　darkness　even　contained　presage　of　coming　light；　but　near　the　railway　station　was　a　little　hut　where　coffee　was　being　served　to　several　prospective　travellers　who　had　come　even　earlier　to　the　rendezvous。　There　was　no　evidence　of　the　Wainwrights。

Coleman　sat　in　the　hut　and　listened　for　the　rumble　of　wheels。　He　was　suddenly　appalled　that　the　Wainwrights　were　going　to　miss　the　train。　Perhaps　they　had　decided　against　travelling　during　the　night。　Perbaps　this　thing；　and　perhaps　that　thing。　The　morning　was　very　cold。　Closely　muffled　in　his　cloak；　he　went　to　the　door　and　stared　at　where　the　road　was　whiten…　ing　out　of　night。　At　the　station　stood　a　little　spectral　train；　and　the　engine　at　intervals　emitted　a　long；　piercing　scream　which　informed　the　echoing　land　that；　in　all　probability；　it　was　going　to　start　after　a　time　for　the　south。　The　Greeks　in　the　coffee　room　were；　of　course；　talking。

At　last　Coleman　did　hear　the　sound　of　hoofs　and　wheels。　The　three　carriages　swept　up　in　grand　procession。　The　first　was　laden　with　students　；　in　the　second　was　the　professor；　the　Greek　officer；　Nora　Black's　old　lady　and　other　persons；　all　looking　marvellously　unimportant　and　shelved。　It　was　the　third　carriage　at　which　Coleman　stared。　At　first　be　thought　the　dim　light　deceived　his　vision；　but　in　a　moment　he　knew　that　his　first　leaping　conception　of　the　arrangement　of　the　people　in　this　vehicle　had　been　perfectly　correct。　Nora　Black　and　Mrs。　Wainwright　sat　side　by　side　on　the　back　seat；　while　facing　them　were　Coke　and　Marjory。

They　looked　cold　but　intimate。

The　oddity　of　the　grouping　stupefied　Coleman。　It　was　anarchy；　naked　and　unashamed。　He　could　not　imagine　how　such　changes　could　have　been　consummated　in　the　short　time　he　had　been　away　from　them；　but　he　laid　it　all　to　some　startling　necromancy　on　the　part　of　Nora　Black；　some　wondrous　play　which　had　captured　them　all　because　of　its　surpassing　skill　and　because　they　were；　in　the　main；　rather　gullible　people。　He　was　wrong。　The　magic　had　been　wrought　by　the　unaided　foolishness　of　Mrs。　Wainwfight。　As　soon　as　Nora　Black　had　succeeded　in　creating　an　effect　of　intimacy　and　dependence　between　herself　and　Coleman；　the　professor　had　flatly　stated　to　his　wife　that　the　presence　of　Nora　Black　in　the　party；　in　the　inn；　in　the　world；　was　a　thiag　that　did　not　meet　his　approval　in　any　way。　She　should　be　abolished。　As　for　Coleman；　he　would　not　defend　him。　He　preferred　not　to　talk　to　him。　It　made　him　sad。　Coleman　at　　least　had　been　very　indiscreet；　very　indiscreet。　It　was　a　great　pity。　But　as　for　this　blatant　woman；　the　sooner　they　rid　themselves　of　her；　the　sooner　he　would　feel　that　all　the　world　was　not　evil。

Whereupon　Mrs。　Wainwright　had　changed　front　with　the　speed　of　light　and　attacked　with　horse；　foot　and　guns。　She　failed　to　see；　she　had　declared；　where　this　poor；　lone　girt　was　in　great　fault。　Of　course　it　was　probable　that　she　had　listened　to　this　snaky。　tongued　Rufus　Coleman；　but　that　was　ever　the　mistake　that　women　made。　Oh；　certainly　；　the　professor　would　like　to　let　Rufus　Coleman　off　scot…free。　That　was　the　way　with　men。　They　defended　each　other　in　all　cases。　If　wrong　were　done　it　was　the　woman　who　suffered。　Now；　since　this　poor　girl　was　alone　far　off　here　in　Greece；　Mrs。　Wainwright　announced　that　she　had　such　full　sense　of　her　duty　to　her　sex　that　her　conscience　would　not　allow　her　to　scorn　and　desert　a　sister；　even　if　that　sister　was；　approximately；　the　victim　of　a　creature　like　Rufus　Coleman。　Perhaps　the　poor　thing　loved　this　wretched　man；　although　it　was　hard　to　imagine　any　woman　giving　her　heart　to　such。　a　monster。

The　professor　had　then　asked　with　considerable　spirit　for　the　proofs　upon　which　Mrs。　Wainwright　named　Coleman　a　monster；　and　had　made　a　wry　face　over　her