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〃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　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　th