to　have　little　wit　；　perhaps　it　was　because　Coke　thought　Nora　to　have　little　conscience。　Their　talk　was　mainly　rudderless。　From　time　to　time　Nora　had　an　inspiration　to　come　boldly　at　the　point；　but　this　inspiration　was　commonly　defeated　by；　some　extraordinary　manifestation　of　Coke's　incapacity。　To　her　mind；　then；　it　seemed　like　a　proposition　to　ally　herself　to　a　butcher…boy　in　a　matter　purely　sentimental。　She　Wondered　indignantly　　how　she　was　going　to　conspire　With　this　lad；　who　puffed　out　his　infantile　cheeks　in　order　to　conceitedly　demonstrate　that　he　did　not　understand　the　game　at　all。　She　hated　Marjory　for　it。　Evidently　it　was　only　the　weaklings　who　fell　in　love　with　that　girl。　Coleman　was　an　exception；　but　then；　Coleman　was　misled；　by　extraordinary　artifices。　She　meditatecf　for　a　moment　if　she　should　tell　Coke　to　go　home　and　not　bother　her。　What　at　last　decided　the　question　was　his　unhappiness。　Shd　clung　to　this　unhappiness　for　its　value　as　it　stood　alone；　and　because　its　reason　for　existence　was　related　　to　her　own　unhappiness。　〃　You　Say　you　are　not　going　back　toAthens　with　your　party。　I　don't　suppose　you're　going　to　stay　here。　　I'm　going　back　to　Athens　to…day。　I　came　up　here　to　see　a　battle；　but　it　doesn't　seem　that　there　are　to　be　any　more　battles。；　The　fighting　will　now　all　be　on　the　other　side　of'the　mountains。〃　Apparent　she　had　learned　in　some　haphazard　way　that　the　Greek　　peninsula　was　divided　by　a　spine　of　almost　inaccessible　mountains；　and　the　war　was　thus　split　into　two　　simultaneous　campaigns。　The　Arta　campaign　was　known　to　be　ended。　〃If　you　want　to　go　back　to　Athens　without　consorting　with　your　friends；　you　had　better　go　back　with　me。　I　can　take　you　in　my　carriage　as　far　as　the　beginning　of　the　railroad。　Don't　you　worry。　You've　got　money　enough；　haven't　you　？　The　pro…　fessor　isn't　keeping　your　money　？〃
  〃Yes；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I've　got　money　enough。〃　He　was　apparently　dubious　over　the　proposal。　In　their　abstracted　walk　they　had　arrived　in　front　of　the　house　occupied　by　Coleman　and　the　Wainwright　party。　Two　carriages；　forlorn　in　dusty　age；　stood　be…　fore　the　door。　Men　were　carrying　out　new　leather　luggage　and　flinging　it　into　the　traps　amid　a　great　deal　of　talk　which　seemed　to　refer　to　nothing。　Nora　and　Coke　stood　looking　at　the　scene　without　either　thinking　of　the　importance　of　running　away；　when　out　tumbled　seven　students；　followed　immediately　but　in　more　decorous　fashion　by　the　Wainwrights　and　Coleman。
  Some　student　set　up　a　whoop。　〃　Oh；　there　he　is。　There's　Coke。　Hey；　Coke；　where　you　been？　　Here　he　is；　professor。〃　For　a　moment　after　the　hoodlum　had　subsided；　the　two　camps　stared　at　each　other　in　silence。
  CHAPTER　XX。
  NORA　and　Coke　were　an　odd　looking　pair　at　the　time。　They　stood　indeed　as　if　rooted　to　the　spot；　staring　vacuously；　like　two　villagers；　at　the　surprising　travellers。　It　was　not　an　eternity　before　the　practiced　girl　of　the　stage　recovered　her　poise；　but　to　the　end　of　the　incident　the　green　youth　looked　like　a　culprit　and　a　fool。　Mrs。　Wainwright's　glower　of　offensive　　incredulity　was　a　masterpiece。　Marjory　nodded　　pleasantly；　the　professor　nodded。　The　seven　students　clambered　boisterously　into　the　forward　carriage　making　it　clang　with　noise　like　a　rook's　nest。　They　shouted　to　Coke。　〃　Come　on；　all　aboard；　come　on；　Coke；　…　we're　off。　Hey；　there；　Cokey；　hurry　up。〃　The　professor；　as　soon　as　he　had　seated　himself　on　the　forward　seat　of'　the　second　carriage；　turned　in　Coke's　general　direction　and　asked　formally：　〃　Mr。　Coke；　you　are　coming　with　us　？　〃　He　felt　seemingly　much　in　doubt　as　to　the　propriety　of　abandoning　the　headstrong　young　man；　and　this　doubt　was　not　at　all　decreased　by　Coke's　appearance　with　Nora　Black。　As　far　as　he　could　tell；　any　assertion　of　authority　on　his　part　would　end　only　in　a　scene　in　which　Coke　would　probably　insult　him　with　some　gross　violation　of　collegiate　conduct。　As　at　first　the　young　man　made　no　reply；　the　professor　after　waiting　spoke　again。　〃You　understand；　Mr。　Coke；　that　if　you　separate　yourself　from　the　party　you　encounter　my　strongest　disapproval；　and　if　I　did　not　feel　responsible　to　the　college　and　your　father　for　your　safe　journey　to　New　York　I…I　don't　know　but　what　I　would　have　you　ex…　pelled　by　cable　if　that　were　possible。〃
  Although　Coke　had　been　silent；　and　Nora　Black　had　had　the　appearance　of　being　silent；　in　reality　she　had　lowered　her　chin　and　whispered　sideways　and　swiftly。　She　had　said：　〃　Now；　here's　your　time。　Decide　quickly；　and　don't　look　such　a　wooden　Indian。〃　Coke　pulled　himself　together　with　a　visible　effort；　and　spoke　to　the　professor　from　an　inspiration　in　which　he　had　no　faith。　〃　I　understand　my　duties　to　you；　sir；　perfectly。　I　also　understand　my　duty　to　the　college。　But　I　fail　to　see　where　either　of　these　　obligations　require　me　to　accept　the　introduction　of　　objectionable　people　into　the　party。　If　I　owe　a　duty　to　the　college　and　to　you；　I　don't　owe　any　to　Coleman；　and；　as　I　understand　it；　Coleman　was　not　in　the　original　plan　of　this　expedition。　If　such　had　been　the　case；　I　would　not　have　been　here。　I　can't　tell　what　the　college　may　see　fit　to　do；　but　as　for　my　father　I　I　have　no　doubt　of　how　he　will　view　it。〃
  The　first　one　to　be　electrified　by　the　speech　was　Coke　himself。　He　saw　with　a　kind　of　sub…conscious　amazement　this　volley　of　bird…shot　take　effect　upon　the　face　of　the　old　professor。　The　face　of　Marjory　flushed　crimson　as　if　her　mind　had　sprung　to　a　fear　that　if　Coke　could　develop　ability　in　this　singular　fashion　he　might　succeed　in　humiliating　her　father　in　the　street　in　the　presence　of　the　seven　students；　her　mother；　Coleman　and…herself。　She　had　felt　the　bird…　shot　sting　her　father。
  When　Coke　had　launched　forth；　Coleman　with　his　legs　stretched　far　apart　had　just　struck　a　match　on　the　wall　of　the　house　and　was　about　to　light　a　cigar。　His　groom　was　leading　up　his　horse。　He　saw　the　value　of　Coke's　argument　more　appreciatively　and　sooner　perhaps　than　did　Coke。　The　match　dropped　from　his　fingers；　and　in　the　white　sunshine　and　still　air　it　burnt　on　the　pavement　orange　coloured　and　with　langour。　Coleman　held　his　cigar　with　all　five　fingers…in　a　manner　out　of　all　the　laws　of　smoking。　He　turned　toward　Coke。　There　was　danger　in　the　moment；　but　then　in　a　flash　it　came　upon　him　that　his　role　was　not　of　squabbling　with　Coke；　far　less　of　punching　him。　On　the　contrary；　he　was　to　act　the　part　of　a　cool　and　instructed　man　who　refused　to　be　waylaid　into　foolishness　by　the　outcries　of　this　　pouting　youngster　and　who　placed　himself　in　complete　deference　to　the　wishes　of　the　professor。　Before　the　professor　had　time　to　embark　upon　any　reply　to　Coke；　Coleman　was　at　the　side　of　the　carriage　and；　with　a　fine　assumption　of　distress；　was　saying：　〃Professor；　I　could　very　easily　ride　back　to　Agrinion　alone。　It　would　be　all　right。　I　don't　want　to…〃
  To　his　surprise　the　professor　waved　at　him　to　be　silent　as　if　he　were　a　mere　child。　The　old　man's　face　was　set　with　the　resolution　of　exactly　what　hewas　going　to　say　to　Coke。　He　began　in　measured　tone；　speaking　with　feeling；　but　with　no　trace　of　anger。
  〃　Mr。　Coke；　it　has　probably　escaped　your　attention　that　Mr。　Coleman；　at　what　I　consider　a　great　deal　of　peril　to　himself；　came　out　to　rescue　this　party…you　and　others…and　although　he　studiously　disclaims　all　merit　in　his　finding　us　and　bringing　us　in；　I　do　not　regard　it　in　that　way；　and　I　am　surprised　that　any　member　of　this　party　should　conduct　himself　in　this　manner　toward　a　man　who　has　been　most　devotedly　and　generously　at　our　service。〃　It　was　at　this　time　that　the　professor　raised　himself　and　shook　his　finger　at　Coke；　his　voice　now　ringing　with　scorn。　In　such　moments　words　came　to　him　and　formed　themselves　into　sentences　almost　too　rapidly　for　him　to　speak　them。　〃　You　are　one　of　the　most　remarkable　products　of　our　civilisation　which　I　have　yet　come　upon。　What　do　you　mean；　sir？　Where　are　your　senses？　Do　you　think　that　all　this　pulling　and　pucking　is　manhood？　I　will　tell　you　what　I　will　do　with　you。　I　thought　I　brought　out　eight　students　to　Greece；　but　when　I　find　that　I　brought　out；　seven　students　anderanourang…outangdon't　get　angry；　sirI　don't　care　for　your　angerI　say　when　I　discover　this　I　am　naturally　puzzled　for　a　moment。　I　will　leave　you　to　the　judgment　of　your　peers。　Young　gentlemen！　〃　Of　the　seven　heads　of　the　forward　carriage　none　had　to　be　turned。　All　had　been　turned　since　the　　beginning　of　the　talk。　If　the　professor's　speech　had　been　delivered　in　one　of　the　class…rooms　of　　Washurst　they　would　have　glowed　with　delight　over　the　butchery　of　Coke；　but　they　felt　its　portentous　aspect。　Butchery　here　in　Greece　thousands　of　miles　from　home　presented　to　them　more　of　the　emphasis　of　downright　death　and　destruction。　The　professor　called　out　〃　Young　gentlemen；　I　have　done　all　that　I　can　do　without　using　force；　which；　much　to　my　regret；　is　impracticable。　If　you　will　persuade　your　fellow　student　to　accompany　you　I　think　our　consciences　will　be　the　better　for　not　having　left　a　weak　minded　brother　alone　among　the　by…paths。〃　The　valuable　aggregation　of　intelligence　and　refine…　ment　which　decorated　the　interior　of　the　first　carriage　did　not　hesitate　over　answering　this　appeal。　In　fact；　his　fellow　students　had　worried　among　themselves　over　Coke；　and　their　desire