The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 20, 1899, Page 25

SUNDAY CALL., g [\ A = EPHE. R ™ i \ “/ Copyrighted. Sunday Rufus Coleman e of the lear e arran Mars lly and ann n the carmi 1ai Colem t cou entire ad made competenc 1 his nature. It was as somehow in the A smoke of gibberish sometin the hatred that b that this T was inde c his man’ connected him with C ved him he delayed what.was now his m him from addre: ent did ‘not p , Tittle ced to carry Coleman’s luggage as Greck cam progure hi mg a road tervals boom- talked, talke at { N men f ; 1 reflecting upon’ the odd astonished if ‘they cou! men whe no, : e tly joy- of th < foning hefor n of medieval po V. tourist he would have been apparer for nis loftv impatierice over trifles. but now th ras in-him a direetions which w oubtedly one of the re ed.d n. : opened and opened. the straigh ance shaft they could s complis A ), green knolls. The artillery thundered I through the air. Coleman quickened his ¢ ft > men ¢ ving the traps. They finally cam Y fes of men and found 1t to be composed of n Y ¥ ldiers who were idly watching some. nospital 1 The a4 oman at on hed forward Then nd see the ce of the corpse. ( he were hawking him to look at mysterious impulse. went forw r « i body. At that moment a snake ¢ ft his feet and wriggled wildly over the sod. The a. of course, but one of the soldiers put his heel upan » and it flung itself into the agonizing knot of death owed. turning from the dead man to the dead ngent and proceeded along the road. . had seemed range introduction to entire shudder of n un m It w no hing but an occurrence: but inasmuch a ssociated Itself with Marfory. he felt a ¢ more th d the He b ight of the little devil dog and Marjory in-a ay. .Su ng M v had been’ riding in the diligence top? What would she have said? Of her fund of .xr 1 unaccs able. .which would she have innocently jected round of the Greek hills? Would it have smitten -her d she have lgughed? And supposing Marjory could n in his new khe clothes cursing his dragoman as he lis- wvil dog? interwove his memory of Marforv with a dead man and the throes.of the end of life. Thev crossed. intérsected thoughts He perceived it clearly: the incongruity. of v reflected unon the mvsteries of the himan mind. this ss machine which res here and then there and often llves In two ing places at the same Instant.. He decided that the Incident e and the dead man had no more meaning than v(he (.43 he things which happen to us in our daily lives.” Neverthele him ter 3 in thev saw a force drawn up in a long line. It was i k on the verdant prairie. From somewhere near it the timed reverberations of guns. -The brisk walk of the next utes was actually exciting to Coleman. He could not but reflect- ge guns were being fired with serious purpose at certain human much like his own. carer they saw that the Inky vers standimg at their bridl pon! streak was comp The sunlight i Now. the dragoman developed in one He_announced forsooth that an intimate Coleman at first thoug rious lie, but when he arrived hoofs, the ‘clank of weapon: Young officer gave a s elves into a mad embrace. caval direct of caval > kind of v in this command. myst was this w could hear t of men and-the the i dragoman bethought him of his employer, and i00k- 1 hastily explained him to-the officer.. The latter, it ffable indeed. Much had happened. The Greeks and Tur ¥ ver a shallow part of the r e this poin eks had driven back the Tur! isks and planking across th he delight of this force 6f cavalry to cro: little force of covering "Greek infantry to proceed cam n touch with ‘thé enemy s dilated. Was_ever fate less perverse? Partly to the officer and partly in idiomatic English. to oclaimed his flery desire to accompai T immediately beamed upon him.. In fact, he delighted. The had naturally told him many falsehoods concerning Coleman, referring to himself more as a philanthropic guardian and f the correspondent than as a plain, unvaraished drago- ver nearly and succ: o ded n the ¢ the expedition. . troopers, and they were c feeling 1s often notably serious if in peace a man has done his worst or part of his worst, Coleman believed that, above everybody, young, proud and brave subalterns had this itch, but it existed, truly enough, from leu- tenants to colonels. None wanted to conceal from his left hand that his right hand was performing a manly and yaliant thing, although there might be times when an application of the principle would be immensely convenient. The war correspondent arises, then, to become a sort of a chea scope for the people at home; further still, there have been fights where the eyes of a solitary man were the eyes of the world; ono spectator whose business it to transfer, according to his ability, his visual impressions to other minds. Coleman and his servant were -conducted to two saddled troop horses and beside them waited decently in the rear of the ranks. The uniforms of the troopers were of plain dark green cloth and they were well and sensibly equipped. The mounts, however, had in no way been pickud; there were little horses and big horses, fat horses and thin horses. They looked the result of a wild conscription. Coleman noted the faces of ihe Im'enough save when a man betrayed himself by perhaps a disproportionate angry jerk at the bridle of his restive horse. The major, artistically drooping his cloak from his left shoulder g tenderly and musingly fingering his long vellow mustache, rode slow the middle of the line and wheeled his horse to face his men. called attention, and then he address which did not seem to_have an end. was paying tribute to the Greek tradi to A bugle i them in a loud and rapid speech, that the 1naj Agal Coleman imagined n of the power of oratory. the trumpet rang out, and this parade front swung off into cclumn formatio Then Coleman and the dragoman trotted at the tail of 1l.\e squadron, restraining with difficulty their horses, who could not under stand their new places in the procession, and worked feverishly to regain what they considered their positions in life. ¥ The column jangle the sod, passing between two hiils on one of which a ( v was posted. Its men climbed to the tops of the trenchments -to witness the going of the cavalry. Then b column curved along over ditch and through hedge to the shallows of the river. Across this narrow am was T\ however, pre- sented nothing to the eye but a mudd back of it. It seemed to be a great plain wi f foliage mark- ing it, whereas the Greek of high, gaur rocks. Perhaps one of the fi nd s & new making recognition fear of the ci p in platoon format ndscape seem inscrutable. The caval nk of the steam and waited. 1f Colen i known any- would have knewn, from appearances, that there was mmediate vicinity to cause heart-jumping, but as a mat- of iruth he was deeply moved was hidden, what wondered what the sc awaiting Napole at the bit, plung resembled an old s veiled by those tre picture of a body of h meantime hi fume The sky wa Sometimes C ing to his an: Y to charge. In the ng to get back to the ranks. t down upon taem. dragoman nim to go to the river and but in the end he simply told der came and the first troop moved with muffled tumult idge. Coleman and his dragoman followed the last troop. T ses scrambled up the muddy bank much as if they were merely breaking out of a pasture, but probably aH the men felt a sudden tigt ening of their muscles. Coleman, in his excitement, felt, more than he v horse flanks, green-clothed men chumping in their saddles, bers and canteens, and carbines slanted in line. There were some Greek infantry in a trench. They were heavily over- coated, despite the heat. and some were engaged in eating loaves of round, thick bread. ‘They called out lustily as the cavalry passed them. The “They Were Idly Watching Some Hospital People Bury a Dead Turk.' man with an position. Coleman wanted scout taking them ne point until such time dragom, xceedingly good eye for the financial possibilities of his to ask his servant if there was any chance of the r Nikopo but he delayed being informed upon {his 1s. he could find out secretly for himself. To agk t n would be mere stupid questioning, which would surely maks the animal shy. He tried to be content that fate had given him this early opportunity of dealing with a medieval situation with some show of proper form; that is to y, armed, a-horseback and in danger. Then he could feel that to the gods of the game he s not laughable, as when he rode to rescue his love in a diligence with a devil dog velping a-top. With some flourish the young captain presented him to the major who commanded the cavalry. This officer stood with his legs wide apart, eat- ing the rind of a fresh lemon and talking betimes to some of his officers. The major alsa beamed upon Coleman when the captain explained that the ‘gentleman .in the distinguished looking Khaki -clothes wished to accom- pany. the expedition. ‘He at once said that he would provide two troop horses for Coleman and the dragoman. Coléman thanked fate for this behavior, and his satisfaction was not without a vestige of surprisc. - At that time he judged it to be a remarkable amiability of inflividuals, but In later vears he came to believe in certain laws which he deemed. éxistent solely for the benefit of war correspondents. In the minds of Governments, War Offices and generals they have no function save one of disturbance, but Coleman deemed it proved that the common .men, and many uncom- mon men, when they go away to the fighting ground, out of the sight, out of the hearing, of the world known to them and are eager to perform feats 6f war in this new place, they feel an absolute longing for a specta- tor. It is indeed the veritable coronation of this world. There s not too much vanity of the street in this desire of men to have some disinterested fellows perceive their deeds. It is merely that a man doing his best in the middle of a sea of war longs to have people see him doing his best. This troopers smiled slowly, somewhat proudly, in response. Presently there was another halt and Coleman saw the major trotting busily here and there, while troop commanders rode out to meet Spreading groups of scouts and flankers moved off and disappeared. T dashing young officer friend cantered past them with his troop at heels. He waved a joyful good-by. It was the doings of cavalry in act service, horsemen fanning out in all forward directions. There were two troops held 'in reserve, and as they jangled ahead at a foot pace Coleman and his dragoman followed them. The dragoman was now moved to erect many reasons for an immediate return. It s plain that he had no stomach at all for this business and that he wished himself safely back cn the other side of the riy Coleman looked at him askance. -When these men talked together Colman might as well have been a polor bear for all he understood of it. When he saw the trepidation of his dragoman he did not know what it foreboded.. In this situation it.was not for him to say that the dragoman’s fears were founded on nothing. And ever the dragoman raised his reasons for a re- treat. Coleman spoke to himself. “I am just a trifle rattled.” he said to his heart, and after he had communed for a time upon the duty of steadi- o be ness lie addressed the dragomar in cool language. ‘‘Now, my persua friend, just quit all that, because business is business, and it may rather annoying business, but you will have to go through with"i Long afterward, when ruminating over the feelings of- that morning, he saw with some astonishment that there was not a single thing within sound or sight to cause a rational being any quaking. He was simply riding with some soldiers over a vast tree-dotted RralrieA Presentli; the commanding officer turned in his saddle and told the dragoman that he was going to ride forward with his orderly to whera he could see the flanking parties and the scouts, and courteously, with the manner of a 'gentleman entertaining two guests, he asked if the.civilians cared to accompany him. The dragoman would have passed this question incorrectly on to Coleman if he had thought he could have av with both men regarding him he considered that a lle probably meant stant detection. He spoke almost the truth, contenting himself with merely communicating to Coleman in a subi ay his-sense that a ride forward with the commanding officer_ and his orderly would be a depress- ing and dangerous occupation. But Coleman immediately. accepted the in- vitation mainly use it w and in war it wding officer. e reserves, curving in single arrived at where the plain.iacked s; grass and scrubs. On this is a brave man who can refu The little party of four trotted aw file about the water holes. In time the trees and was one great green lake of gre expanse they could see the Greek horsemen riding, mainly appearing as little black dots. Far to the left there was a squ: aid to be composed of only twenty troopers, but in the distance their black mass seemed to be ment. the officer and his guests advanced they came in view of what one 11 the shore of the T rise of ground was heavily clad with nd over the tops of them appeared the cupola and part of the walls large whi > glimpses of huts near it as if a med to be almost to it. The owed at his pace. The house to the advance scouts, who 1 There had been a Herds of unguarded sheep horses, still cruelly hobbled, The black sp: lloped forward and the oth: grew larger and larger and they came they could now see were not quite clos deception of the eye precisely as occurs at drifted over the plain and little ow leaped painfully away, frightened, as if they understocd that an anarch had come upon them. ‘The party rode until they were very nearly up wit the scouts, and then from low down at the very edge of the piain there came a long rattling noise, which endured as if some kind of grinding machine had been put in motion. Smoke arose, faintly marking the posi- tion of an intrenchme Sometimes a swift spitting could be heard from the over the party. It was Colem: fortune to think at first that the Turks wers not firing in his direction, but as soon as he heard the weird voices in the air he knew that war was upon him. plain that the range was al- most excessive, in even to his The major looked at him and laugh he founc i ty in s in respons If this was war it could be withgtood s He could not at this time understand what a mere trifle was the p sent incident. He felt upon his cheek a little breeze which was moving the grass blades. He had tled his canteen in a wrong place on t idle, and ev me the horse moved quickly the canteen banged the correspondent, to his annoyvance and distress, foreibl on the knee. He had gotten about his goman, but happening to lool upon that faithful servitor he saw him gone white with horror. A bullet at that moment twanged near his head and.the slave to fear ducked in & asm. Coleman called the orderly’s attention and they both laughed discreetly. They made no pretension of being heroes, but they saw plainly that they were better than this man . Coleman said to him: “How far is it now to Nlkopolis?”" The drago- man replied ¢ with a look of a d fmpatience. But of co there was no going to Nikopolis that day. The officer had advanced his men as far as was intended by his superfors, and pres- ently they were all recalled and trotted back to the bridge. They crossed it to their old camp. An important part of Coleman's traps was back with his Athenlan heroes and thefr groom, buf with his present equipment he c¢ould at least lie smoking on his blankets and watch the dragoman prepare food. But he reflected that for that day he had only attained the simple discovery that the approach to Nikopolis was surrounded with difficulties. CHAPTER X : The same afternoon Coleman and the dragoman rode up to Arta em “Coleman Called the Orderly’s @Attention and They Both Laughed Discreetly.” their borrowed troop hors The correspondent first went to the tele- graph office and fou : usual number of despairing clerks. They were ou d whe 3 ¢ to send messages @ thought it prepo ) I ! f there were W the offic nunication young m collect! that Wa army of 10 Gre thé paper was prepa it, and finally the paper w him. When Coleman (: ndless officlal o ch m him, reen relic nt forth to inq ts of the he He 1in a d about the d in t aden town s a slothful den, Te even g dinary hoiled egg could be mad table 'h 2 common s the salt men watched h. gr picion as if they about te grab it from each-othe! prietor, in a di heard whining, evidently -tel rid ad spirit enough rema Jewish flue u ain little oiled fis responde Wi imen. So of 1 India. in South and there were othe much of war they could le sitting at a desk and edit London stock Some were on their own hook; some had horses and dragomen, ne had neither the one nor <he other; many knew. how to write and few had it vet to n. The thing in common was a spirit of adventura ich found pleasure in the -extraordinary busin of seelng how men each other. They were talking of an artillery duel which had been fought the pre- vious day between the Greek batteries above the town and the Turkish tteries across the ri Coleman took a seat at one of the long tables, d the astute dragoman got' somebody in the street to.hold the horses m order that he might be pre feasting One of the experienced corr the Greek batteries in the engagmer of the century. He spoke a little loudly, some of the Greek officers would understs saning, for it is always godd for a cor dmire the prcw own side of the battlefield, After a_time Coleman spoke in a lull, scribing_ the suppo: sfortunes of the Wainwright party asked if any one had news of them. The correspo: v had none of them heard even of the existence Also none of them seemed to care exceedingly. changed to a discu vance announced for the morrow. Coleman silently commented that this remarkable appearance difference to. the mishap of the Wainwrights, a little party, a single was a better definition of a'real condition of than t the wistful hop. nglish to foliow of The L sion of the probable resuit of the. general Greek ad- up, t bif of long- range mu vy of the morning. He took a certain dispatch out of his pocket again read it. “Find Wainwright party at all hazards; much talk ht success means red fire by ton. se.” It was an important matter. * He could imagine how the American people, vibrating for years to stories of the cruelty of the Turk., would tremble—indeed. was now trembling—while the newspapers howled out the dire possibiliti He saw all the xinds of people, from those who would read the Walnwright chap- ters from day to day as a sort of sensational novel to those who wour-l work up a gentle sympathy for the woe of others around the table In the evenings. . He saw barkeepers and policemen taking a high gallery thrill out of this. kind of romance. He saw even the emotion among American colleges over the tragedy of a professor and some students, Continued Next Week,