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They　were　talking　of　an　artillery　duel　which　had　been　fought　the　previous　day　between　the　Greek　batteries　above　the　town　and　the　Turkish　batteries　across　the　river。　Coleman　　took　seat　at　one　of　the　long　tables；　and　the　astute　dragoman　got　somebody　in　the　street　to　hold　the　horses　in　order　that　he　might　be　present　at　any　feasting。

One　of　the　experienced　correspondents　was　remarking　that　the　fire　of　the　Greek　batteries　in　the　engagement　had　been　the　finest　artillery　practice　of　the　century。　He　spoke　a　little　loudly；　perhaps；　in　the　wistful　hope　that　some　of　the　Greek　officers　would　understand　enough　English　to　follow　his　meaning；　for　it　is　always　good　for　a　correspondent　to　admire　the　prowess　on　his　own　side　of　the　battlefield。　After　a　time　Coleman　spoke　in　a　lull；　and　describing　the　supposed　misfortunes　of　the　Wainwright　party；　asked　if　anyone　had　news　of　them。　The　correspondents　were　surprised；　they　had　none　of　them　heard　even　of　the　existence　of　a　Wainwright　party。　Also　none　of　them　seemed　to　care　exceedingly。　The　conversation　soon　changed　to　a　discussion　of　the　probable　result　of　the　general　Greek　advance　announced　for　the　morrow。

Coleman　silently　commented　that　this　remarkable　appearance　of　indifference　to　the　mishap　of　the　Wainwrights；　a　little　party；　a　single　group；　was　a　better　definition　of　a　real　condition　of　war　than　that　bit　of　long…range　musketry　of　the　morning。　He　took　a　certain　despatch　out　of　his　pocket　and　again　read　it。　〃　Find　Wainwright　party　at　all　hazards；　much　talk　here；　success　means　red　fire　by　ton。　Eclipse。〃　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　possibilities。　He　saw　all　the　kinds　of　people；　from　those　who　would　read　the　Wainwright　chapters　from　day　to　day　as　a　sort　of　sensational　novel；　to　those　who　would　work　up　a　gentle　sympathy　for　the　woe　of　others　around　the　table　in　the　evenings。　He　saw　bar　keepers　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。　It　certainly　was　a　big　affair。　Marjory　of　course　was　everything　in　one　way；　but　that；　to　the　world；　was　not　a　big　affair。　It　was　the　romance　of　the　Wainwright　party　in　its　simplicity　that　to　the　American　world　was　arousing　great　sensation；　one　that　in　the　old　days　would　have　made　his　heart　leap　like　a　colt。

Still；　when　batteries　had　fought　each　other　savagely；　and　horse；　foot　and　guns　were　now　about　to　make　a　general　advance；　it　was　difficult；　he　could　see；　to　stir　men　to　think　and　feel　out　of　the　present　zone　of　action；　to　adopt　for　a　time　in　fact　the　thoughts　and　feelings　of　the　other　side　of　the　world。　It　made　Coleman　dejected　as　he　saw　clearly　that　the　task　was　wholly　on　his　own　shoulders。

Of　course　they　were　men　who　when　at　home　　manifested　the　most　gentle　and　wide…reaching　feelings；　most　of　them　could　not　by　any　possibility　have　slapped　a　kitten　merely　for　the　prank　and　yet　all　of　them　who　had　seen　an　unknown　man　shot　through　the　head　in　battle　had　little　more　to　think　of　it　than　if　the　man　had　been　a　rag…baby。　Tender　they　might　be；　poets　they　might　be；　but　they　were　all　horned　with　a　provisional；　temporary；　but　absolutely　essential　callouse　which　was　formed　by　their　existence　amid　war　with　its　quality　of　making　them　always　think　of　the　sights　and　sounds　concealed　in　their　own　direct　future。

They　had　been　simply　polite。　〃　Yes　？　〃　said　one　to　Coleman。　〃How　many　people　in　the　party？　Are　they　all　Americans？　Oh；　I　suppose　it　will　be　quite　right。　Your　minister　in　Constantinople　will　arrange　that　easily。　Where　did　you　say？　At　Nikopolis？　Well；　we　conclude　that　the　Turks　will　make　no　stand　between　here　and　Pentepigadia。　In　that　case　your　Nikopolis　will　be　uncovered　unless　the　garrison　at　Prevasa　intervenes。　That　garrison　at　Prevasa；　by　the　way；　may　make　a　deal　of　trouble。　Remember　Plevna。〃

〃　Exactly　how　far　is　it　to　Nikopolis？　〃　asked　Coleman。

〃　Oh；　I　think　it　is　about　thirty　kilometers；〃　replied　the　others。　〃　There　is　a　good　miltary　road　as　soon　as　you　cross　the　Louros　river。　I've　got　the　map　of　the　Austrian　general　staff。　　Would　you　like　to　look　at　it？〃

Coleman　studied　the　map；　speeding　with　his　eye　rapidly　to　and　fro　between　Arta　and　Nikopolis。　To　him　it　was　merely　a　brown　lithograph　of　mystery；　but　he　could　study　the　distances。

He　had　received　a　cordial　invitation　from　the　com…　mander　of　the　cavalry　to　go　with　him　for　another　ride　into　Turkey；　and　he　inclined　to　believe　that　his　project　　would　be　furthered　if　he　stuck　close　to　the　cavalry。　So　　he　rode　back　to　the　cavalry　camp　and　went　peacefully　to　sleep　on　the　sod。　He　awoke　in　the　morning　with　chattering　teeth　to　find　his　dragoman　saying　that　the　major　had　unaccountably　withdrawn　his　loan　of　the　two　troop　horses。　Coleman　of　course　immediately　said　to　himself　that　the　dragoman　was　lying　a…gain　in　order　to　prevent　another　expedition　into　ominous　Turkey；　but　after　all　if　the　commander；　　of　the　cavalry　had　suddenly　turned　the　light　of　his　favour　from　the　correspondent　it　was　only　a　proceeding　　consistent　with　the　nature　which　Coleman　now　thought　he　was　beginning　to　discern；　a　nature　which　can　never　think　twice　in　the　same　place；　a　gageous　mind　which　drifts；　dissolves；　combines；　vanishes　with　the　ability　of　an　aerial　thing　until　the　man　of　the　north　feels　that　when　he　clutches　it　with　full　knowledge　of　his　　senses　he　is　only　the　victim　of　his　ardent　imagination。　It　is　the　difference　in　standards；　in　creeds；　which　is　the　more　luminous　when　men　call　out　that　they　are　all　alike。

So　Coleman　and　his　dragoman　loaded　their　traps　and　moved　out　to　again　invade　Turkey。　It　was　not　yet　clear　daylight；　but　they　felt　that　they　might　well　start　early　since　they　were　no　longer　mounted　men。

On　the　way　to　the　bridge；　the　dragoman；　although　he　was　curiously　in　love　with　his　forty　francs　a　day　and　his　opportunities；　ventured　a　stout　protest；　based　apparently　upon　the　fact　that　after　all　this　foreigner；　four　days　out　from　Athens　was　somewhat　at　his　mercy。　〃　Meester　Coleman；〃　he　said；　stopping　suddenly；　〃　I　think　we　make　no　good　if　we　go　there。　Much　better　we　wait　Arta　for　our　horse。　Much　better。　I　think　this　no　good。　There　is　coming　one　big　fight　and　I　think　much　better　we　go　stay　Arta。　Much　better。〃

〃　Oh；　come　off；〃　said　Coleman。　And　in　clear　language　he　began　to　labour　with　the　man。　〃　Look　here；　now；　if　you　think　you　are　engaged　in　steering　a　bunch　of　wooden…headed　guys　about　the　Acropolis；　my　dear　partner　of　my　joys　and　sorrows；　you　are　extremely　mistaken。　As　a　matter　of　fact　you　are　now　the　dragoman　of　a　war　correspondent　and　you　were　engaged　and　are　paid　to　be　one。　It　becomes　necessary　that　you　make　good。　Make　good；　do　you　understand？　I'm　not　out　here　to　be　buncoed　by　this　sort　of　game。〃　　He　continued　indefinitely　in　this　strain　　and　at　intervals　he　asked　sharply　Do　you　understand　？

Perhaps　the　dragoman　was　dumbfounded　that　the　laconic　Coleman　could　on　occasion　talk　so　much；　or　perhaps　he　understood　everything　and　was　impressed　by　the　argumentative　power。　At　any　rate　he　suddenly　wilted。　He　made　a　gesture　which　was　a　protestation　of　martyrdom　and　picking　up　his　burden　proceeded　on　his　way。

When　they　reached　the　bridge；　they　saw　strong　columns　of　Greek　infantry；　dead　black　in　the　dim　light；　crossing　the　stream　and　slowly　deploying　on　the　other　shore。　It　was　a　bracing　sight　to　the　dragoman；　who　then　went　into　one　of　his　absurd　babbling　moods；　in　which　he　would　have　talked　the　head　off　any　man　who　was　not　born　in　a　country　laved　by　the　childish　Mediterranean。　Coleman　could　not　understand　what　he　said　to　the　soldiers　as　they　passed；　but　it　was　evidently　all　grandiose　nonsense。

Two　light　batteries　had　precariously　crossed　the　rickety　bridge　during　the　night；　and　now　this　force　of　several　thousand　infantry；　with　the　two　batteries；　was　moving　out　over　the　territory　which　the　cavalry　had　reconnoitered　on　the　previous　day。　The　ground　being　familiar　to　Coleman；　he　no　longer　knew　a　tremour；　and；　regarding　his　dragoman；　he　saw　that　that　invaluable　servitor　was　also　in　better　form。　They　marched　until　they　found　one　of　the　light　batteries　unlimbered　and　aligned　on　the　lake　of　grass　about　a　mile　from　where　parts　of　the　white　　house　appeared　above　the　tree…tops。　Here　the　dragoman　talked　　with　the　captain　of　artillery；　a　tiny　man　on　an　immense　horse；　who　for　some　unknown　reason　told　him　that　this　force　was　going　to　raid　into　Turkey　and　try　to　swing　around　the　opposing　army's　right　flank。　He　announced；　as　he　showed　his　teeth　in　a　smile；　that　it　would　be　very；　very　dangerous　work。　The　dragoman　　precipitated　himself　upon　Coleman。

〃　This　is　much　danger。　The　copten　he　tell　me　the　trups　go　now　in　back　of　the　Turks。　It　will　be　much　danger。　I　think　much　better　we　go　Arta　wait　for　horse。　Much　better。〃　Coleman；　although　be　believed　he　despised　the　dragoman；　could　not　help　but　be　influenced　by　his　fears。　They　were；　so　to　speak；　in　a　room　with　one　window；　and　only　the　dragoman　looked　forth　from　the　window；　so　if　he　said　that　what　he　saw　outside　frightened　him；　Coleman　was　perforce　frightened　also　in　a　　measure。　But　when　the　correspondent　raised　his　eyes　he　saw　the　captain　of　the　battery　looking　at　him；　his　teeth　still　showing　in　a　smile；　as　if　his　information；　whether　true　or　false；　had　been　given　to　convince　the　foreigner　that　the　Greeks　were　a　very　superior　and　brave　people；　notably　one　little　officer　of　artillery。　He　had　apparently　assumed　that　Coleman　would　balk　from　venturing　with　such　a　force　upon　an　excursion　to　trifle　with　the　rear　of　a　hard　fighting　Ottoman　army。　He　　exceedingly　disliked　that　man；　sitting　up　there　on　his　tall　horse　and　grinning　like　a　cruel　little　　ape　with　a　secret。　In　truth；　　Coleman　was　taken　back　at　the　outlook；　but　he　could　no　more　refrain　　from　instantly　accepting　this　half…concealed　challenge　than　he　could　　have　refrained　from　resenting　an　ordinary　form　of　insult。　His　mind　was　not　at　peace；　but　the　small　vanities　are　very　large。　He　was　perfectly　　aware　that　he　was；　being　misled　into　the　thing　by　an　odd　pride；　but　　anyhow；　it　easily　might　turn　out　to　be　a　stroke　upon　the　doors　of　Nikopolis。　He　nodde