woman are the relations of wedlock； or at least an intimate resemblance to it； that the man snarls out 〃 What？ 〃 to the woman。 Mere lovers say 〃 I beg your pardon ？ 〃 It is only Cupid's finished product that spits like a cat。 Nora Black had called him like a wife； and he had answered like a husband。 For his cause； his manner could not possibly have been worse。 He saw the professor stare at him in surprise and alarm； and felt the excitement of the eight students。 These latter were diabolic in the celerity with which they picked out meanings。 It was as plain to them as if Nora Black had said： 〃 He is my property。〃
Coleman would have given his nose to have been able to recall that single reverberating word。 But he saw that the scene was spelling downfall for him； and he went still more blind and desperate of it。 His despair made him burn to make matters Worse。 He did not want to improve anything at all。 〃 What？〃 he demanded。 〃 What do ye' want？〃
Nora was sweetly reproachful。 〃 I left my jacket in the carriage； and I want you to get it for me。〃
〃 Well； get it for yourself； do you see？ Get it for yourself。〃
Now it is plainly to be seen that no one of the people listening there had ever heard a man speak thus to a woman who was not his wife。 Whenever they had heard that form of spirited repartee it had come from the lips of a husband。 Coleman's rude speech was to their ears a flat announcement of an extraordinary intimacy between Nora Black and the correspondent。 Any other interpretation would not have occurred to them。 It was so palpable that it greatly distressed them with its arrogance and boldness。 The professor had blushed。 The very milkiest word in his mind at the time was the word vulgarity。
Nora Black had won a great battle。 It was her Agincourt。 She had beaten the clever Coleman in a way that had left little of him but rags。 However； she could have lost it all again if she had shown her feeling of elation。 At Coleman's rudeness her manner indicated a mixture of sadness and embarrassment。 Her suffering was so plain to the eye that Peter Tounley was instantly moved。 〃 Can't I get your jacket for you； Miss Black？ 〃 he asked hastily； and at her grateful nod he was off at once。
Coleman was resolved to improve nothing。 His overthrow seemed to him to be so complete that he could not in any way mend it without a sacrifice of his dearest prides。 He turned away from them all and walked to an isolated corner of the room。 He would abide no longer with them。 He had been made an outcast by Nora Black； and he intended to be an outcast。 Therc was no sense in attempting to stem this extraordinary deluge。 It was better to acquiesce。 Then suddenly he was angry with Marjory。 He did not exactly see why he was angry at Marjory； but he was angry at her nevertheless。 He thought of how he could revenge himself upon her。 He decided to take horse with his groom and dragoman and proceed forthwith on the road； leaving the jumble as it stood。 This would pain Marjory； anyhow； he hoped。 She would feel it deeply； he hoped。 Acting upon this plan； he went to the professor。 Well； of course you are all right now； professor； and if you don't mind； I would like to leave you…go on ahead。 I've got a considerable pressure of business on my mind； and I think I should hurry on to Athens； if you don't mind。〃
The professor did not seem to know what to say。 〃 Of course； if you wish it…sorry； I'm sure…of course it is as you please…but you have been such a power in our favour…it seems too bad to lose you…but…if you wish it…if you insist…〃
〃 Oh； yes； I quite insist；〃 said Coleman； calmly。 〃I quite insist。 Make your mind easy on that score； professor。 I insist。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Coleman；〃 stammered the old man。 〃 Well； it seems a great pity to lose you…you have been such a power in our favour…〃
〃Oh； you are now only eight hours from the rail… way。 It is very easy。 You would not need my as… sistance； even if it were a benefit！
〃 But…〃 said the professor。
Coleman's dragoman came to him then and said： 〃There is one man here who says you made to take one rifle in the fight and was break his head。 He was say he wants sunthing for you was break his head。 He says hurt。〃
〃How much does he want？〃 asked Coleman； im… patiently。
The dragoman wrestled then evidently with a desire to protect this mine from outside fingers。 〃I…I think two gold piece plenty。〃 〃Take them；〃 said Coleman。 It seemed to him preposterous that this idiot with a broken head should interpolate upon his tragedy。 〃 Afterward you and the groom get the three horses and we will start for Athens at once。〃
〃For Athens？ At once？ 〃 said Marjory's voice in his ear。
CHAPTER XXIII
〃Om；〃 said Coleman； 〃 I was thinking of starting。〃
〃Why？ 〃 asked Marjory； unconcernedly。
Coleman shot her a quick glance。 〃 I believe my period of usefulness is quite ended；〃 he said。 with just a small betrayal of bitter feeling。
〃 It is certainly true that you have had a remark… able period of usefulness to us；〃 said Marjory with a slow smile； 〃but if it is ended； you should not 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