The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14

yer, too" He paused an instant. then
added: Il have just learned that the
wines l have ordered sent you have on
each occasion been returned TO the
ccInnlissariat."
Gordon's gaze had followed the
others. The food spread there was Of
the meanest; goats meat, coarse peas
ants bread, a pitcher of sour cider. He
was fighting back a vertigo that had
been nisting his eyes.
MY table costs me exactly forty-five
paras. That is the allowance Of each
Greek soldier. / shall live as they live,
Prince, no worse, no better"
His voice broke off He reeled. Nav
rocordato sprang and threw an arm
about him. Pietro hastened TO send
Fletcher to the improvised hospital for
the physicians.
They came hastily, to find Gordon in
a convulsion of fearful strength, though
it lasted but a moment Leeches We're
put TO his temples and consciousness
returned. He opened his eyes upon an
anxious group of surgeons and staff
officers.
A commotion arose at the instant
from the courtyard. Mavrocordato
stepped to the window. He made an
exclamation. The place was filling
with Suliotes-they are dragging its
two cannon from their stations and
turning their muzzles against the
doors.
An orderly burst into the room.
They are Selling the arsenal!" he
cried.
With an oath a Swedish officer
leaped down the stair, drawing his
sword as he ran. He fell stunned by
the blow of a musket-butt.
Wild figures, their faces and splen-
did attire splashed with mud, gushed
in, choked the stairway, and poured
into the narrow apartment-to waver
and halt abruptly, abashed.
This was not what Trevanion had
craftily told them of-not the abode
Of soft luxury and gem-hung magnifi-
cence affected by the foreign archi-
strategos whose wealth was limitless
and who slipped wines of liquid pearls,
While they, their payments In arrears,
drank sharp raisin-juice. What they
saw was at strange variance with this
picture. A chill stone chamber, a
meager repast, uncarpeted floors. A
handful of men, each with a drawn
sword. These-and a form stretched
on rough mattress, an ensanguined
bandage about his forehead, single
gray-haired servant kneeling by his
side.
The man on the couch rose totter-
ingly, his hand on his servants shoul-
der. He was CHASTITY white, but his
eye flashed and burned as it turned
on those semi-barbar1c invaders.
Gordon began to speak-not in the
broader Romaic, but in their own
mountain patois, tongue he had not
recalled since long years. The un-
couth vocabulary, learned in his
youthful adventurous journey for very
lack of mental pabulum, had lain in
some brain-corner to spring up now
with the spontaneity of inspiration.
At the first words they started, looked
from one to another, their hands
dropped from. their weapons. His
voice proceeded, gathering steel. hold
ing them like bayonets.
Am l then to abandon your land
to its enemies, because of you, heads
of clans, warriors born with arms in
your hands, because you yourselves
bring all effort to naught? For what
do you look? Is it gold2 The money
/ brought has purchased cannon and
ammunition. 1t has furnished a feet
1t has cared for your. sick and SET
ratons before your men,, Do you de-
mand preferment? You are already
chiefs, by birth and by election. Have
/ taken that away? Rank shall be
yours-but do you hope to earn II idly
in camp, or, fighting as your fathers
fought, like your own. Botzaris. who
fell for his country? Is it for your
selves you ask these things now, or
is it for Greece %
OF the staff officers there gathered
none knew the tongue in which he
spoke. But they could guess what he
was saying. Theyssaw the rude chief
tains cover before his challenge
Then. as he went on, under that mag
netic gaze they say. the savage brows
lighten the fierce eyes soften and fall
Gordon's tone had lost its LASH Hi:
words dropped gently. He was speak
ing of those old days when he ha6
slept beneath a Suliote tent and writ.
ten songs of the freedom for which
they now strove. The handful beside
him had put up their swords. For e
moment not only individual lives, bu
the fate of Greece itself had hung II
the balance. They watched with GU
rious intentness.
AS the speaker paused, burly
chieftain, built like a tower, thrust III
his hand and turned to the rest
speaking rapidly and with many ges
ticulations. He pointed to the rough
couch, to the coarse fare on the table
The others answered with guttura
CALCULATIONS.
All at once he barred his breast
slashed it with his dagger, and touched
knee to ground before Gordon's feet
The rest followed his example. Eacl
as he rose, saluted and passed out
Before a dozen had knelt, the rumble
of wheels in the courtyard announced
that the cannon were being dragged
back TO their places.
The last Suliote chief retired ant
Gordon's hand fell from Fletcher
shoulder. The headquarters surgeon
broke the tension:
His lordship must have quiet!" h
warned.
The whiteness had been growinl
upon Gordon's face. AS the officer
retired, he sank back upon the couch
Mavrocordato held brandy to his lips
but he shook his head.
He lay very still for while, hi
eyes closed, hearing the murmurini
voices of the Prince and Gambia a
they stood with the physicians. feeling
on the mattress a shaking hand tha
he knew was Fletcher's.
A narrowing fear was upon him
The mutiny that had been imminen
this hour he had vanquished: h
might not succeed again. With re
sources all might be possible, but hi
own funds were stretched to the las
nara And the English loan still hfYu,