The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14
CHAPTER Lx.
Tried as by Fire.


with recent rain, the sky piled with
sluggish cloud-strata through whose
riffs the half-moon glimpsed obliquely.
making the sea beach that curved
above Missolonghi an eerie checker of
shine and shade. -
Between hill and shore a lean path,
from whose edges the cochineal cactus
swung its quivers of prickly arrows,
shambled across a great fat ledge tnat
jutted from the. hills heel to break
abruptly above deep pool gouged by
hungry tempests. On the reed-clus-
tered sand beyond the rock-shelf were
disposed a body, of men splendidly
uniformed, in kirtle and capote. stand
ing by their -hobbled horses. On the
rocky ledge, in the fiickering light, or
a torch. thrust into "a cleft, were seated
their two leaders lconyersfng:
They had ridden far. The object or
their coming was the safe delivery OF
a letter to the one man to whom all
Greece looked now. The message was
momentous and secret, the errand
swift and silent. In Missolonghi. whose
lights glowed a mile away, changing
night and day with hurried prepara-
tion, none knew of the presence or
that company on the deserted snore;
save one lof its own number who had
ridden, under cover of the dark. INTO
the towns defenses.
This is a journey that pleases me
well, Lambro," averred one of the pri-
mates on the rock Il wish we were
we'll on our way back to the Congress
at Salona. and the English lordos
leading us. What an entry that will
be. But what If he doubts your mes
senger-suspects some trickery OF
Ulysses? Suppose he will not come out
to us?'
''Then the letter must go to him in
Missolonghi," said the other. 'Mavro-
cordato or no Mavrocordato. He will
come properly guarded" he added. but
he will come"
why are you so certain?'
Because the man / sent to him an
hour since is one he must trust. 1t
was his sister the Excellency saved in
his youth from the sack. Their father
was then merchant of the bazaar In
this same town. Do you not know the
tale?' And thereuDon he recited the
story as he had heard it years before.
little dreaming they sat upon the very
spot where, on that long ago dawn the
Turkish wands had halted that grim
procession Il would the brother" he
closed, might sometime find the cow
ardly dog who abandoned her!"
They rose to their feet. for dim
forms were coming along the path
from the town-a single horseman and
a body-guard afoot. 1T is the archi-
strategos," both exclaimed.
The younger hastily withdrew: the
other advanced step to meet the man
who dismounted and came forward.
Gordon's face in the torchlight was
worn and haggard, for the inward
fever had never left him since that
fierce onvulsion-nature's protest
against unbearable conditions. Day by
day, with the same unyielding Will he
had fought his weakness. pushing for
ward the plans for the assault on
Lepanto, shaving with the gunners.
drilling musket-men, much of the day
in the saddle, and filching from the
hours of his rest time for his COM
mittee correspondence, bearing always
that burning coal of anxiety-the Eng
lish loan which did not come.
The primate saw this look. touched
with surprise as Gordon caught the
stir of horses and men from the fur
ther gloom. He bowed profoundly as
he drew forth letter.
II regret to have brought Your H.
lustrious Excellency from your quar-
ters." he said in Romaic. but my
orders were specific.
Gordon stepped close to the torch
and opened the letter. The primate
drew back and left him on the rock. a
solitary figure in the yellow glare.
watched from one side by two score of
horsemen, richly accoutered. standing
silent-on the other by rough body
guard of fifty, in ragged garments,
worn footwear. but fully armed.
Once-twice-three times Gordon
read, slowly, strangely deliberate.
A shiver ran over him, and he felt
the torchlight on his face like a
sudden hot wave. The letter was
a summons to Salona, where az
sembled in Congress the chiefs and
primates Of the whole Morea-but
it was far more than this: in its
significant circumlocution. its meaning
diplomatic phrases. lay couched a clear
invitation that seemed to transform his
blood to volatile ichor
Gordon's eyes turned to the shadow
whence came the shifting and stamp
ing of horses-then to the lights of the
fortifications he had left. He could
send back these silent horsemen. refuse
to go with them, return to Missolonghi,
to his desperate waiting for the Eng
lish loan, to the hazardous attack on
Lepanto, keeping faith with the cause.