the red cross girl-第12章

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colored　hoods；　and　the　Stillwater　silver　Cornet　Band　playing
what；　after　several　repetitions；　the　ambassador　was
graciously　pleased　to　recognize　as　his　national　anthem。

The　ambassador　forgot　that　he　was　hot　and　cross。　He　forgot
that　he　was　dusty。　His　face　radiated　satisfaction　and
perspiration。　Here　at　last　were　people　who　appreciated　him
and　his　high　office。　And　as　the　mayor　helped　him　into　the
automobile；　and　those　students　who　lived　in　Stillwater
welcomed　him　with　strange　yells；　and　the　moving…picture
machine　aimed　at　him　point　blank；　he　beamed　with
condescension。　But　inwardly　he　was　ill　at　ease。

inwardly　he　was　chastising　himself　for　having；　through　his
ignorance　of　America；　failed　to　appreciate　the　importance　of
the　man　he　had　come　to　honor。　When　he　remembered　he　had　never
even　heard　of　Doctor　Gilman　he　blushed　with　confusion。　And
when　he　recollected　that　he　had　been　almost　on　the　point　of
refusing　to　come　to　Stillwater；　that　he　had　considered
leaving　the　presentation　to　his　secretary；　he　shuddered。　What
might　not　the　Sultan　have　done　to　him！　What　a　narrow　escape！

Attracted　by　the　band；　by　the　sight　of　their　fellow　townsmen
in　khaki；　by　the　sight　of　the　stout　gentleman　in　the　red　fez；
by　a　tremendous　liking　and　respect　for　Doctor　Gilman；　the
entire　town　of　Stillwater　gathered　outside　his　cottage。　And
inside；　the　old　professor；　trembling　and　bewildered　and　yet
strangely　happy；　bowed　his　shoulders　while　the　ambassador
slipped　over　them　the　broad　green　scarf　and　upon　his　only
frock　coat　pinned　the　diamond　sunburst。　In　woeful
embarrassment　Doctor　Gilman　smiled　and　bowed　and　smiled；　and
then；　as　the　delighted　mayor　of　Stillwater　shouted；　〃Speech；〃
in　sudden　panic　he　reached　out　his　hand　quickly　and　covertly；
and　found　the　hand　of　his　wife。

〃Now；　then；　three　Long　ones！〃　yelled　the　cheer　leader。　〃Now；
then；　'See　the　Conquering　Hero！'〃　yelled　the　bandmaster。
〃Attention！　Present　arms！〃　yelled　the　militia　captain；　and
the　townspeople　and　the　professors　applauded　and　waved　their
hats　and　handkerchiefs。　And　Doctor　Gilman　and　his　wife；　he
frightened　and　confused；　she　happy　and　proud；　and　taking　it
all　as　a　matter　of　course；　stood　arm　in　arm　in　the　frame　of
honeysuckles　and　bowed　and　bowed　and　bowed。　And　the
ambassador　so　far　unbent　as　to　drink　champagne；　which
appeared　mysteriously　in　tubs　of　ice　from　the　rear　of　the
ivy…covered　cottage；　with　the　mayor；　with　the　wives　of　the
professors；　with　the　students；　with　the　bandmaster。　Indeed；
so　often　did　he　unbend　that　when　the　perfectly　new　automobile
conveyed　him　back　to　the　Touraine；　he　was　sleeping　happily
and　smiling　in　his　sleep。

Peter　had　arrived　in　America　at　the　same　time　as　had　the
insignia；　but　Hines　and　Stetson　would　not　let　him　show
himself　in　Stillwater。　They　were　afraid　if　all　three
conspirators　foregathered　they　might　inadvertently　drop　some
clew　that　would　lead　to　suspicion　and　discovery。

So　Peter　worked　from　New　York；　and　his　first　act　was
anonymously　to　supply　his　father　and　Chancellor　Black　with
All　the　newspaper　accounts　of　the　great　celebration　at
Stillwater。　When　Doctor　black　read　them　he　choked。　Never
before　had　Stillwater　College　been　brought　so　prominently
before　the　public；　and　never　before　had　her　president　been　so
utterly　and　completely　ignored。　And　what　made　it　worse　was
that　he　recognized　that　even　had　he　been　present　he　could　not
have　shown　his　face。　How　could　he；　who　had；　as　every　one
connected　with　the　college　now　knew；　out　of　spite　and　without
cause；　dismissed　an　old　and　faithful　servant；　join　in
chanting　his　praises。　He　only　hoped　his　patron；　Hallowell
senior；　might　not　hear　of　Gilman's　triumph。　But　Hallowell
senior　heard　little　of　anything　else。　At　his　office；　at　his
clubs；　on　the　golf…links；　every　one　he　met　congratulated　him
on　the　high　and　peculiar　distinction　that　had　come　to　his　pet
college。

〃You　certainly　have　the　darnedest　luck　in　backing　the　right
horse；〃　exclaimed　a　rival　pork…packer　enviously。　〃Now　if　I
pay　a　hundred　thousand　for　a　Velasquez　it　turns　out　to　be　a
bad　copy　worth　thirty　dollars；　but　you　pay　a　professor　three
thousand　and　he　brings　you　in　half　a　million　dollars'　worth
of　free　advertising。　Why；　this　Doctor　Gilman's　doing　as　much
for　your　college　as　Doctor　Osler　did　for　Johns　Hopkins　or　as
Walter　Camp　does　for　Yale。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　received　these　Congratulations　as　gracefully　as
he　was　able；　and　in　secret　raged　at　Chancellor　Black。　Each
day　his　rage　increased。　It　seemed　as　though　there　would　never
be　an　end　to　Doctor　Gilman。　The　stone　he　had　rejected　had
become　the　corner…stone　of　Stillwater。　Whenever　he　opened　a
newspaper　he　felt　like　exclaiming：　〃Will　no　one　rid　me　of
this　pestilent　fellow？〃　For　the　〃Rise　and　Fall；〃　in　an
edition　deluxe　limited　to　two　hundred　copies；　was　being
bought　up　by　all　his　book…collecting　millionaire　friends；　a
popular　edition　was　on　view　in　the　windows　of　every　book…
shop；　It　was　offered　as　a　prize　to　subscribers　to　all　the
more　sedate　magazines；　and　the　name　and　features　of　the
distinguished　author　had　become　famous　and　familiar。　Not　a
day　passed　but　that　some　new　honor；　at　least　so　the
newspapers　stated；　was　thrust　upon　him。　Paragraphs　announced
that　he　was　to　be　the　next　exchange　professor　to　Berlin；　that
in　May　he　was　to　lecture　at　the　Sorbonne；　that　in　June　he　was
to　receive　a　degree　from　Oxford。

A　fresh…water　college　on　one　of　the　Great　Lakes　leaped　to　the
front　by　offering　him　the　chair　of　history　at　that　seat　of
learning　at　a　salary　of　five　thousand　dollars　a　year。　Some　of
the　honors　that　had　been　thrust　upon　Doctor　Gilman　existed
only　in　the　imagination　of　Peter　and　Stetson；　but　this　offer
happened　to　be　genuine。

〃Doctor　Gilman　rejected　it　without　consideration。　He　read　the
letter　from　the　trustees　to　his　wife　and　shook　his　head。

〃We　could　not　be　happy　away　from　Stillwater；〃　he　said。　〃　We
have　only　a　month　more　in　the　cottage；　but　after　that　we
still　can　walk　past　it；　we　can　look　into　the　garden　and　see
the　flowers　she　planted。　We　can　visit　the　place　where　she
lies。　But　if　we　went　away　we　should　be　lonely　and　miserable
for　her；　and　she　would　be　lonely　for　us。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　could　not　know　why　Doctor　Gilman　had　refused　to
leave　Stillwater；　but　when　he　read　that　the　small　Eastern
college　at　which　Doctor　Gilman　had　graduated　had　offered　to
make　him　its　president；　his　jealousy　knew　no　bounds。

He　telegraphed　to　Black：　〃Reinstate　Gilman　at　once；　offer　him
six　thousandoffer　him　whatever　he　wants；　but　make　him
promise　for　no　consideration　to　leave　Stillwater　he　is　only
member　faculty　ever　brought　any　credit　to　the　college　if　we
lose　him　I'll　hold　you　responsible。〃

The　next　morning；　hat　in　hand；　smiling　ingratiatingly；　the
Chancellor　called　upon　Doctor　Gilman　and　ate　so　much　humble
pie　that　for　a　week　he　suffered　acute　mental　indigestion。　But
little　did　Hallowell　senior　care　for　that。　He　had　got　what　he
wanted。　Doctor　Gilman；　the　distinguished；　was　back　in　the
faculty；　and　had　made　only　one　conditionthat　he　might　live
until　he　died　in　the　ivy…covered　cottage。

Two　weeks　later；　when　Peter　arrived　at　Stillwater　to　take　the
history　examination；　which；　should　he　pass　it；　would　give　him
his　degree；　he　found　on　every　side　evidences　of　the
〃worldwide　fame〃　he　himself　had　created。　The　newsstand　at　the
depot；　the　book…stores；　the　drugstores；　the　picture…shops；
all　spoke　of　Doctor　Gilman；　and　postcards　showing　the　ivy…
covered　cottage；　photographs　and　enlargements　of　Doctor
Gilman；　advertisements　of　the　different。　editions　of　〃the〃
history　proclaimed　his　fame。　Peter；　fascinated　by　the　success
of　his　own　handiwork；　approached　the　ivy…covered　cottage　in　a
spirit　almost　of　awe。　But　Mrs。　Gilman　welcomed　him　with　the
same　kindly；　sympathetic　smile　with　which　she　always　gave
courage　to　the　unhappy　ones　coming　up　for　examinations；　and
Doctor　Gilman's　high　honors　in　no　way　had　spoiled　his　gentle
courtesy。

The　examination　was　in　writing；　and　when　Peter　had　handed　in
his　papers　Doctor　Gilman　asked　him　if　he　would　prefer　at　once
to　know　the　result。

〃I　should　indeed！〃　Peter　assured　him。

〃Then　I　regret　to　tell　you；　Hallowell；〃　said　the　professor；
〃that　you　have　not　passed。　I　cannot　possibly　give　you　a　mark
higher　than　five。〃　In　real　sympathy　the　sage　of　Stillwater
raised　his　eyes；　but　to　his　great　astonishment　he　found　that
Peter；　so　far　from　being　cast　down　or　taking　offense；　was
smiling　delightedly；　much　as　a　fond　parent　might　smile　upon
the　precocious　act　of　a　beloved　child。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　Doctor　Gilman　gently；　〃that　this　summer
you　did　not　work　very　hard　for　your　degree！〃

Peter　Laughed　and　picked　up　his　hat。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Professor；〃　he　said；　〃you're　right　I
got　working　for　something　worth　whileand　I　forgot　about　the
degree。〃



Chapter　3。　THE　INVASION　OF　ENGLAND

This　is　the　true　inside　story　of　the　invasion　of　England　in
1911　by　the　Germans；　and　why　it　failed。　I　got　my　data　from
Baron　von　Gottlieb；　at　the　time　military　attach？of　the
German　Government　with　the　Russian　army　in　the　second
Russian…Japanese　War；　when　Russia　drove　Japan　out　of
Manchuria；　and　reduced　her　to　a　third…rate　power。　He　told　me
of　his　part　in　the　invasion　as　we　sat；　after　the　bombardment
of　Tokio；　on　the　ramparts　of　the　Emperor's　palace；　watching
the　walls　of　the　paper　houses　below　us　glowing　and　smoking
like　the　ashes　of　a　prairie　fire。

Two　years　before；　at　the　time　of　the　invasion；　von　Gottlieb
had　been　Carl　Schultz；　the　head…waiter　at　the　East　Cliff
Hotel　at　Cromer；　and　a　spy。

The　other　end　of　the　story　came　to　me　through　Lester　Ford；
the　London　correspondent　of　the　New　York　Republic。　They　gave
me　permission　to　tell　it　in　any　fashion　I　pleased；　and　it　is
here　set　down　for　the　first　time。

In　telling　the　story；　my　conscience　is　not　in　the　least
disturbed；　for　I　have　yet　to　find　any　one　who　will　believe
it。

What　led　directly　to　the　invasion　was　that　some　week…end
guest　of　the　East　Cliff　Hotel　left　a　copy　of　〃The　Riddle　of
the　Sands〃　in　the　coffee…room；　where　von　Gottlieb　found　it；
and　the　fact　that　Ford　attended　the　Shakespeare　Ball。　Had
neither　of　these　events　taken　place；　the　German　flag　might
now　be　flying　over　Buckingham　Palace。　And；　then　again；　it
might　not。

As　every　German　knows；　〃The　Riddle　of　the　Sands〃　is　a　novel
written　by　a　very　clever　Englishman　in　which　is　disclosed　a
plan　for　the　invasion　of　his　country。　According　to　this　plan
an　army　of　infantry　was　to　be　embarked　in　lighters；　towed　by
shallow…draft；　sea…going　tugs；　and　despatched　simultaneously
from　the　seven　rivers　that　form　the　Frisian　Isles。　From　there
they　were　to　be　convoyed　by　battle…ships　two　hundred　and
forty　miles　through　the　North　Sea；　and　thrown　upon　the　coast
of　Norfolk　somewhere　between　the　Wash　and　Mundesley。　The　fact
that　this　coast　is　low…lying　and　bordered　by　sand　flats　which
at　low　water　are　dry；　that　England　maintains　no　North　Sea
squadron；　and　that　her　nearest　naval　base　is　at　Chatham；　seem
to　point　to　it　as　the　spot　best　adapted　for　such　a　raid。

What　von　Gottlieb　thought　was　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　as
soon　as　he　read　the　book　he　mailed　it　to　the　German
Ambassador　in　London；　and　under　separate　cover　sent　him　a
letter。　In