"Oh by the way," he added. Then he paused for a
moment. "Aw--a friend of mine--not a bad fellow--
he asked me for an introduction. Of course, I
told him I'd ask you."
She made a contemptuous gesture. "Oh, another Willie.
Tell him no. Tell him to go home to his family. Tell
him to run away."
"He isn't a bad fellow. He--" said Coleman diffidently,
"he would probably be at the theatre every night in a box."
"yes, and get drunk and throw a wine bottle on the
stage instead of a bouquet. No," she declared positively,
"I won't see him."
Coleman did not seem to be oppressed by this ultimatum.
"Oh, all right. I promised him--that was all."
"Besides, are you in a great hurry to get rid of me?"
"Rid of you? Nonsense."
They walked in the shadow. "How long are you going to be
in London, Rufus?" asked Nora softly.
"Who? I? Oh, I'm going right off to Greece. First
train. There's going to be a war, you know."
"A war? Why, who is going to fight? The Greeks
and the--the--the what?"
"The Turks. I'm going right over there."
"Why, that's dreadful, Rufus," said the girl, mournfull
and shocked. "You might get hurt or something."
Presently she asked: "And aren't you going to be in
London any time at all?"
"Oh," he answered, puffing out his lips, "I may stop
in Londom for three or four days on my way home. I'm
not sure of it."
"And when will that be?"
"Oh, I can't tell.
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