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Crane, Stephen, 1871-1900

"Active Service"

"
" I cannot begin to realise it yet," said Mrs. Wain-
wright, in a high voice.
" Quite so," responded the professor, reflectively.
"I do not suppose any of us will realise it fully
for some time. It is altogether too odd, too very
odd."
"To think of it!" cried Mrs. WainWright. "To
think of it! Supposing those dreadful Albanians or
those awful men from the Greek mountains had
caught us! Why, years from now I'll wake up in the
night and think of it! "
The professor mused. " Strange that we cannot
feel it strongly now. My logic tells me to be aghast
that we ever got into such a place, but my nerves at
present refuse to thrill. I am very much afraid that
this singular apathy of ours has led us to be unjust to
poor Coleman."
Here Mrs. Wainwright objected. " Poor Coleman!
I don't see why you call him poor Coleman.
" Well," answered the professor, slowly, " I am in
doubt about our behaviour. It-"
" Oh," cried the wife, gleefully," in doubt about
our behaviour! I'm in doubt about his behaviour."
" So, then, you do have a doubt. of his behaviour?"
" Oh, no," responded Mrs. Wainwright, hastily,
" not about its badness. What I meant to say was
that in the face of his outrageous conduct with that-
that woman, it is curious that you should worry
about our behaviour. It surprises me, Harrison."
The professor was wagging his head sadly. " I
don't know I don't know It seems hard to
judge * * I hesitate to-"
Mrs.


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