rld　known　to　them；　and　are　eager　to　perform　feats　of　war　in　this　new　place；　they　feel　an　absolute　longing　for　a　spectator。　It　is　indeed　the　veritable　coronation　of　this　world。　There　is　not　too　much　vanity　of　the　street　in　this　desire　of　men　to　have　some　disinterested　fellows　perceive　their　deeds。　It　is　merely　that　a　man　doing　his　best　in　the　middle　of　a　sea　of　war；　longs　to　have　people　see　him　doing　his　best。　This　feeling　is　often　notably　serious　if；　in　peace；　a　man　has　done　his　worst；　or　part　of　his　worst。　Coleman　believed　that；　above　everybody；　young；　proud　and　brave　subalterns　had　this　itch；　but　it　existed；　truly　enough；　from　lieutenants　to　colonels。　None　wanted　to　conceal　from　his　left　hand　that　his　right　hand　was　performing　a　manly　and　valiant　thing；　although　there　might　be　times　when　an　application　of　the　principle　would　be　immensely　convenient。　The　war　correspondent　arises；　then；　to　become　a　sort　of　a　cheap　telescope　for　the　people　at　home；　further　still；　there　have　been　fights　where　the　eyes　of　a　solitary　man　were　the　eyes　of　the　world；　one　spectator；　whose　business　it　was　to　transfer；　according　to　his　ability；　his　visual　impressions　to　other　minds。
  Coleman　and　his　servant　were　conducted　to　two　saddled　troop　horses；　and　beside　them；　waited　decently　in　the　rear　of　the　ranks。　The　uniform　of　the　troopers　was　of　plain；　dark　green　cloth　and　they　were　well　and　sensibly　equipped。　The　mounts；　however；　had　in　no　way　been　picked；　there　were　little　horses　and　big　horses；　fat　horses　and　thin　horses。　They　looked　the　result　of　a　wild　conscription。　Coleman　noted　the　faces　of　the　troopers；　and　they　were　calm　enough　save　when　a　man　betrayed　himself　by　perhaps　a　disproportionate　angry　jerk　at　the　bridle　of　his　restive　horse。
  The　major；　artistically　drooping　his　cloak　from　his　left　shoulder　and　tenderly　and　musingly　fingering　his　long　yellow　moustache；　rode　slowly　to　the　middle　of　the　line　and　wheeled　his　horse　to　face　his　men。　A　bugle　called　attention；　and　then　he　addressed　them　in　a　loud　and　rapid　speech；　which　did　not　seem　to　have　an　end。　Coleman　imagined　that　the　major　was　paying　tribute　to　the　Greek　tradition　of　the　power　of　oratory。　Again　the　trumpet　rang　out；　and　this　parade　front　swung　off　into　column　formation。　Then　Coleman　and　the　dragoman　trotted　at　the　tail　of　the　squadron；　restraining　with　difficulty　their　horses；　who　could　not　understand　their　new　places　in　the　procession；　and　worked　feverishly　to　regain　what　they　considered　their　positions　in　life。
  The　column　jangled　musically　over　the　sod；　passing　between　two　hills　on　one　of　which　a　Greek　light　battery　was　posted。　Its　men　climbed　to　the　tops　of　their　interenchments　to　witness　the　going　of　the　cavalry。　Then　the　column　curved　along　over　ditch　and　through　hedge　to　the　shallows　of　the　river。　Across　this　narrow　stream　was　Turkey。　Turkey；　however；　presented　nothing　to　the　eye　but　a　muddy　bank　with　fringes　of　trees　back　of　it。　It　seemed　to　be　a　great　plain　with　sparse　collections　of　foliage　marking　it；　whereas　the　Greek　side；　presented　in　the　main　a　vista　of　high；　gaunt　rocks。　Perhaps　one　of　the　first　effects　of　war　upon　the　mind；　is　a。　new　recognition　and　fear　of　the　circumscribed　ability　of　the　eye；　making　all　landscape　seem　inscrutable。　The　cavalry　drew　up　in　platoon　formation　on　their　own。　bank　of　the　stream　and　waited。　If　Coleman　had　known　anything　of　war；　he　would　have　known；　from　appearances；　that　there　was　nothing　in　the　immediate　vicinity　to；　cause　heart…　jumping；　but　as　a　matter　of　truth　he　was　deeply　moved　and　wondered　what　was　hidden；　what　was　veiled　by　those　trees。　Moreover；　the　squadrons　resembled　art　old　picture　of　a　body　of　horse　awaiting　Napoleon's　order　to　charge。　In　the；　meantime　his　mount　fumed　at　the　bit；　plunging　to　get　back　to　the　ranks。　The　sky　was；　without　a　cloud；　and　the　sun　rays　swept　down　upon　them。　Sometimes　Coleman　was　on　the　verge　of　addressing　the　dragoman；　according　to　his　anxiety；　but　in　the　end　he　simply　told　him　to　go　to　the　river　and　fill　the　can…　teens。
  At　last　an　order　came；　and　the　first　troop　moved　with　muffled　tumult　across　the　bridge。　Coleman　and　his　dragoman　followed　the　last　troop。　The　horses　scrambled　up　the　muddy　bank　much　as　if　they　were　merely　breaking　out　of　a　pasture；　but　probably　all　the　men　felt　a　sudden　tightening　of　their　muscles。　Coleman；　in　his　excitement；　felt；　more　than　he　saw；　glossy　horse　flanks；　green…clothed　men　chumping　in　their　saddles；　banging　sabres　and　canteens；　and　carbines　slanted　in　line。
  There　were　some　Greek　infantry　in　a　trench。　They　were　heavily　overcoated；　despite　the　heat；　and　some　were　engaged　in　eating　loaves　of　round；　thick　bread。　They　called　out　lustily　as　the　cavalry　passed　them。　The　troopers　smiled　slowly；　somewhat　proudly　in　response。
  Presently　there　was　another　halt　and　Coleman　saw　the　major　trotting　busily　here　and　there；　while　troop　commanders　rode　out　to　meet　him。　Spreading　groups　of　scouts　and　flankers　moved　off　and　disappeared。　Their　dashing　young　officer　friend　cantered　past　them　with　his　troop　at　his　heels。　He　waved　a　joyful　good…　bye。　It　was　the　doings　of　cavalry　in　actual　service；　horsemen　fanning　out　in　all　forward　directions。　There　were　two　troops　held　in　reserve；　and　as　they　jangled　ahead　at　a　foot　pace；　Coleman　and　his　dragoman　followed　them。
  The　dragoman　was　now　moved　to　erect　many　reasons　for　an　immediate　return。　It　was　plain　that　he　had　no　stomach　at　all　for　this　business；　and　that　he　wished　himself　safely　back　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　Coleman　looked　at　him　askance。　When　these　men　talked　together　Coleman　might　as　well　have　been　a　polar　bear　for　all　he　understood　of　it。　When　he　saw　the　trepidation　of　his　dragoman；　he　did　not　know　what　it　foreboded。　In　this　situation　it　was　not　for　him　to　say　that　the　dragoman's　fears　were　founded　on　nothing。　And　ever　the　dragoman　raised　his　reasons　for　a　retreat。　Coleman　spoke　to　himself。　〃I　am　just　a　trifle　rattled；〃　he　said　to　his　heart；　and　after　he　had　communed　for　a　time　upon　the　duty　of　steadiness；　he　addressed　the　dragoman　in　cool　language。　〃　Now；　my　persuasive　friend；　just　quit　all　that；　because　business　is　business；　and　it　may　be　rather　annoying　business；　but　you　will　have　to　go　through　with　it。〃　Long　afterward；　when　ruminating　over　the　feelings　of　that　morning；　he　saw　with　some　astonishment　that　there　was　not　a　single　thing　within　sound　or　sight　to　cause　a　rational　being　any　quaking。　He　was　simply　riding　with　some　soldiers　over　a　vast　tree…dotted　prairie。
  Presently　the　commanding　officer　turned　in　his　saddle　and　told　the　dragoman　that　he　was　going　to　ride　forward　with　his　orderly　to　where　he　could　see　the　flanking　parties　and　the　scouts；　and　courteously；　with　the　manner　of　a　gentleman　entertaining　two　guests；　he　asked　if　the　civilians　cared　to　accompany　him。　The　dragoman　would　not　have　passed　this　question　correctly　on　to　Coleman　if　he　had　thought　he　could　have　avoided　it；　but；　with　both　men　regarding　him；　he　considered　that　a　lie　probably　meant　instant　detection。　He　spoke　almost　the　truth；　contenting　himself　with　merely　communicating　to　Coleman　in　a　subtle　way　his　sense　that　a　ride　forward　with　the　commanding　officer　and　his　orderly　would　be　depressing　and　dangerous　occupation。　But　Coleman　immediately　accepted　the　invitation　mainly　because　it　was　the　invitation　of　the　major；　and　in　war　it　is　a　brave　man　who　can　refuse　the　invitation　of　a　commanding　officer。　The　little　party　of　four　trotted　away　from　the　reserves；　curving　in　single　file　about　the　water…holes。　In　time　they　arrived　at　where　the　plain　lacked　trees　and　was　one　great　green　lake　of　grass；　grass　and　scrubs。　On　this　expanse　they　could　see　the　Greek　horsemen　riding；　mainly　appearing　as　little　black　dots。　Far　to　the　left　there　was　a　squad　said　to　be　composed　of　only　twenty　troopers；　but　in　the　distance　their　black　mass　seemed　to　be　a　regiment。
  As　the　officer　and　his　guests　advanced　they　came　in　view　of　what　one　may　call　the　shore　of　the　plain。　The　rise　of　ground　was　heavily　clad　with　trees；　and　over　the　tops　of　them　appeared　the　cupola　and　part　of　the　walls　of　a　large　white　house；　and　there　were　glimpses　of　huts　near　it　as　if　a　village　was　marked。　The　black　specks　seemed　to　be　almost　to　it。　The　major　galloped　forward　and　the　others　followed　at　his　pace。　The　house　grew　larger　and　larger　and　they　came　nearly　to　the　advance　scouts　who　they　could　now　see　were　not　quite　close　to　the　village。　There　had　been　a　deception　of　the　eye　precisely　as　occurs　at　sea。　Herds　of　unguarded　sheep　drifted　over　the　plain　and　little　ownerless　horses；　still　cruelly　hobbled；　leaped　painfully　away；　frightened；　as　if　they　understood　that　an　anarchy　had　come　upon　them。　The　party　rode　until　they　were　very　nearly　up　with　the　scouts；　and　then　from　low　down　at　the　very　edge　of　the　plain　there　came　a　long　rattling　noise　which　endured　as　if　some　kind　of　grinding　machine　had　been　put　in　motion。　Smoke　arose；　faintly　marking　the　position　of　an　intrenchment。　Sometimes　a　swift　spitting　could　be　heard　from　the　air　over　the　party。
  It　was　Coleman's　fortune　to　think　at　first　that　the　Turks　were　not　firing　in　his　direction；　but　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　weird　voices　in　the　air　he　knew　that　war　was　upon　him。　But　it　was　plain　that　the　range　was　almost　excessive；　plain　even　to　his　ignorance。　The　major　lo