the red cross girl-第12部分

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〃The　first　class；〃　he　explained　patiently；　〃is　the　Great
Grand　Cross；　and　is　given　only　to　reigning　sovereigns。　The
second　is　called　the　Grand　Cross；　and　is　bestowed　only　on
crowned　princes；　prime　ministers；　and　men　of　world…wide
fame　。　。　。　。　〃

〃What's　the　matter　with　Doctor　Gilman's　being　of　world…wide
fame？〃　said　Peter。　〃He　will　be　some　day；　when　Stetson　starts
boosting。〃

〃Some　day；〃　retorted　Stimson　stiffly；　〃　I　may　be　an
ambassador。　When　I　am　I　hope　to　get　the　Grand　Cross　of　the
Crescent；　but　not　now。　I'm　sorry　you're　not　satisfied；〃　he
added　aggrievedly。　〃No　one　can　get　you　anything　higher　than
the　third　class；　and　I　may　lose　my　official　head　asking　for
that。〃

〃Nothing　is　too　good　for　old　man　Gilman；〃　said　Peter；　〃nor
for　you。　You　get　the　third　class　for　him；　and　I'll　have
father　make　you　an　ambassador。〃

That　night　at　poker　at　the　club　Peter　sat　next　to　Prince
Abdul；　who　had　come　from　a　reception　at　the　Grand　vizier　's
and　still　wore　his　decorations。　Decorations　now　fascinated
Peter；　and　those　on　the　coat　of　the　young　prince　he　regarded
with　wide…eyed　awe。　He　also　regarded　Abdul　with　wide…eyed
awe；　because　he　was　the　favorite　nephew　of　the　Sultan；　and
because　he　enjoyed　the　reputation　of　having　the　worst
reputation　in　Turkey。　Peter　wondered　why。　He　always　had　found
Abdul　charming；　distinguished；　courteous　to　the　verge　of
humility；　most　cleverly　cynical；　most　brilliantly　amusing。　At
poker　he　almost　invariably　won；　and　while　doing　so　was　so
politely　bored；　so　indifferent　to　his　cards　and　the　cards
held　by　others；　that　Peter　declared　he　had　never　met　his
equal。

In　a　pause　in　the　game；　while　some　one　tore　the　cover　off　a
fresh　pack；　Peter　pointed　at　the　star　of　diamonds　that
nestled　behind　the　lapel　of　Abdul's　coat。

〃May　I　ask　what　that　is？〃　said　Peter。

The　prince　frowned　at　his　diamond　sunburst　as　though　it
annoyed　him；　and　then　smiled　delightedly。

〃It　is　an　order；〃　he　said　in　a　quick　aside；　〃bestowed　only
upon　men　of　world…wide　fame。　I　dined　to…night；〃　he　explained；
〃with　your　charming　compatriot；　Mr。　Joseph　Stimson。〃

〃And　Joe　told？〃　said　Peter。

The　prince　nodded。　〃Joe　told；〃　he　repeated；　〃but　it　is　all
arranged。　Your　distinguished　friend；　the　Sage　of　Stillwater；
will　receive　the　Crescent　of　the　third　class。〃

Peter's　eyes　were　still　fastened　hungrily　upon　the　diamond
sunburst。

〃Why；〃　he　demanded；　〃can't　some　one　get　him　one　like　that？〃

As　though　about　to　take　offense　the　prince　raised　his
eyebrows；　and　then　thought　better　of　it　and　smiled。

〃There　are　only　two　men　in　all　Turkey；〃　he　said；　〃who　could
do　that。〃

〃And　is　the　Sultan　the　other　one？〃　asked　Peter。　The　prince
gasped　as　though　he　had　suddenly　stepped　beneath　a　cold
shower；　and　then　laughed　long　and　silently。

〃You　flatter　me；〃　he　murmured。

〃You　know　you　could　if　you　liked！〃　whispered　Peter　stoutly。

Apparently　Abdul　did　not　hear　him。　〃I　will　take　one　card；〃　he
said。

Toward　two　in　the　morning　there　was　seventy…five　thousand
francs　in　the　pot；　and　all　save　Prince　Abdul　and　Peter　had
dropped　out。　〃Will　you　divide？〃　asked　the　prince。

〃Why　should　I？〃　said　Peter。　〃I've　got　you　beat　now。　Do　you
raise　me　or　call？〃　The　prince　called　and　laid　down　a　full
house。　Peter　showed　four　tens。

〃I　will　deal　you　one　hand；　double　or　quits；〃　said　the　prince。

Over　the　end　of　his　cigar　Peter　squinted　at　the　great　heap　of
mother…of…pearl　counters　and　gold…pieces　and　bank…notes。

〃You　will　pay　me　double　what　is　on　the　table；〃　he　said；　〃or
you　quit　owing　me　nothing。〃

The　prince　nodded。

〃Go　ahead；〃　said　Peter。

The　prince　dealt　them　each　a　hand　and　discarded　two　cards。
Peter　held　a　seven；　a　pair　of　kings；　and　a　pair　of　fours。
Hoping　to　draw　another　king；　which　might　give　him　a　three
higher　than　the　three　held　by　Abdul；　he　threw　away　the　seven
and　the　lower　pair。　He　caught　another　king。　The　prince　showed
three　queens　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。

Peter；　leaning　toward　him；　spoke　out　of　the　corner　of　his
mouth。

〃I'll　make　you　a　sporting　proposition；〃　he　murmured。　〃You　owe
me　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs。　〃I'll　stake　that
against　what　only　two　men　in　the　empire　can　give　me。〃

The　prince　allowed　his　eyes　to　travel　slowly　round　the　circle
of　the　table。　But　the　puzzled　glances　of　the　other　players
showed　that　to　them　Peter's　proposal　conveyed　no　meaning。

The　prince　smiled　cynically。

〃For　yourself？〃　he　demanded。

〃For　Doctor　Gilman；〃　said　Peter。

〃We　will　cut　for　deal　and　one　hand　will　decide；〃　said　the
prince。　His　voice　dropped　to　a　whisper。　〃And　no　one　must　ever
know；〃　he　warned。

Peter　also　could　be　cynical。

〃Not　even　the　Sultan；〃　he　said。

Abdul　won　the　deal　and　gave　himself　a　very　good　hand。　But　the
hand　he　dealt　Peter　was　the　better　one。

The　prince　was　a　good　loser。　The　next　afternoon　the　GAZETTE
OFFICIALLY　announced　that　upon　Doctor　Henry　Gilman；　professor
emeritus　of　the　University　of　Stillwater；　U。　S。　A。；　the
Sultan　had　been　graciously　pleased　to　confer　the　Grand　Cross
of　the　Order　of　the　Crescent。

Peter　flashed　the　great　news　to　Stetson。　The　cable　caught　him
at　Quarantine。　It　read：　〃Captured　Crescent；　Grand　Cross。　Get
busy。〃

But　before　Stetson　could　get　busy　the　campaign　of　publicity
had　been　brilliantly　opened　from　Constantinople。　Prince
Abdul；　although　pitchforked　into　the　Gilman　Defense
Committee；　proved　himself　one　of　its　most　enthusiastic
members。

〃For　me　it　becomes　a　case　of　NOBLESSE　OBLIGE；〃　he　declared。
〃If　it　is　worth　doing　at　all　it　is　worth　doing　well。　To…day
the　Sultan　will　command　that　the　〃Rise　and　Fall〃　be
translated　into　Arabic；　and　that　it　be　placed　in　the　national
library。　Moreover；　the　University　of　Constantinople；　the
College　of　Salonica；　and　the　National　Historical　Society　have
each　elected　Doctor　Gilman　an　honorary　member。　I　proposed
him；　the　Patriarch　of　Mesopotamia　seconded　him。　And　the
Turkish　ambassador　in　America　has　been　instructed　to　present
the　insignia　with　his　own　hands。〃

Nor　was　Peter　or　Stimson　idle。　To　assist　Stetson　in　his
press…work；　and　to　further　the　idea　that　all　Europe　was　now
clamoring　for　the　〃Rise　and　fall；〃　Peter　paid　an　impecunious
but　over…educated　dragoman　to　translate　it　into　five
languages；　and　Stimson　officially　wrote　of　this；　and　of　the
bestowal　of　the　Crescent　to　the　State　Department。　He　pointed
out　that　not　since　General　Grant　had　passed　through　Europe
had　the　Sultan　so　highly　honored　an　American。　He　added　he　had
been　requested　by　the　grand　vizier　who　had　been　requested
by　Prince　Abdulto　request　the　State　Department　to　inform
Doctor　Gilman　of　these　high　honors。　A　request　from　such　a
source　was　a　command　and；　as　desired；　the　State　Department
wrote　as　requested　by　the　grand　vizier　to　Doctor　Gilman；　and
tendered　congratulations。　The　fact　was　sent　out　briefly　from
Washington　by　Associated　Press。　This　official　recognition　by
the　Government　and　by　the　newspapers　was　all　and　more　than
Stetson　wanted。　He　took　off　his　coat　and　with　a　megaphone；
rather　than　a　pen；　told　the　people　of　the　United　States　who
Doctor　Gilman　was；　who　the　Sultan　was；　what　a　Grand　Cross
was；　and　why　America's　greatest　historian　was　not　without
honor　save　in　his　own　country。　Columns　of　this　were　paid　for
and　appeared　as　〃patent　insides；〃　with　a　portrait　of　Doctor
Gilman　taken　from　the　STILLWATER　COLLEGE　ANNUAL；　and　a
picture　of　the　Grand　Cross　drawn　from　imagination；　in　eight
hundred　newspapers　of　the　Middle；　Western；　and　Eastern
States。　special　articles；　paragraphs；　portraits；　and　pictures
of　the　Grand　Cross　followed；　and；　using　Stillwater　as　his
base；　Stetson　continued　to　flood　the　country。　Young　Hines；
the　local　correspondent；　acting　under　instructions　by　cable
from　Peter；　introduced　him　to　Doctor　Gilman　as　a　traveller
who　lectured　on　Turkey；　and　one　who　was　a　humble　admirer　of
the　author　of　the　〃Rise　and　fall。〃　Stetson；　having　studied　it
as　a　student　crams　an　examination；　begged　that　he　might　sit
at　the　feet　of　the　master。　And　for　several　evenings；　actually
at　his　feet；　on　the　steps　of　the　ivy…covered　cottage；
the　disguised　press…agent　drew　from　the　unworldly　and
unsuspecting　scholar　the　simple　story　of　his　life。　To　this；
still　in　his　character　as　disciple　and　student；　he　added
photographs　he　himself　made　of　the　master；　of　the　master's
ivy…covered　cottage；　of　his　favorite　walk　across　the　campus；
of　the　great　historian　at　work　at　his　desk；　at　work　in　his
rose　garden；　at　play　with　his　wife　on　the　croquet　lawn。　These
he　held　until　the　insignia　should　be　actually　presented。　This
pleasing　duty　fell　to　the　Turkish　ambassador；　who；　much　to
his　astonishment；　had　received　instructions　to　proceed　to
Stillwater；　Massachusetts；　a　place　of　which　he　had　never
heard；　and　present　to　a　Doctor　Gilman；　of　whom　he　had　never
heard；　the　Grand　Cross　of　the　Crescent。　As　soon　as　the
insignia　arrived　in　the　official　mail…bag　a　secretary　brought
it　from　Washington　to　Boston；　and　the　ambassador　travelled
down　from　Bar　Harbor　to　receive　it；　and　with　the　secretary
took　the　local　train　to　Stillwater。

The　reception　extended　to　him　there　is　still　remembered　by
the　ambassador　as　one　of　the　happiest　incidents　of　his
distinguished　career。　Never　since　he　came　to　represent　his
imperial　Majesty　in　the　Western　republic　had　its　barbarians
greeted　him　in　a　manner　in　any　way　so　nearly　approaching　his
own　idea　of　what　was　his　due。

〃This　ambassador；〃　Hines　had　explained　to　the　mayor　of
Stillwater；　who　was　also　the　proprietor　of　its　largest
department　store；　〃is　the　personal　representative　of　the
Sultan。　So　we've　got　to　treat　him　right。〃

〃It's　exactly；〃　added　Stetson；　〃as　though　the　Sultan　himself
were　coming。〃

〃And　so　few　crowned　heads　visit　Stillwater；〃　continued　Hines；
〃that　we　ought　to　show　we　appreciate　this　one；　especially　as
he　comes　to　pay　the　highest　honor　known　to　Europe　to　one　of
our　townsmen。〃

The　mayor　chewed　nervously　on　his　cigar。

〃What'd　I　better　do？〃　he　asked。

〃Mr。　Stetson　here；〃　Hines　pointed　out；　〃has　lived　in　Turkey；
and　he　knows　what　they　expect。　Maybe　he　will　help　us。〃

〃Will　you？〃　begged　the　mayor。

〃I　will；〃　said　Stetson。

Then　they　visited　the　college　authorities。　Chancellor　Black
and　most　of　the　faculty　were　on　their　vacati