Frank Forester: A Story of the Dardanelles

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER V

  UNDER ARREST

  During the next few days, the town seethed with ever-increasingexcitement. It became known that Germany had declared war on Russia andFrance, and the sole topic of conversation among the Europeans was, whatwould Britain do? Rumour flew apace; authentic news was slow in comingin by telegraph; but at last it was officially announced that Britainwas at war with Germany, and almost immediately afterwards that theBritish Grand Fleet had been shattered in the North Sea. Frank, incommon with the few other Englishmen in the town, scoffed at this; butthe story found many believers, and it was noticed that Wonckhaus ran upa large German flag on his roof-top. Frank paid frequent visits to theBritish consul, who depended for his information on the Turkishtelegraph officials, and there was reason to suspect that a strictcensorship had already been established.

  As usually happens in Asiatic Turkey when Europe is disturbed, there wasgrowing racial excitement among the natives. The Armenians, a timidunstable people, incapable of effective combination, talked ofrevolution, and the lower-class Moslems of the town assumed a menacingattitude towards them. The Kurds in the country districts, it wasrumoured, had already recommenced their attacks on the Armenians, andFrank was gravely apprehensive of massacres on a large scale. Heinstructed his Armenian employees to keep within doors as much aspossible, and to avoid collisions with the Moslems. His chief clerk,Joseph, while sharing his fears, was not alarmed for his own safety.His father, a man of considerable business astuteness and organizingpower, was a contractor to the 9th Army Corps, whose headquarters wereat Erzerum, and in good relations with the military authorities. Theyhated him as an Armenian, but found him useful, indeed indispensable, asa business man, and when business is concerned, religion counts littlewith the Turk.

  Public feeling was stirred to its depths when news came of the arrivalof the _Goeben_ and the _Breslau_ at the Bosporus. There was at oncemanifested a great deal of military activity. New levies flocked intoErzerum, and there were movements of troops along the whole Black Seacoast. Large supplies were needed for them, and the contractor wasbusily employed. Frank found it hard to believe that Turkey would be soshort-sighted as to take the field against the Allied Powers; but henoticed that Wonckhaus, whose air of self-importance was growing day byday, was frequently in communication with the military governor, and theannouncement of German victories became a daily occurrence. Josephreported that these victories were the talk of the town, and it wasopenly declared that the Germans would soon be in possession of Paris,that rebellions had broken out in India, Ireland, and South Africa, andthat the Sultan was on the point of recovering Egypt, the Britishgarrison having been withdrawn to fight in the West. Frank met blacklooks in the streets; trade was at a standstill: and in the absence oftrustworthy news he began to fidget and to wish that his father wouldreturn.

  One day a man ran into the office with a message for Joseph. Alow-class mob had risen against the Armenians in the quarter in whichhis father's house was situated, and when the messenger left the rabblewere battering on the contractor's door. Joseph at once rushed out,followed by Frank, who snatched up a revolver which he had made apractice of carrying in the streets during the past few weeks. Therewere unmistakable signs of commotion in the town. The Armenianshopkeepers were hurriedly shutting their booths; some were barricadingtheir doors, others already speeding away with their portable goods toseek safety in remote quarters of the town or in the country without.

  When Frank arrived on the scene of the disturbance the mob had brokenthrough the gate into the courtyard, and were battering at the door ofthe storeroom.

  "Stand aside there!" called Frank impulsively, elbowing his way throughthe throng.

  He set his back against the door, and drawing his revolver threatened toshoot any man who ventured to renew the attack. The ruffians, who werearmed only with sticks and clubs, fell back, overawed by theEnglishman's authoritative voice and mien. Two elderly zaptiehs werelooking on from the opposite side of the street. Without much faith inthese official defenders of order Frank called on them to disperse themob, or he would report them to the Governor. The policemen liftedtheir rifles and moved sluggishly towards him, pressing the mob asidewithout much energy. But the display of authority, such as it was, hadthe effect of thinning the mob. One man tried to work them up toresist, but finding himself left with a diminishing number of adherents,and perceiving a half company of regular troops marching up at the endof the street, he slunk away and disappeared.

  For the moment the danger was past. Frank returned home with Joseph.

  "That man, the ringleader, was one of Abdi's gang," said Joseph as theywent along. "I noticed him among them that day in the hills."

  "We'll have him arrested. You know where he lives?"

  "I do not know. Ali will know."

  "Then find out from Ali, and I will see the Governor."

  But within an hour or two Frank was himself summoned to the Governor'spalace.

  "It is with grief and surprise I learn," said the Governor, "that you, aforeigner, have taken it upon yourself to give orders to my constables.What have you to say?"

  "Seeing that the zaptiehs were looking on unconcerned at a set ofruffians assaulting the premises of your army contractor, excellency, Ithink that perhaps a foreigner's intervention may have done you aservice."

  Frank took a higher tone than he would have adopted had he not stillfelt the sting left by his previous interview with the Governor.

  "It is inexcusable," was the reply. "You will henceforth keep to yourown house. If you are seen in the streets you will be arrested. YouEnglish take too much upon yourselves."

  Frank was too much surprised to expostulate, even if there had seemedany use in so doing. It was clear that his crime was the being anEnglishman. Filled with a new anxiety as to the future, he left thepalace, to find that he was to be escorted home by a file ofinfantrymen. On reaching the house he sent Joseph at once to ask theBritish consul to visit him.

  "I think you had better remain quiet for the present," said thatgentleman when the matter had been explained to him. "You aretechnically in the wrong, though the late governor would have thankedyou for what you did. Wonckhaus is in the ascendant here. Theauthorities won't take any serious steps against you at present. Untilthat affair of yours with Wonckhaus is decided you need have no anxiety.Your course is certainly to lie low and refrain from the leastappearance of provocation. You are expecting your father?"

  "Yes, I am surprised that I haven't heard from him."

  "Well, everything is more or less disorganized. Probably he will turnup unexpectedly one day and take you away with him. All indicationspoint to the entrance of Turkey into the war. She has closed theDardanelles--an ominous sign. Wonckhaus put it about to-day that Parishad fallen. I don't believe it, but the authorities are absolutelyhypnotized by the Germans, and Enver Pasha, their tool, seems to behaving it all his own way at Constantinople. I hope to get trustworthyinformation through a courier shortly; I don't believe what they doleout here. If Turkey does enter the war, I shall have to go, of course;and if your father hasn't arrived by that time, you must come away undermy safe-conduct."

  On leaving the house the consul perceived that the Governor's order toFrank was to be enforced: a sentry was already posted at the gate. Hereturned for a final word.

  "It means that you are practically a prisoner," he said to Frank, "andit will probably be inadvisable that I should be seen coming here. Butwe can communicate through Joseph. I will make a formal report to ourambassador at Constantinople, who may possibly make a peremptory demandfor your release, though while that unfortunate affair with Wonckhaus isstill _sub judice_ it may be difficult to move. But there's no need tobe uneasy."

  "That's all very well," replied Frank, "but my business is at an end,and the sooner I can get away the better. I don't think I ought even towait for my father."

  "You must be
as patient as you can. In the present state of affairs youwould never get your stock across country safely. I'll do all I can,and keep you informed through Joseph how things are shaping."