"What is the matter, woman? What has happened in Canea?"
She looked at him with vacant eyes, and then staggered on with her awful burden.
"Come on, little Yanne; come on, my cypress tree. Hurry! Hurry! Mother will save him from the Turks!"
The Major stepped up to Lindbohm and Curtis and said firmly:
"Gentlemen, I see that a general massacre of Christians is taking place in Canea. If you go there, you will surely be killed. I beg of you to come with me to my country place near here, where I will protect you till the danger is over."
"Never!" cried the Swede. "We go to the rescue of a lady."
"You can do nothing," replied the Major, impatiently. "If she has not already escaped, it is too late, and our own position here is becoming dangerous, for I and my men are unarmed, and a band of armed Christians may appear at any moment. Join your voice with mine, Monsieur," turning to Curtis. "I assure you, on the honor of a Turk, you will never even get to the city alive."
Curtis hesitated.
"Doubtless the lady is at the English consul's?" hazarded the Major.
"No; she is in the most fearful danger. She is a Cretan in the house of a Turk."