The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-24

it.
 When the machine returned to 1 Kulp, it's streaming. headlights an-
 nouncing it's arrival. In moment the i valley resounded with rifle shots, cries in the darkness from hundreds : of men, and dozens of fierce figures
 leaped about the machine as it : stopped. Hussein Bey, being the only ] one who spoke Turkish, sprang from : the machine and walked courageous i ly towards the tribesmen with his I right hand on his heart, shouting | Peace, we are friends
 | Soon came up a short, active Turk, l afterward known as Riza, whip in 1 hand, driving back his fellows lash 1 ing them mercilessly with a short l whip; next an old crippled cheftain, 1 Alexander by name, and a quieter | cheftain, Shamil Beg. It developed
 that the truck with it's three men, l one of whom was the party's chief,
 Monsieur Litard. formerly with Gen l eral Petain in France, was being
 held until the American general would return and vouch for 1t as i American. The members of the searching party were also informed
 that they too must remain until the
 general had vouched for them. It i was explained that the precarious ] military situation of the band made l this necessary, though 1t was sus- pected to be a subterfuge to get pos- session of General Harbord
 1 After much wrangling and areu-
 ment, with many differences of opin- ion, it was agreed that Chiefs Alex ! ander and Riza would return with the automobile to the camping place of General Harbord and ascertain for i themselves then that the party had
 come for the purpose of Investigating | the political difficulties in Armenia
 and other neighboring countries
 l When they had gotten in the ma 1 chine, g voice out of the darkness de-
 nounced Hussein Bey as an Arme- nian, and the argument was begun anew. Finally the two leaders de- : parted, saw General Harbord told
 nm their wrongs, and pleaded with him to have the Americans settle the
 troubles of the land, and left prom lsing to free the prisoners and let pass : the other four machines, which had as
 yet not arrived.
 i Meanwhile Shamil Beg took the l prisoners to the center of his camp l had spread rugs for them to sit upon, i a hre built, and a sheep killed in i their honor. Then he entertained 1 them with stories of the life of his 1 band, of the troubles growing out of i the war, and declared the only way 1 to bring peace to Asia Minor was i through a strong foreign hand. More i than this, he promised protection for i the party, and volunteered to rescue | the other machines from the Kurds i 'fWe are all thieves, we must be to i live,' he said, with a sorrowfu1 smile l And remember this, neither we nor i the ArmenlanS, are fit for self-gov- 1 ernment, and we won't be for many long years. Besides, we hate each ! other too much to rule together"
 Short, dark-eyed, determined, yet polite, Shami1 Beg sat through the i night, guarding the party against his
 own robbers. The party by the fire was broken up when the lights of the i other four automobiles came in sight The men of these machines ] had terrible story to tell. They
 had just missed death Before com 1 ing to the friendly Kurds, they had l been suddenly attacked from all sides
 by rifle fire. Captain Lorings ma
 chine had run for it and escaped.
 Loring received a slight head wound.
 The machines behind had been stop
 ped by huge boulders across the
 road, and all had received several
 volleys until the machines halted,
 When the chief of the tribe had
 fully persuaded himself that the au-
 tomobiles were American and mot part of an Armenian attacking party.
 he restored their belongings and let
 them pass to the friendly Kurds who
 were beside themselves with rage a. this treatment
 The problem of getting away from kulp was not easy, ShamiI Beg said l the party must spend the night or ! else be robbed of their rifles by his
 own uncomfortable men along the road after leaving the camp But al dawn he gave the signal for the party to proceed. The automobiles started Shamil Beg rtding7in the lead to guar 7 antee safe passage. He had plan- ned to ride to the camp of General 7 Harboard, riding on horseback: but he never came. Was he killed by his own men for letting the prey es- cape? A few shots were heard af- ter he quilted the party at the brow Of the plain of Ararat The party waited while for him out upon the [ plain and then rolled along unde, l the silent protection of the might, mountain to report "AIl here, Sir
 to General Harboard, who, too, ha6 = spent a sleep1ess, watchful night ] anxious for his party and, too. SIS = pecting an attempt might be made to y capture him by the men of shami