The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-07-21

Monsieur Maurois, you asked
me 10 4 picnic and YOU are CIV
Ing me banquet.
He was Quick to catch the faint
irony of her voice.
That tells me have failed
ne said gIoomily. Is the
III gedy Of my race. 1t Is given TO
Us % do many things better than
other nations can do them. but
tbs picnic
Oh. come. answered Shirley
We never enjoyed q picnic 50
much iii all my life. Perfect.
That makes me nervous Let
ns hurry away from IL while we
both share that Illusion.
few minutes later they had
resumed their Journey
There viii be no more speed
Tor the next so kiIonleters or so,
said Maurols for the road be-
comes very rough. Nevertheless.
sou will have the leisure to OBJ
serve Balkan village
As he spoke they turned the
bend and passed through q vii
lage of twenty or more squat
houses. built ON hillside one
above the other. Shirley looked
Tor signs Or life and found none.
It's abandoned, isn't it she
asked
40. The women are all In
side from one of the houses you
ran see smoke. The men are III
the hills. This Is d Comitada
village bandits and / fancy the
men are ali away On business. :
Butdo the authorities krow
hiatt Why do they let them s
All! I was wrong. They are
not 10 FAR away. interrupted
Manrofs. Look ahead. You are
now going I'd see an interesting
spectacle the Comitadji at work.
Al hundred yards ahead 4 NUM-
Der of men on horses were gal-
looping from behind q rocky crag,
shouting I'd each other and spread
Ing over the road. Shirley sup
posed there must have been 20
or 30 De them.
They see ill lis d profitable
enterprise, 4 Maurois told her.
Are ypu afraid ~
81 suppose / am bit, an
awered Shirley. But not as much
rs ought TO be. What will they
do To us
You are q brave woman" said
Manrois. touching her hand. They
will do nothing to us-as you
will see
The horsemen halted, massed in
the middle OF the road, barring it.
Shots were fired in the air, then
four men, brandishing revolvers.
rode forward.
As they neared the car. Maurois
stood up and addressed them
roughly in language which Shir.
Iay did not understand. Instantly
the men pocketed their revolYers,
and the leader shouted to his fol-
about and scattered The leader
disrnounted, came to the side of
the car. and addressed Maurois
rolul1lv In apologize tones. Maui
rois waved him away and the car
continued.
IA little misunderstanding. That
fellow was explaining that 1t was
unreasonable Of me to expect him
To recognize my chauffeur at that
distance especially as / have
only had him short time. =
They know you, tlen-the ban.
dits2" asked Shirley.
Scarcely he answered. But
ea think mentioned, have
many interests In Macedonia. =
Shirley shrank back into her
corner. For a moment she had
felt suddenly afraid OF Maurois.
That quick, intuitive fear of
Maurois was gone In q second,
tang Of adventure There was adj
venture In Maurois as well as en-.
ferfainment. Here was a man
who knew a great dealsmore than
he admitted--a rich man who
uspd his money to bring him
n8Wer over unexpected persons in
unexpected places.
For two hours the car made slow
progress over rough roads. through
bleak, forbidding country. whose
only charm lay in its witness.
Maurois, gossiping with idle flu.
ency, stopping the car to show her
now q battleship. now a legendary
resting place of Saint Paul, kept
her interested 80 that she could
feel pang OF regret as they ran
back through the city.
nAN&8 iEIlJUyEu II tWiHEHSGtys
she said, as they neared Kalamaria.
II cant tell you how grateful
i am.
Dear lady, today / have lived
fiji the civilization have aban.
doned. There are times when
Macedonia proves too much for
0ne-even for me. But you have
restored my courage. ! feel that
tonight / shall surpass myself.
maA ii Ii necessary tonight /
entertain Madame Stavros."
- ne isa brilliant woman?' sug.
Nsated Shirley.