Evening star., 1938-03-20


"a correspondent, stepped out OF
boat at the landing stage of the
Villa Ser Abruzzi, Josephine
Woyne knew that once more he had popped
into her life at moment when she badly
needed a friend. The Honorable Michael
Treddinsdon- Core had just proposed: "A
look here, Josephine - you're pleasant soul,
in spite of America - so if you'll just see
your way clear to settlement of around four
million dollars, we'll set the day."
Thirty minutes after she had repeated this
conversation to him, Lathrop had found the
Honorable Michael in the hotel gardens and
beaten him up Josephine was furious at
Michael, because he had disillusioned her, at
MacAfee because he had brawled over her.
She threw suitcase into the Mercedes Benz
and set out, at one o'clock in the morning, to
drive alone to Muncaszy Schloss. She had
inherited this mountain castle, along with his
shrewdness and independence, from old Marx
Wayne, her grandfather.
She crossed the frontier at Ober and as
she was speeding up the St. Beloise road,
young man jumped on the running board.
His name was Jokmtritz Ohe der Asche. His
whole family. he told her, had been wiped out
by the Director and the party in power.
Josephine agreed to smuggle him into Domm,
hidden in the trunk compartment.
An hour later, plane crashed almost on
her car Two uniformed men staggered from
the wreckage In one she recognized Hts
Royal Highuess, Prince Se1gei Of TeckIenberg-
k>sn <ho
Europe" - the Director.
Prince Sergei and his aide, Captain Batron,
commandeered Josephines car, commanded
her to drive them to Domm. She was not used
to being commanded, and she matched them
in insolence but she had to obey. She had dis
covered, to her SURPRISE that Johnfritz Ohe
der Asche had slipped out of the trunk COM
partment somewhere further back on the road.
You are travelling alone, without chap
erone?" said the Director. 1T is quite obvious
that you are woman of no virtue"
Josephine stopped the car, took the key
from the lock, and threw it into the waters
of the Tashno. You will walk to Domm,
she said, "for insolence."
PART TWO
~HEY were on the outskirts of Naubmg
at the Menninof Bridge. A staff car
flashed across the bridge, coming to-
ward them.
The Director stood up in Josephines car
and raised hand the car stopped abreast OF
them. Stiff with his dignity. the Director got
out of the Mercedes Benz. His face was white.
The officers in the staff car got out. Captain
Batron got out with the field kits. Standing
in the road before his officers, the Director
was detached again suddenly. the center of
the scene but not part of it. His mind could
hold the whip to his country but the slender
ness of his aristo1atic body could not shake
off the centuries of aloofness that had bred it.
Josephine wanted Lathop MacAfee there be-
side her suddenly. Wanted him desperately to
be there to touch her hand, to grin at her.
Suddenly she was ooldly afraid.
The Director was speaking. place this
woman under Party arrest" he said. Have
her held in Domm with her car, at the
Koenighof. Take me to Domm in the staff
car" Then he pitched forward on his face IN
the cobbled street and lay still. For moment
his officers were too stunned to move.
Josephine heard someone say: Compound
fracture" Then Batron was explaining to
tall major of cavalry how she had thrown her
car key into the Tashno and the Major was
looking at her steadily. He said, Get into the
back of the car - move" and he took her