[13] Welcome. CHAPTER VI TEA WITH A BRIGAND THE stranger replied to Marco with "Tee Kamnete"[14] and came up close to them. Zoe blessed herself and said not a word. "Kala,"[15] Marco said briefly, and the stranger said, "It is late for you and your sister to be on the mountain. She is a pretty child." "Na meen avosgothees,"[16] whispered Marco to Zoe, then to the stranger, "Not later than for you." "But I have business here," he said with a smile. [Illustration: "STOOD BEFORE THEM IN THE BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL COSTUME OF GREECE."] "And so have we," and Marco's tone was a little curt. "My business is to eat supper," said the man. "Will you join me?" Marco was surprised, but Zoe whispered, "Do not make him angry," so he said, "Thank you. Zoe has brought me to eat also. Will you not share with us?" "We will eat together," said the stranger, so they seated themselves upon the green grass and Marco took from the basket Zoe had brought, black bread and cheese for all three. "This is the best I have, but I am glad to give," he said, for he thought to himself, "He has not a bad face now that one sees him close. In any case it is best to be civil, for bees are not caught with sour wine." The stranger threw aside his cloak and stood before them in the beautiful national costume of Greece. Zoe thought that she had never seen anything so fine as his clothes. He wore a white shirt, a little black jacket and _fustanellas_, the full white petticoat reaching to the knees, to which Grecian men cling in spite of the fact that it can be soiled in ten minutes while it takes a woman almost as many hours to make it clean again. He carried a leather bag over one shoulder, and from this he took a parcel, seating himself beside Zoe and opening it with a gay smile. "I did not think this morning, when I had this put up, that I should eat it with so dear a little girl," he said. "Perhaps I should have put in Syrian _loukoumi_ had I known that you would be here instead of _halva_[17] and _tarama_.[18] Should I not?" "_Halva_ is very nice," said Zoe shyly. "And I have never tasted _loukoumi_ of Syria." "Have you not? Poor child! Tell me where you live and I will send you a packet of it." "I live in Karissa, near to Volo," said Zoe with a sweet smile. "The gentleman takes too much trouble." "I shall certainly do it," he said, "unless I am wrestling with Charos."[19] "When your soul shall be a Petalouda[20] and your dust shall become myrrh," said Zoe. "On the third day I shall carry raw wheat and a candle to Papa Petro, that he may say prayers for you."