Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-07
CHAPTER III.

portunity to make Il narrower
inspection Of the castle Us 1t
appeared from without. The
morning was fine. the air OF those hills
delicate and stimulating, and the sun
light struck the woods and valleys with
10 golden glory. Smoking cigarette,
i strolled round the edilice, surveying
with at1miring eyes the details of the
design. The entrance by the portcullis
lay between two solid drum towers,
very formidable to look on. The bat
Elements, which were extremely plain
and by no means perfect, the machico-
lations being Worn into great chasms
here and there. stood two stories away
from the base Of the castle, and three
II the bottom Of the moat be counted.
Upon the one side of the Irregular
square which the buildings made the
stonework, as ] have said, had fallen
Into disrepair, and. indeed, no rooms
were habitable here. The detlitus of
centuries had flowed over into the
courtyard, and the stones were hcnped
In solid accumulation and overgrown
with masses of huge Irish Ivy. The
southern face Of the castle was, SO to
speak. hut hill Of rock. 1t was at the
junction Of the southern and western
walls that the keep stood, itself raised
some twenty feet above the level of the
battlements and the termination of the
habitable portion of the fortress. The
moat, which was some ten feet deep,
was grown upon with grass. and Its
sides were covered with blackberry
and fulze and divers wild creepers.
Completing my circuit of the castle,
struck upon stream which ran In
full body through the park and, reach
ing the verge of the woodland, leaped
suddenly into "a torrent and scattered
into waterfall down the steep face
OF the hill While was wandering
upon tho margin, watching the tide and
swirl Of the tiny eddies with lazy sat
isfactio1l, encountered my host, who
greeted me courteously.
you are admiring my little brook"
he said. Yes, 1t is pretty, but prettier
IN the copses below, where think you
must have observed 1t yesterday. Here
It runs very gravely; below 1t Is q noisy
vagabond. You see 1t has uses here"
"You draw your water here?" / ask
cd, fascinated with the primitive idea.
"Not unusually" he replied, "but
there is we'll within the castle, doubt
less from the same springs. Yet the
brook rendered more important serv-
Ace In my predecessors times"
/ looked at him inquiringly. He
smiled.
''Let me see," he resumed, "if can
give you ocular proof. 1t should be
here" Flo stopped and, dipping his
stick into the water, poked among the
pebbles of the stream. "Ah, here it is!
/ think have til" He looked toward
the castle, above the battlements Of
which now famed the morning sun.
They rose some fifty yards away.
s.There is connection with the moat
by means of conduit" explained Mr..
Kesteven.
uttered an exclamation of delight
and vowed that must explore farther.
Asserting graciously, he led the way
toward the house and, letting himself
gently down the sloping bank, walked,
peering about him, along the bottom
of the raoat. You will find 1t over
grown, no doubt" he said. But your
eyes arc better than mine. 1t is ten
years since looked for it,
I searched amid the trailing creepers
and presently discovered the mouth of
the conduit. 1t was Of thick stone and
mortar and from its appearance must
have been of very ancient construction.
But the opening was choked with earth
and grass and probably had been so
for centuries. / said as much to Mr..
Kesteven.
mo-" he returned, II think not,
believe my predecessor In the tenancy
Of the cnstle had 1t opened some fifty
years ago, and flooded the moat for
his own amusement. understand that
the experiment was quite successful
and entertained party Of guests, one
of whom" he added dryly, "fell into
the water and was only rescued with
some difficulty. But you shall make
better acquaintance with our neigh
borhood after breakfast. assure you,
Mr.. Greatorex, 1t is worth your study,
and this castle Of mine is by no means
singular"
was quite at his disposal for a
stroll later in the morning and upon
that occasion got my first knowledge
Of the topography of the Gwent, a
KNOWLEDGE which. as YOU shall hear,
was glad enough to profit by at little
later period. And here may set forth
IN few words the character Of that
country which was destined to be so
strangely connected with my fortunes.
The castle stood upon little eminence
toward the higher parts Of the hills
and looked down toward the east upon
long, broad valley as upon its special
domain. This valley, which was some
three miles long and little more than a
mile across, was inclosed by undulat-
ing hills and enveloped in dense
growth Of forest. Two roads ran from
the castle toward the east downward,
one upon either side of the ravine. One
OF them = not that by which / had
mounted on the previous afternoon
we took upon this walk together.
We had gone about a mile or rather
Ess upon this road when we came up
on the first signs Of life. The country
y. II. IL i~.,x