Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-01-25

MluloN ana the silence OF the hight.
with the moonlight striking on Kesta-
ven's head. Why had he thrown open
the easement and discharged me. so
to say. from my obligation as police
man? For that was how I interpreted
his words.
CHAPTER III.
~ EFORE breakfast l had the op-
~ ]portunity to make a narrower
inspection of the castle rs it
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
a golden glory. Smoking 4 cigarette,
I strolled round the editicc. surveying
with admiring eyes the details OF the
design. The entrance by the p~ortcuilis
lay between two solid drum towers,
very formidable to look on. The bat
Elements, which We're extremely plain
and by no means perfect. the machico-
lations being Worn into great chasnS
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 n side OF the irregular
square which the buildings made the
stonework, as I have said, had fallen
into disrepair, and, indeed, no Dom
were habitable here. The detritus of
centuries had flowed over into the
courtyard, and the stones were heaped
in a solid accumulation and overgrown
with masses of huge Irish ivy. The
southern FACE of the castle was. so to
speak, but a 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 furze and divers wild creepers.
Completing my circuit of the castle, 1
struck upon a stream which ran in a
full body through the park and, reach
ing the verge Of the woodland. leaped
suddenly into a torrent and scattered
into a waterfall down the steep face
of the hill. While l was wandering
upon the margin, watching the tide and
swirl of the tiny eddies with lazy sat
isfaction, I encountered my host, who
greeted me courteously.
"1ou are admiring my little brook"
he said. Yes, it is pretty, but prettier
in the copses below, where I think you
must have observed it yesterday. Here
it runs very gravely: below it is a noisy
vagabond. You see it has uses here"
"You draw your water here?' I ask
ed, fascinated with the primitive idea.
"Not unusually" he replied, but
there is a we'll within the castle, doubt
less from the same springs. Yet the
brook rendered a more important serv-
ice in my predecessors times"
l looked at him inquiringly. He
smiled.
Let me See" he resumed, "if l can
give you ocular proof. 1t should be
here" He stopped and, dipping his
stick into the water, poked among the
pebbles of the stream. "Ah, here it is.
l think l have it, He looked toward
the castle, above the battlements Of
which now famed the morning sun.
They rose some fifty yards away.
There is Il connection with the moat
by means Of a conduit explained Mir.
Kesteven.
l uttered an exclamation OF delight
and vowed that l 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 moat. You will find it over
grown, no doubt" he said. But your
eyes are better than mine. 1t is ten
years since I 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 it's appearance must
have been of very ancient construction.
But the opening was choked with earth
and grass and probably had been SO
for centuries. I said as much to MI.
Kesteven.
NO." he returned, Il think not. l
believe my predecessor in the tenancy
on the castle had it opened some fifty
years ago, and flooded the moat for
his W amusement. l understand that
the experiment was quite successful
and entertained a 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. 1 assure you,
MI. Greatorex, it is worth your study,
and this castle Of mine is by no means
singular"
I 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, q
knowledge which, as you shall hear, /
was glad enough u profit by at a little
later period. And here | may set forth
in a few words the character Of that
country which VAS destined 10 be 50
strangely connected with my fortunes.
The castle stood upon Il little cminence
toward the higher parts Of the hills
and looked down toward the east upon
q long, broad valley as upon its special