Bismarck daily tribune., 1911-11-24

myself had I not always before me
one incontestable proof Of the truth
of it. For my personal appearance l
stand over six feet, am broad shoul-
dered and athletic, have fair hair and
am clean shaven, and I believe there
are less well favored men in the world
than myself.
Brayle lies, If indeed there Is still a
village there, at the foot Of one of the
southern spurs Of the great Caucasian
range. 1t Is an out of the way place
which probably few tourists have dis
! covered. 1t is enough to say that,
while the slopes Of the western range
are clad in verdure, the central range,
as it may be called, is arid, rocky and
desolate. OF comparatively uniform
height, the mountain tops rise majes-
t1cally into the region Of perpetual
! snow. There are, practically speak
ing, no passes, only here and there a
goat track, dizzy enough to contem'
plate, Of a mountaineer's zigzag path
which leads nowhere in particular,
and in the neighborhood Of Brayle
sheer rock rises perpendicularly from
the mountain road which runs through
the village. So to my story.
Supper finished and a brier pipe set
going, I suggested another log on the
fire, more wine-it was very thin wine
and harmless-and Mustapha's tale.
The man had drunk at my expense or
1 do not think he would have told the
legend.
'1t's little I know" he said. EVERY
one knows nearly as much, only they
do not believe. Long ago, long before
Brayle existed, somewhere near here
there was a pass from this side Of the
mountains to a country beyond. There
was constant intercourse between the
people on this side Of the mountains
and that country, whose Inhabitants,
though different, were friendly. The
men were strong and warlike and the
women more than beautiful, far supe-
rior to ours, it is said, and the wealth
Of the country was enormous. In the
kings treasury were stored gold and
silver and precious stones, greater
wealth than man could name. It was
q pleasant country, too, warm and sun
ny, for the great mountains shut it In
and sheltered 1t. They were strong
people and therefore dwelt in safety, a
contented people and therefore happy.
A day came when the pass was no
more. It was a year Of fierce storms,
such as had not been known until that
time nor have been since. Mountains
split asunder and changed their shapes,
and when the storms were over the
pass was gone. The mountain walls Of
1t had split and fallen in, shutting that
fair land out Of the world forever"
'The legend improves with every
telling" said the landlord.
"And ii : all a lie," said one Of the
other men contemptuously. 1--WE been
lost day and a night upon the noun
tains and know every inch Of them
that Is to be known. It's all a tale.
Austapha is a stupid dreamer"
muSLdpud "dtCAVA AACs Wy NA1uSA6AA
was the only one he cared about. His
companions jeers he had heard often
enough before.
II thought it all a tale once" he said
when I made no comment II know
better now. There was until lately
wise woman in Brayle, and she told
me that, though the pass was destroy
ed, there remained a secret entrance to
this fair country through the noun
tains and that she had seen armed
men going there. I did not believe
1t, and laughed, but now laugh no
more. I have seen these strange men
more than once"
"Where?" l asked
ION the road you will take tomorrow
If you travel to the east. will show
you the place."
Every well: you shall show me to-
morrow. We will start early, Mus
tapha," 1 said as prepared to go to
rest for the night.
II shall wake at dawn" he answer
ed.
"And you will return?' asked the
landlord.
1--WE shall be back before sunset,
ready for an excellent supper" I an
swered.
Back before sunset! I little knew
how many sunsets would sink into
night before I saw Brayle again.
It was a brilliant but cold morning