New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-07

black like the fOrtrcSScS against the sky, II
looked little more than curtain or two OF
crumbling masonry upheld by no less dilapi..
dated towers. As they rounded the base OF
It's supporting cliff, however, they realized
their error. Other crcnelated walls loomed
solidly from out the night, and then a mass
i've gateway, guarded by thanking towers,
which looked still capable Of resistance. y
rank growth Of cactus Ovcrran the moat;
but the drawbridge, to Virgnia's delight,
was still practicable for such as came aioot,
and, abandoning the motor, they trooped
laughingy across IT, torches set IN iron
holders on each side Of the battered portal
lighting the way.
Their EXPLANATIONS pleased Rodoslay. at
has been many years since torches iiamcd
here, he said. "A lantern serves us ordina-
ry."
"You ordered them specially for u.s. cried
Virginia.
dyes. wanted it to seem a real castle to
YOU But remember" ne warned, "rcal
castles are seldom comfortable
at isn't comfort we want, She protested.
dts romance, and you have given us that
beyond question. How splcndldly your ser
wants carry out the picture"
"Thcy are my steward and his sons. They
are shepherds by trade
The two Younger men in red fczzcS, short
embroidered Jackets, and loose trousers,
hastcncd out 10 help the Swiss with the lug
gage. The steward himself Int a smaller
torch and pilOtcd them across the tagged
courtyard and through a second archway
into a second court, more than halt ruinous.
with its far end open toward the narrow
nlatcau that the castle and its outworks had
obviously once filled. Rodoslav waved his
hand toward the gaping breaches which IVY
and pink masses Of tamarisk stroye vainly
to stop.
"Thc Turks did that" he explained.
| "Thcv meant 10 blow il all 10 pieces; but
luckily they found other things to occupy
them. Nv people had lost their POSSESSIONS
but they kept their courage. From the
Bocchc Iii Cattaro to the Danube they
fought
"Was it long before they got the castle
back asked Mrs; Blair
"Four centuries.
The stockbrokcr whistlcd. Time enough
for property to dcprcciatc, he observed
drvlv. at must have changed proprietorS
frequently
"Ycs." Rodoslav asscntcd. "Thc Turks,
the Vcnctians. the Austrians, the French,
and again the Austrians. have all held 1t. Il
was nv grandfather who finally bought 1t
back. Il was far past its usefulness as a
stronghold, Of course. The batteries YOU
saw on the hills superseded it long ago. The
purchase was thought rather Byronic
piece Of business on my grandfather part
Byron was the fad then. but nobody OPP
posed his throwing money away on sentl-
mcnt. Nowadays people would call 1t
folly
Ann alone among his auditor, OWNED that
something deeper than sentiment had car
rcd weight with the 8yronic grandfather
| He too had dreamed,
Stirred by the old memories. RodoSlaV
took the torch himself and guided them from
point to point along the devastated walls
explaining their ancient uses The rising
moon she'd pale ligh on the gray stones
sleeping them in a war and melancholy haze
which touched Ann like certain haunting
music. Straying from the group. She broodcd
upon the stormy past Of the ancient fabric
and asked herself i. il was again 10 become
the thcatcr of historic deeds Could Rodo-
slav bridge the centuries:
she faced the relic OF q medieval bastlon
~ as she pondcrcd and. her eyes adapting
themselves unconsciouSly 10 the gloom be