The Washington times., 1918-09-05


was quickly left behind, and We
sped through the narrow valley at
the mouth of which it lay. Valenski
spoke little; his attention was
wholly taken up by the horses,
spirited creatures that dashed along
over the rough road at breakneck
speed Our way lay through sue
cessions of these gOrges. the road
zig-Zagging and undulating con-
tinually. Sometimes the bare rocks
almost met above our heads, some
times the sides of the mountains
were three covered to their sum-
mits, I'D the road led for a mile or
20 through the fringe of the forest.
Always there was a roaring torrent
at our feet. row close b side US,
now far below at the base OF a
sheer precipice, wholly unguarded.
Thus we drove for some two or
three hours. At last We entered a
gorge in which there was hardly
q sign OF vegetation, and where the
road was little more than L track.
The valley was rather broader than
those through which We had been
passing, but infinitely more desc
late. The mountains rose dark and
somber on either side, rocks of fan
tastic shape marking their SUBMITS
and protruding here and there in
Eaunt ugliness. Patches OF snow
lay in the crevices, and sometimes
across our path. Above all rose
the great -mantled height
that 1 had noticed that morning
shimmering red in the sunlight.
OneN could imagine that the rocky
buttresses gave refuge to tortured
souls and torturing fiends; it was
the setting for an inferno.
1--WE are near our destination
said Velenski, and he had almost to
shout his words because of the
roaring torrent that at this spot
formed a series of cataracts. hurl-
ing itself down from rock to rock,
rushing, surging, and seething mad
ly. He pointed to a dark shape
that lay before US, outlined vague
ly upon a projecting buttress Of
rock.
That is the castle of the Va
Ienski's,' he said. From time i'm
memorial my ancestors have owned
It 1t is mine today. And hither
at stated times comes those of the
race who wish to communicate
with me, to learn from me. or to
bring me tribute. For ! am their
chief. their leader, their king. Nv
Kingdom is the world'-he spoke
with strange enthusiasm-'and this
Is the seat Of government. Here
no man disputes my sway-here- nv
word Is law. What do you think OF
1t" He turned upon me with a
sort OF savage eagerness. You who
come from great city. where man
Is all and nature is naught.'
Tt is terrible spot said with
shudder, a spot which is best left
TO nature, a spot unified for the
Of man.
That is why love it, he re-
Piled. That is why my reign is un-
disputed. No zone ventures into
this valley unless he be of the Va
lensl1i's or unless he has business
with me. Peasants pass the branch.
Ing road with fear and trembling.
ana cross themselves in nervous
fOolsi Years ago
my ancestors used to hold the road
10 Dielitz, and all who passed over
L paid them tribute or they were
carried off to the castle, and there
we'll. probably enough, they were
willing to pay then
He laughed and I fent a shud- |
Ter Of apprehension pass down my |
pine. So it was to a brigand's /
haunt that 1 had come! This man
vas the descendant Of a race of !
hieves and murderers, self-avowed,
in his ancestry,
What a fool I had been.
I'VE no longer practice those
-rts,' he continued. 1T is no. in
with the spirit of the
lines to do so. l have no wish to
ave my valley invaded by soldiery
md my sway disputed. We are
lot brigands. Mr.. Swan. We are
tut gypsies. and there is no law TO
'revent gypsies gathering together
where ii seems good to them. Our
Methods today are more subtle, but
'erhaps they are just as effective.
[ is not only from a single road
hat we draw tribute. American
'old finds its way into my Golfers as
Tell as Austrian paper
But the gypsies are peaceful
eople,' l exclaimed. Il have never
card
He laughed shrilly. ooh, yes, we
re peaceful people, all of u.s. he
splied. We gain our ends by
eaceful methods. Our folk travel
i over the world-they perform
fairs-as lara does-they have
tile shops of their own. They
cal sometimes: the gypsy has
ever fully understood the low of
overty. And by other means they
AXE money which they have no
eed to spend You will under
and better presently. 1 shall
low you, and you shall know
gain he laughed, and then reIapsed
to silence.
The castle was plainly visible
now. In the gathering twilight
could see its frowning, time-worn
ais. As we neared it I gave q
tile cry of surprise.
" But it is a ruinr I cried.
Yes he replied, 1T has been a
lin for over hundred years. But
ere is portion of it which is
III habitable, and what do 1 need
18th more? Ny folk bring their
nts when they come to visit me.
ID many sleep in their carts.
ans cannot be drawn over these
ads
I'VE were mounting a steep in
ine' and the walls of the castle
omeo above US. Upon a terrace
Jock l copld now see that there
as indeed an encampment of some
IT. and vaguely could distingish
9 ngures OF men moving about.
lere was a great roaring in nv
rs and presently realized that
ON the other side of the promi-
nee upon which the castle stood
tremendous cascade hurled itself
10 the valley below. A slight bend
the road brought this into view,
ON this side IT seemed as IL the