The Washington times., 1918-10-08
CHAPTER CLI.
In the Grip of n Wolf.


In the Grip of n Wolf.
looked at the woman and l saw
that she was dressed as a gypsy,
and that her face was strangely
fascinatingly beautiful. She was
murmuring in German words of
gratitude for her deliverance.
spoke the language at that time.
but not we'll; 1 was therefore re-
lieved, though considerably sur
prised, when she suddenly ad-
dressed me in English.
You are English" she asked.
Yes-American-but you? Do
you really speak my language?"
Il speak it-a little" she an
swered. 'T have American friends
relations Strange. it is not for
me, a Xiegeuner?"
How came you to be in the
forest aloneT" I asked, land at
night? II was most haRrdous."
She pointed up the guIley. My
friends are there" she said, "sOme
way further on had been down
to the village, and was belated. 1
tell fortunes, and sell herbs. I had
wandered OF the track to gather
certain herbs which are best
plucked at night. ] must have dis
NNAbC q AOIg dS Inc
wolves do not harm me. But they
burst out in fury tonight, and
and you know the rest"
She spoke halting English, which
cannot reproduce, but her accent
was attractive. From the very
first 1 felt the magnetism of her
presence I explained to her how it
came about that I, too, was in the
forest, and before long we had both
recovered our spirits.
THE wolves will not attack US
again." she said. They are cow
ards unless they are IN a strong
pack Also. my friends will be
anxious, and set out in search of
me soon They cannot have heard
my cries; II was to them that was
screaming"
Her words were Justified by the
result Before very long several
men on horseback came gallop-
ing down the path. The gypsy
woman stood in the mouth of the
cave and hailed to them. In a few
words, and with much gesticulation,
she explained what had happened.
1T was under these circumstances
that for the first time l met Va
ienski.
was taken to the gypsy encamp-
nent treated witt the greatest hos
pitsIfty. A kind of liking for this
wild, untrammeled life took posses
sion Of me, and I was in no hurry to
depart from ii. 1 was practically
without ties; my parents were dead,
and 1 was not yet attached to any
parish. Had 1 utterly disappeared,
there were few who would have
inquired about us. At any rate, /
was in no hurry to return home
So I fingered on, and the company
Of Drara made my exile very sweet
for me.
I journeyed with the gypsies into
the heart of the Carpathians, and
we came at last to a halt at a
strange, half-ruined castle in the
midst OF lonely valley. This castle
was approachable from one side
only: on the other II rose in direct
continuation with a sheer precipice.
and a great waterfall hurled itself
down from close behind the castle
into the valley below. 1t was, so
understood, the ancient home OF
dominated those valleys from time
immemorial.
1t was here that I was initiated
by Valenski into the mystery OF the
drugs which he made his constant
study. / did not know that what /
afterward learned that their poisors
were sold for evil purposes to the
peasants: had ! possessed this
knowledge, think trust-I
should have fed while there was
yet time. No, Nalenski led me
very skiIfulIy to my downfall. He
explained that certain pOisons. prop
erly administered, enable those who
take them to sustain great fatigue.
Look at me-" he said. 81 am ten
years your senior. yet do I show
signs OF decay from the use %
drugs7" And this he certainly did
not, he was a strong muscular man.
even as he is today. though he must
be sixty years OF age.
And so I fell. Like another Old
Man Of the Mountain Valenski held
me in bondage 1t was not with
hashis that he made me his slave.
but he was a master OF strange
drugs, and l doubt not that what
he employed was just as effective.
At last ] committed my greatest
folly. I married Drara. according
10 gypsy rites, and so bound myself
indissolubly 40 the EaIenskis The
mark OF the tribe was placed upon
my wrist. that indeIible mari:
which is borne also by the Bora
dalcs. or whom until then ! had
heard nothing.
And then ! learnt the truth. The
day after my marriage NalenslSi
called me to him and told me the
secrets Of the tribe, expounding
them with that cold-blooded Cyni-
cisn that has always marked him.
You are 90, Of us now" he said.
81 nd you must work with us. II
you are not utterly blind You must
l,v now be aware that We ValenskiS
deal in poisons-for which there Is
p great demand throughout the
world. have already amassed a
fortune thereby. but
J am no longer content with cup
pIyinE peasants, l wish 10 e-;rad
the sphere of my influence ! an