Part 30 (2/2)
”This is a southern country, and we begin early Are you a woman-hater, as Stefan is? In the back of my mind there is a reverence for wo you to ood For my part, I hardly knowthe tale to ment?” inquired the lad
”A osie”
”Ah, your love tale has advanced so word, and a thorn left in the heart to hurt terribly at times That was my case”
”There is a woman I deeply respect and honor,” said Ellerey ”To love her would be e”
”Why not, then?” asked the boy
”Because of a me word and a look; but they caotten the that has no equal in the whole world, full of sunshi+ne and breeze and perfume; and she came into it suddenly and unexpectedly She would not choose to reered in my heart She was out ofmore than a Captain of Horse”
”But after this enterprise you will be soosie, andwas a Princess”
”Really, or is that your fanciful name for her?”
”Really a Princess,” Ellerey answered ”I wonder why I should be telling this story to you?”
”Is there not syosie answered ”It is the one co no difference of creed or nationality”
For two days the little band journeyed in theto the lower track on account of the horses Progress was slow, for the going was rough, and the horses often had to be led The track lay between the lower hills and the ht of the open country, which lay below them It was late in the afternoon of the second day that they crossed a spur which jutted out toward the plain, and froosie was the first to point out the head of the pass, a precipitous opening in theacross the open country, pointed out a cloud of dust on the horizon
”Thatbody of reatest security until we are prepared to meet the enemy,” Ellerey answered ”If that castle of yours has not cruosie, it will make excellent quarters for us”
The Drekner pass had long ago ceased to be used Once, doubtless, it was the highway into Wallaria froo, not within the memory of the oldest reat spur of the mountain into the deepest and narrowest part of the defile It was still possible to climb this, but it had effectually closed the pass for all useful purposes; and the castle, which in old tiuard the way, had fallen into decay It stood gaunt against the hillside upon a natural plateau, the pathway to it, long and zig-zag, cut out in the hillside Vegetation had taken root in the crevices of its broken walls, and so stroke perhaps, lay in the roadway at the foot of the hill Silence reigned, and an eagle hovering on the heights above doubtless had his eyrie there A thin strea its way from the snow on the mountains, which reared white-hooded heads here and there above their huosie enthusiastically as a turn of the track brought it in view
”Peace, Grigosie, and take that child's chatter of yours to the rear,”
said Ellerey Then turning to Stefan, he directed him and another of the men to climb up carefully to the plateau ”Some outpost of Vasilici'stheir horses, Stefan and his co way and were lost to view It seee of the plateau and waved to their coosie ”It was I who told the it so”
”They will forgiveto-night as punish, Anton, and know that the Gods are with us”
The incline of the zig-zag way had been carefully graduated so that it was possible to lead horses up, and they all disateway, broken and of small service now, shut in the plateau This was the onlythe castle, and in old times formed the first point of defence ”Eht,” said Stefan,place for every wind that blows, and holes enough for theh”
This was evident The walls were broken in every direction, and heaps of stonework lay scattered on all sides
”The tower yonder seeether,” said Ellerey
”Aye, there's fine sleeping rooh the roof”
But the tower hadupon its hinges, and in the lower chamber, at least, there were no rents in the wall save theholes, narrow slits in the outside, but widening inward through the thickness of the walls On one side stone steps, unprotected in any way, led to the floor above, which was entered through a trap door still in place and capable of being bolted down Here the walls were broken in places, and part of the roof had fallen More steps, which mounted to the roof, ended abruptly and were open to the sky A turret had been displaced at so part of the stairs away