Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1915-12-14
nineteenth INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER LxvlII.
Count saehio,s Search.

1Our IudJeSty, L Can uOn dSsui .
you of our success"
Count Sachio of Grahoffen spoke
calmly. On his face was written full
conviction of the truth of his words.
He stood once more with his monarch
in the great hall of the palace of Ora
hoffen, whittier he had fastened at
once on his return from the rival
capital
why, Sachio?o demanded Cortis-
law. What reason now to believe
our success nearer than it has been
any time these months paste
Your majesty asks proof? Look
Sachio held out in his hand the two
halves, or what purported to he the
two halves, of the broken coin of
Gretzhoffen. He, indeed, supposed
them to be both halves of that mys-
terious coin, although in truth one
was only the counterfeit long since
devised by Count Frederick to appease
his own king That Michael of Gretz-
hoffen had missed his former posses
sion-that Kitty Gray still held one
half of the actual coin-neither Sachio
nor his king now knew.
Both conspirators bent above the
bits CT metal and 10th smiled in exul-
tation. Their arduous search seemed
now really to approach its end.
BY my faith. Sachio.' exclaimed
Cortislaw, 1T seems indeed we have
but to run the trail hard and fast a
trifie further"
"Yes, your majesty, it remains only
for your servant-your very faithful
servant, may l say ito find the
hiding place of the scripts and treas
ures themselves"
That is a necessary detail" said
Cortislaw, with cold grin. Il have
fed long enough on maps and keys
and scripts-now l would dip my
hands in actual mintage of gold coins
Il would see the light of real gems
shining, and not this ignis fatuus which
we have followed so long over the
morasses of doubt and uncertainty.
Success! Success, Sachio-in real
coins, in real gems, in real treasures
that success alone can mean any
thing to you or me"
BE it so, your majesty" said
Sachio, with no abatement of his conf
dence. Il take my chances. l stake
my life on the hazard of full success.
II / find not the hidden treasures of
| Gretzhoffen, then hang my head On
our walls as warning to all boast
ers.'
go, then" said the king coldly;
you have found your way within their
gates before-do so again. Seek
| deeply-under the wall of the torture
chamber, perhaps, the coin says-the
treasures hiding place lies deep under
the walls-but precisely where is
that?'
Always the kings cautious mind
carried him into the doubts and diff.
! ficulties of any case.
1t must be somewhere below and
beyond the galleries which they
flooded from the meats when they
came near drowning all our troops.
| replied Sachio. Il know those gal
| leries as l do my own bedchamber.
Trust me to run out this puzzle to
! which we now have the key here in
my hand. When l do, | shall dip my
hands deep in actual mintage of gold
! coin"
You will do nothing of the kind,
| Sachio,' said his monarch "Ycu will
reserve that first right for your king. "
Sachio flushed red, but bowed. con-
scious of the swift rivalry of pirates
who parcel unholy gains.
True, your majesty" said he, Il
spoke but in metaphor. The senior
right in any such endeavor as this is
always, of course, that Of the king.
monarch who has led us to such sue
cess as this is a thing paramount to
! all others. But swift enough shall be
my course to your majesty, once l
have found the actual Kidding place. :"
Agreed" said Cortislaw, and turned
TO gnaw his beard in the Impotence
of mar long baked of his most init
mate desire.
And Sachio FASTENED, be that said
for him. His swiftest car carried him
across tho devious way that lay be-
tween the two kingdoms, and duly he
arrived at the door of the palace of
! Gretzhoffen. Here his acquaintance
with the place and his ready reference
of all inquirers to the king hin self
gained him easy access once rore.
Michael, the weak, still dwelt i. the
palace, giving small care to the ruin
and disorder which lay about hin on
all sides. Let others care for the gov
eminent. let others make goo3 the
breaches in the capitals defense, let