The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-10-17
SEVENTEENTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER Tx.
The PIotters Of Grahoffen.

Ill luc COulI VI vi dllOIlcu, uclutiihC
mixed sensations occupied the mind!
of those responsible for the disappear
ance Of Kitty Gray and her servant
Roleau. Old Cortslaw and his re
doubtable aid, Count Sachio, foregath
cred in the palace rooms Immediately
following the acts which had meant
the forced deportation.
'She has gone, then, Sachio?' de
manded the king.
Without a doubt, your majesty!
myself from a distance saw the two
hoisted inboard in freight nets-as SO
many cattle. They went into the hold
of the vessel beyond any question
whether or not they come out again
Is their concern, not ours!"
Il am not so sure,' said the old
king thoughtfully, mot so sure. True,
we have rid ourselves of potential
trouble, but at the same time we have
deprived ourselves of potential aid in
questions not yet solved. They might
have been useful, perhaps"
you mean the girl?"
YES She has a mind, be sure Of
that. But what she might have done
of use to us we may no longer ask
with profit-she now is beyond our re-
call. That is only as to her knowl-
edge, whatever it may have been, Of
the broken coin. AS to this other enig
ma, this scrap of paper, which may or
may not be connected therewith-who
knows? | declare, | am like a horse
In the dark-ready to shy at any such
trifle as a scrap of paper blowing on
the wind"
1--WE still have it, your majesty-we
took it from her"
Eyes, but when we separate the two
the scrap of paper and the scrap of
girl-what do we actually accomplish?
We have only larger secret left, a
deeper mystery. Curses on all women,
anyhow! They only make US trouble.
Mysterious themselves, they solve no
mysteries. The best hope for yonder
traveller is that she sinks at sea. l
swear, sometimes our little kingdom
bids fair to sink in its own waves Of
trouble"
We'll, now, your majesty" said
Sachio, who disliked this discomfort
OF his sovereign, at no time safe for
any courtier, 'let us see what we our
selves may be able to do in solution of
this mystery which has been be-
queathed us. Surely our minds are as
good as those of a rattle Drained girl
from America"
HUNT may be true. What do
you propose, at least?"
"Why, your majesty, that is obvious.
What we must do is to get into our
hands the other half of this scrap of |
paper. 1t lies still somewhere over in |
along with the other half
of the Gretzhoffen coin.'
"Yes, along with the missing half
Of that coin, also! They hold the key,
or half of it, that is true. And yet we \
hold as much as they-half of the I
answer. Each is complement Of the
other. That is to say a stalemate, a
1rawn game-there is never profit in
any SUCH"
Stay, your majesty, let US see fur
her before we call the game done.
Surely our chances outweigh theirs,
or we have a monarch to guide US
who has brains and courage. l count
myself, also, as worth an equal bal
Ince with Count Frederick, their
strongest man. And how shall we es-
innate yonder drunken, worthless, pup
Det king of theirs-how shall he stand
n comparison with ours?"
Sachio bowed deeply. His flattery
vas not without its effect on the old
ing, who smiled his approval.
MY dear Sachio, whenever I need
omfort you have it at hand!" eX-
laimed he Well then, what fur
her may we plan against them? How
nay we loose their hold upon these Sc I
rets which perplex and menace us s
o much?" '
Why, this; That we profess a new {
nd profound friendship for Michael. J
lie will be but too glad to listen to our J
be sure of that"
Suppose we may be assured Of {
then?" J
He would be willing to do us some d
tile favor if it caused him but little G
'ouble to grant It. He looks on us as t
efeated. Let us encourage him to b
lay the role of the grand Caesar, able
} be gracious, to be magnanimous, to
fallen foe" t
"Good-go on-I see the point"
$50 we ask of that weak mind some t
ling which his mere sloth will dis
,se him to grant us-nothing much 5
only the ownership Of a worthless :
of paper. He does not know its h
Ilue-perhaps he does not know OF /,
J existence"