The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-12-03
NINETEENTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER LxvIII.

Count Sachio's Search.
Your majesty, can now assure
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?" demanded Cortis.
law. What reason now to believe
our success nearer than it has been
any time these months past?"
your majesty asks proof? Look!'
Sachio held out in his hand the two
halves, or what purported to be the
two halves, of the broken coin of
Gretzhoffen. He, indeed, supposed
them to be both halves of that mys-
FERROUS coin, although in truth one
was only the counterfeit long since
devised by Count Frederick to appease
his own king. That Michael of Gretz-
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 of metal and both smiled in exul-
tation. Their arduous search seemed
now really to approach it's end.
by my faith, Sachio," exclaimed
Cortislaw, sit seems indeed we have
but to run the trail hard and fast
trifle further"
Eyes, your majesty, it remains only
for your servant-your very faithful
servant, may say TITO find the
hiding place of the scripts and treas
ures themselves"
THAT is necessary detail" said
Cortislaw, with a 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
1 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. 81 take my chances. I stake
my life on the hazard of full success.
If find not the hidden treasures of
Gretzhoffen, then hang my head on
our walls as a warning to all boast
ers."
go, then" said the king coldly; !
you have found your way within their |
gates before-do so again. Seek |
leeply-under the wall of the torture
chamber, perhaps, the coin says-the |
treasures hiding place lies deep under
he walls-but precisely where is
hat?"
Always the kings cautious mind
.arried him into the doubts and diff
iculties of any case.
1T must be somewhere below and
,eyond the galleries which they
!ooded from the meats when they
anne near drowning all our troops"
eplied Sachio. II know those gal
cries as / do my own bedchamber.
rust me to run out this puzzle to
,hich we now have the key here in
~ hand. When do, shall dip my
ands deep in actual mintage of gold
oin."
You will do nothing of the kind, ,
achio,' said his monarch. you will ,
sserve that first right for your king"
Sachio flushed red, but bowed, con-
,ious of the swift rivalry of pirates :
no parcel unholy gains. ;
True, your majesty" said he, i !,
Joke bat in metaphor. The senior
gi1t In any such endeavor as this is ]
ways, of course, that of the king.
be right and the pleasure Of the
onarch who has led US to such sue
ss as this is thing paramount to x
| others. But swift enough shall be
y course to your majesty, once l q
I'VE found the actual Kidding, place" G
Agreed said Cortislaw, and turned q
gnaw his beard in the impotence =
man long baked Of his most inti- D.
ate desire.
And Sachio FASTENED, be that said p
r him. His swiftest car carried him Il
ross the devious way that lay be- o.
cen the two Kingdoms, and duly he IN
rived at the door OF the palace OF p'
etzhoffen. Here his acquaintance d
tn the place and his ready reference W
all inquirers to the king himself "
med him easy access once more. Ia
Michael, the weak, still dwelt in the az
lace, giving small care to the ruin 81
disorder which lay about him on ~
sides. Let others care for the gov Du
lment, let others make good the 81
aches in the capitals defense. let !