The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-01-28


their own kingdom. leaving behind
them the b~efuddled monarch who had
no idea hat he had entertained such
vipers.
They never reached the confines OF
Grahonen kingdom; instead they met
the army OF Cortislaw already aheld
and well across the neutral lands.
"Look!" cried Sachio. "Cortislaw
is afoot! BY the Lord! Yonder comes
a real king"
II was sven so. Soon they were
among the advance guards, the Skin.
mishers of the main force, which were
advancing. In time they we're brought
- the bodyguard OF the king himself.
for Cortislaw marched with his men,
after the fashion OF monarchs of old
lie had put all his fortunes to the test
that day.
What! Sachio," he said. as he
Primly regarded that hGSleman. You
have failed again."
mo. your majesty. I have not failed
! bring you success. at last
He opened the palm which he raised
before the eyes of his king. In It lay
the broken half OF the Gretzhofen
coin.
THE coin!-by our ladyl II is ours!
Bring It to me closer. Give It to me!
Let me see!"
THE secret "a ours" said he. THE
torture chamber-the treasured"
1T lies in the northeast corner Ct
tho palace, deep under the walls said
Scchio. Come let us march steadily
toward the unsuspecting city OF Gretz
hofcn. governed nv an added kin"
too far gone in his cup to suspect
danger of any sort-a king never
strong, and now weaker than his wont
AZ n time when all the forces OF a real
king were needed"
They met no resistance at the walls
~ Gretzhoffen itself. The armies Of
King Michael were not in evidence
The people OF Gretzhoffen ran this
way and that, leaderless. Where are
our forces?' they demanded. Where
Is the army? Where is the king?
( Where is Count Frederick"
To these demands came no present
answer. The forces OF the enemy ad-
ganced along the n
"Yonder II lies. your majesty. said
Count Sachio, pointing to the castle
which they approached Deep he
heath the walls yonder in the north
EAST corner. my eyes saw the torture
ahamber OF GretzhoRen %
did you find the treasurer" do
handed Cortislaw.
mo. your majesty that was explora-
lion ut for your majcsty's hands alone.
did not search for Il. Rather. I has
tened to bring your majesty here In
your own person"
1--WE soon shall know" said Cortis.
law. and signaled the advance.
The sound OF hoots and trampling
feet filled the streets of G%retzhoffen.
The army OF G%retzhofen. in close for
nation. marched forward under the
summons of the buglers. Quickly pass
Ing down the main venue which led
10 the palace. they spread out hv col
umns right and left, covering the full
front OF that edidce, which lay before
them hidden in its screen OF shrub
bery.
Look. your majesty" said Sachlo
aud pointed.
Through a little break In the screen
ing wall OF green he saw the plume o.
a horseman. who sat motionless al
though waiting.
One Of their guards" exclaime,
Cortislaw. Go take him. Stop To-
nothing. Press on into the palac,
itself"
The front ranks broke forward, eacl
eager to be the first 10 take captiyI
the foeman thus discovered.
Not n man. but many hundreds
met their coming-the forces OF Gretl
hoffen In ambush. In the first from
the picked men OF the guard had bee
stationed under the screening shrut
fbery by the actual commander in chic
OF the Gretzhonen forces hat day
none less than Count Frederick hin
self.
In such brief time as had been a
lowed him. he had made his arrang'
ments and posted his forces in wha
he conceived to be the only feasihl
strategy. Now the jaws were sprunl
/, Whether trap or victim should prov
the stronger was later to be known.
The bugles OF G~retzhofen, high an
/, clear. sounded the counter-charge tn
advancing forces Of GrahOnen wei
met full IN the face by a level sleet
missiles. and from their covering n
forces OF G%retzhofen sprang out. 81
ton after section. Face to face. lin
!, against line. the two attachments M
I In the shock of arms.
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