The Elbert County tribune., 1916-03-17
TWENTY-FIRsT INsTALLMEN7
CHAPTER LxxIll.
The Encounter at Sea

Over the sea, up into the stars, sped
the distress call of the ship at sea:
IS. O. S. Grotzhoffeni S. o. s. Gretz-
hoffen!"
Broken, incoherent at times. but i'm
perative, the strident wall OF the wire
less clamoring out into the empty air,
asking for ears far away to listen to
what It said. And ears did hear-the
ears OF friends.
The prime minister of Gretzhoffen,
as has been said. had by this time
succeeded in making some sort of n
clearance of the unwelcome guests of
the Gretzhoffen palace. He had got
the king to bed, some OF his officers to
horse, and a few of his servants to
work. AS for himself. he felt him
self unable to establish the broken
machinery of the government on any
lasting basis. Frederick-Count Fred
erick--the man with the strong brain
and arm-where was he?
Bent upon answering for himself
this somewhat imperative question,
the prime minister made search here
and there for some clue to the miss
trail to The dock whence Count Fred
erick mad sailed so many days ago.
He learned that at the time the kings
yacht had put out there had been seen
the line of smoke of a passing steam
er, far below, toward the mouth of
tho bay Apparently the kings yacht
had set out with the purpose of inter
cepting this steamer. What then had
happened none could tell Some
where out on the sea the nobleman
of Gretzhoffen had disappeared.
Therefore, said the prime minister
to himself, it might well be true that
Count Frederick, having been gone a
certain period of time, might now be
roady to return. These long absences
were usual with him, but always he
bad come back. Hitherto that had
meant his return by land. Now 1t
must mean his return by sea. 1t
might be quite as we'll, reasoned the
prime minister, to have one of the
earliest interviews with Count Fred
erick on his return. 1t was well. sure
ly. to be we'll established with those
xho would take control of affairs in
the distracted kingdom of Gretz-
hoffen.
Il shall even take our other yacht,
the Adelina." said the prime minister
to himself, 'and put myself In the way
of the royal yacht. should it now be re-
turning" And even so he did.
The Adelina was stout little steam
ing craft, of good lines, and well
enough armed.
The prime minister did not hasten
in his errand, for indeed he had no
definite purpose In view. Only. having
put the Adelina into commission, he
pushed out quite beyond the bay, un-
til he felt the long roll of tho Med
fterranean under him. Then, as 1t
CHANGED. at a point not so far from
the late shipwreck of the Prinz Ad
Ter. he slackened speed and kept him
self barely under way. Having moth
ing better to do. he waited.
It was night now. and the stars were
shining brightly above. The gentle
airs of the South European sea were
soft and languorous. But, to the prime
minister. as he restlessly paced the
deck of the Adelina, these things
were lost. He was engaged in refiec-
tions of none too pleasant a nature.
Signing. ne said to himself: There is
no use in this. 1 might as well put
back ~.
He turned as the boats wireless op-
orator hastened to him now, a paper
In his hand. He had not noticed the
crackle OF mis- own wireless masts OF
late, although from time to time he
had sent out signals in the hope OF
striking somewhere some information
regarding the missing craft.
u beg pardon. SIR" said the messen-
ger excitedly. but we have Just got
an s. o. S. Someone is calling the
Adelina."
calling us-where is it-who ia
It 2" demanded the prime minister.
"They are calling Gretzhoffen and
signing Frederick. 1t is S. .. S.
they are in trouble somewhere. Who
Is 1t. excellency?' f-
The prime minister started as
though struck by an electric shock
"Fredericisl Who but the very man
] waIt-Count Frederick-and calling
us, rell me-what is it that he saysT'
Only the same thing. excellency-
g. o. Observation-Disclosures
Frederick And, yes-he says One
hundred and seventy-five miles south
southwest. .
oOne hundred and seventy-fye miles
that, OF course. must mean from the
port whenae ne sailed. We are more