The Raymer enterprise., 1916-06-08
TWEhTY-FIRST INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER lxxtIi.
The Encounter at Sea.


Over the sen, up into the stars, sped
.ne distress call OF the ship at sea-
s, 0. s. Gretzhoffen! s. o. S. Gretz-
noffen!"
Broken. ineoherent at times, but I'M
peratlye. the strident wall OF the wire
teas clamoring out into the empty air,
asking for ears far away to listen TO
what IL said. Aud ears did hear-the
ears OF friends.
The prime minister OF Gretzhotfen,
as has been said. had by this time
sHcceeded in making some sort OF
clearance OF the unwelcome guests OF
the Gretzhoffen palace. He had got
the king to bed. some OF his officers to
horse, and few OF his servants to
work. AZ for himself, be 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 primo minister made search here
and there for some clue to the miss.
Ing bobieman. His agents ran the
ira. TO the dock whence Count Fred.
srick had sailed so many days ago.
he LEANED that at the time the kings
yacht had put out there had been seen
the line OF smoke oi passing steam.
er, far below, toward the mouth OF
tho bay. Apparently the kings yacht
had set out with the purpose OF inter
ceptlng this steamer. What then had
happened none could tell Some
where out on the sea tho nobieman
Of Gretzhoifen had disappeared.
Therefore, said the prime minister
20 himself, II might well be true that
eoant Frederick, having been gone
certain period OF time. might now be
ready to return. These long absences
we're usual with him, but always he
bad come back. Hitherto that had
meant his return by land. Now il
must mean his return by sea. 1t
might be quite as well. reasoned the
primo minister, to have one Of tho
earliest interviews with Count Fred
srick on his return. II was well. sure
iY. 10 be well established with those
vhn would take control OF affairs in
tho distracted kingdom OF Gretz.
nnffen.
i shall even take our other yacht.
the Adelna." said the prime minister
TO himself, "and put myself In the way
a. the royal yacht, should II 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
Ia his errand. for indeed he had no
seiiniie purpose In view, Only, having
put the Adelina into commission. he
pushed out quite beyond the bay. un-
u! he felt the long roll of tho Med
HeFranoan under him. Then, rs ii
etnnCed. at point not so far from
The late shipwreck OF the Prluz Ad.
Ter. he slackened speed and kept him.
self barely under way Having moth
Ing better to do, he waited.
Il 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
we're lost. He was engaged in rehec.
lions OF none too pleasant nature.
Signing. he said to himself There Is |
40 use In this. | might as well put /
back
He turned as the boats wireless op- |
orator FASTENED to him now, paper |
In his hand. lie had not noticed the !
crackle OF his own wireless masts Of !
late, although from time 10 time he
had sent out signals in the hope of
stfiking somewhere some information
regarding the missing craft.
Il beg pardon. sir, said the messen.
ger eYcitedly, but we have Just got
an s. o. s. Someone is calling the
Adelina."
Calling us-where is it-who is
~" demanded the prime minister,
"They are calling Gretzhoffen and |
signing Frederick. II is S. o. S.
they are in trouble somewhere. Who |
is ii. exeellenoy?
The prime minister started as
though struck by an electric shock.
Frederick! Who but the very man
I want-Count frederick-and calling
AL Tell me-what is II that he says?'
"Only the same thing. excellency-
a. O. S.-Grctzhoffen-Adelina-
Ana, yes--he says One
hundred and seventy,tive miles south
southwest. e
zone hundred and seventy'hye miles
THAT, OF course. must mean from the
yort wbsrse ma sailed. We are more