The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1916-04-14

en- Were Met by a SIeet of Missiles.
their own kingdom, leaving behind
them the befuddled monarch who had
| no idea that he had entertained such
| vipers.
They never reached the confines Of
Grahoffen kingdom; instead they met
the army of Cortislaw already afield
and well across the neutral lands.
Look" cried Sachio. "Cortislaw
is afoot! BY the Lord! Yonder comes
a real king
It was even so. Soon they were
among the advance guards, the skir-
mishers of the main force, which were
advancing. In time they were brought
to the bodyguard of the king himself.
for Cortislaw marched with his men,
after the fashion of monarchs of old.
He had put all his fortunes to the test
that day.
What! Sachio," he said, as he
grimly regarded that nobleman. You
have failed AGAIN."
"No, your majesty, have not failed.
I 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 Gretzhoffen
coin.
"The coin!-by our lady! It is ours!
Bring it to me closer. Give it to me!
Let me see!"
"The secret is ours!" said he. "The
torture chamber-the treasured"
ct lies in the northeast corner of
the palace, deep under the walls" said
Sachio. Come let us march steadily,
toward the unsuspecting city of Gretz-
hoffen, governed by an added king
too far gone in his cups to suspect
danger of any sort "a king never
strong, and now weaker than his wont
at time when all the forces of a real
king were needed"
They met no resistance at the walls
of 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 king2
Where is Count Frederick"
To these demands came no present
answer The forces of the enemy ad-
vanced along the avenues.
"Yonder it lies, your majesty" said
Count Sachio, pointing to the castle
which they approached. Deep be-
meath the walls yonder, in the north
east corner, my eyes saw the torture
chamber of Gretzhoffen."
"Did you find the treasurer" de-
manded Cortislaw.
emo, your majesty, that was eXplora-
ton fit for your maiesty's hands alone.
I did not search for it, Rather, has
tened to bring your majesty here in
your own person"
eve soon shall know" said Cortis-
law, and signaled the advance.
The sound of hoofs and trampling
feet filed the streets Of Gretzhoffen.
The army OF Gretzhoffen, in close for
nation, marched forward under the
summons of the buglers. Quickly pass
ing down the main avenue which led
to the palace, they spread out by col
umns right and left, covering the full
front of that edifice, which lay before
them hidden in it's screen Of shrub
berry.
Look, your majesty" said Sachio,
and pointed.
Through little break in the screen
ing wall Of green he saw the plume of
a horseman. who sat motionless as
though waiting.
"One of their guards!" exclaimed
Cortislaw. eco take him. Stop for
nothing. Press on into the palace
ITSELF"
The front ranks broke forward, each
eager to be the first to take captive
the foeman thus discovered.
Not one man, but many hundreds
met their coming-the forces of Gretz
hoffen in ambush. In the first front
the picked men OF the guard had been
stationed under the screening shrub
berry by the actual commander in chief
of the Gretzhoffen forces that day
mono less than Count Frederick him.
self.
In such brief time as had been al
lowed him, he had made his arrange
ments and posted his forces in what
he conceived to. be the only feasible
strategy. Now the Jaws were sprung.
Whether trap or victim should prove
the stronger was later to be known.
The bugles Of Gretzhoffen, high and
clear, sounded the counter-charge. The
advancing forces of Grahoffen were
met full in the face by level sleet of
missiles, and from their covering the
forces of Gretzhoffen sprang out, Sec
ton after section. Face to face, line
against line, the two detachments met
in the shock of arms.
Cro BE coNTINUED) n