The Elbert County tribune., 1916-03-03
NINETEENTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER LxvIn.
Count sachio's Search.


Your majesty, l 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 Gra-
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 1t 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 tie
two halves, of the broken coin of
Gretzhoffen. He. indeed. supposed
them to be both halves of that mys-
terious coin. although In truth one
was only the counterfeit long since
devised by Count Frederick to appease
his own king. That Michael of Gretz-
hoffen had missed his former posses
sion-that Kitty Gray still held one
half of the actual coin-neither Sachio
nor his king now knew.
Beth conspirators bent above the
bits of metal and both smiled In exul-
tation. Their arduous search seemed
now really to approach its end
ny my faith. Sachio," exclaimed
Cortislaw. ut seems indeed we have
but to run the trail hard and fast
trife further"
y Yes. your majesty, 1t remains only
for your servant-your very faithful
servant. may 1 say TITO find the
hiding place of the scripts and treas
ures themselves"
That is a necessary detail" said
Cortislaw, with a cold grin 81 have
fed long enough on maps and keys
and scrlpts-now l would dip my
hands in actual mintage of gold coins
II would see the light of real gems
shining, ard not this ignis fatuus which
we have followed so lcng ever 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 1t so. your majesty" said
Sachio, with no abatement of his conf
dence. II take my chances. l stake
my life en- the hazard of full success.
II I 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
. cnt no hnf
deeply-under the wall of the torture
chamber. perhaps. the coin says-the
treasures hiding place lies deep under
the walls-but precisely where is
that?"
Always the kings cautious mind
carried him into the doubts and diff.
fculties of any case.
1T must be somewhere below and
beyond the galleries which they
flooded from the moats when they
came near drowning all our troops
replied Sachio. Il know those gal
ieries as / do my own bedchamber.
Trust me to run out this puzzle to
which we now have the key here in
my hand When l do. shall dip my
hands deep in actual mintage of gold
coin"
You will do nothing of the kind,
: Sachio.' said his monarch. you will
reserve that first right for your king
Sachio flushed red, but bowed. con-
scious of the swift rivalry of pirates
who parcel unholy gains.
True. your majesty" said he, 'I
spoke but in metaphor. The senior
right Ia any such endeavor as this is
always. of course, that of the king.
The right and the pleasure of the
monarch who has led us to such sue
cess as this is thing paramount to
ell others. But swift enough shall be
my course to your majesty. once
have found the actual Kidding place"
Agreed said Cortislaw. and turned
to gnaw Ills beard in the impatience
of man long balked of his most inti-
mate desire.
And Sachio hastened, be that said
for him. His swiftest car carried him
across the devious way that lay be-
tween the two kingdoms. and duly he
arrived at the door OF the palace of
Gretzhoffen. Here his acquaintance
with the place and his ready reference
of all fnquirers to the king himself
gained him easy access once more.
Michael. the weak. still dwelt in the
palace, giving small care to the ruin
and disorder which lay about him on
all sides. Let others care for the gov
ernment. let others make good the
brea -ts.i in the capitals defense. let