The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-04-14
TWENTY.FlRST INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER Lxxnl.

SNNA ~ 1NtH ~ $3.50
the distress call OF the ship at sea;
IS. o. S. G%retzhofen! S. o, S. Gretz-
hoten!"
Broken, incoherent at times, but i'm
perative. the strident wall OF the wire
less clamoring tut into the empty air,
asking for ears far away to listen to
what il 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 a
clearance Of the unwelcome guests OF
the G]retzhofen 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.
ing nobleman. His agents ran the
trail to the dock whence Count Fred.
erick had 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
or, far below. toward the mouth OF
the 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
ready to return. These long absences
We're usual with him, but always he
had come back. Hitherto that had
meant his return by land. Now II
must mean his return by sea. 1t
might be quite as well. reasoned the
prime minister, to have one Of the
earliest interviews with Count Fred.
erick on his return. II was we'll, sure
ly, to be well established VITA those
who would take control Of affairs in
the distracted kingdom OF Gretz-
hoffen.
i 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 a 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-
Ill he felt the long roll OF the Med
iterranean under him. Then, as II
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.
II was night now, and the stars we're
shining brightly above. The gentle
airs OF the South European sea we're
nbAA aih aAhAbAbho nut " tue ~ llAG
minister, as he restlessly paced the
deck of the Adelina, these things
were lost. lie was engaged in relec-
tons OF non too pleasant a nature.
Signing, he said to himself: There is
no use in this. 1 might as well put
back.
lie turned as the boats wireless OPP
nW.V,W l..e...A a.. AL. 49,. ..-
in his hand. lie had not noticed the
crackie OF his 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.
Il 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 is
IT," demanded the prime minister.
They are calling G~retzhohen and
signing Frederick. It is S. o. S.
they are In trouble somewhere. Who
is 1t, excellency?'
The prime minister started as
though struck by an electric shock.
Frederick! Who but the very man
| want-Count F~rederick-and calling
us! Tell me-what is II that he says?"
Only the same thing, e~kcellency--
8. o. STANDARDIZATION
Frederick. And, yes-he says One
hundred and geyenty.ive miles south.
southwest.
One hundred and seventy-hve miles
that, Of course, must mean from the
port whence ne sailed. We are more