Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-02-04
CHAPTER Llv.
BY Air and Water.

pOlcdu Wdhcueu Ut udWus TIC
ripple Of water was in his ears. The
yacht was under way. Soon It was
out Of earshot OF all that went for.
ward at the wharves. None aboard
might know what meant the little
group of men who hurried here and
there along the water front, giving
this order and that.
"1n the kings name!" one man
cried.
1t was, indeed, in the kings name,
for now, shallow though was his dis
guise, none less than Cortislaw had
joined Sachio in this last pursuit OF
the evasive coins. Hurried inquiry
had convinced Sachio that Roleau had
made his escape in this direction.
AS for Cortislaw, he ragged.
at is nothing, your majesty" re-
Joined the dauntless Count Sachio.
"All is not ended till all is done. We
shall not let them evade US. Come,
we have craft of our own Here are
some of our fast boats. Would your
majesty dare the subnarine?"
II dare anything that another man
dare" rejoined Cortislaw savagely.
Quick, then-order the first boat
ready"
Now in truth the nobleman and his
sovereign were to embark in novel
undertaking. The long, slim fish
nosed craft, with its upright peri
scope, received them. They heard the
hatch closed firm above them, heard
the singing of the air pumps and saw
the gray Opaque wall of the water, not
below them, but around them, above
them, as at length the craft, obedient
to the command of its officer, slid out
from its slip into the harbor and head
ed forward after what had been
pointed OFT to it as its prey
Part of the time submerged, most OF
the time iust-breaAing the surface with
the deck, they sped on.
When at length, with matches open
and access given to the deck, they
sped on, unsubmerged, close upon
their quarry, none Of them at first
heard the curious hummlng which
CINE on from the rear, none for the
moment saw the vast shape which ap-
preached from behind them and above.
sailing like some monster bird.
It was Count Sachio at length who
turned, his attention arrested by the
familiar sound of an air craft motor
Look your majesty" said he, turn
Ing and pointing.
A sudden exclamation came from
the lips OF Cortislaw.
1T Is from GretZhoffen!" he said.
Our own air craft are not modified.
wonder who planned that raid. You
told me Count Frederick was killed
that you saw it with your own eyes,
That cannot be. King Michael, weak
as he is, never would be afcot-never
would he have had his air craft NOV
ing at this hour They have been
above our city--it is mercy if they
have not dropped bombs upon our
shipping
Look" said Sachio. He indicated
now the course Of the pursuing air
craft, which, far from following them
directly, now swept aside in a great
tangent.
They are bound also for the yacht!
said Sachio. 1T is not u.s. but yonder
boat they are pursuing. What does it
n IAN? Surely they can have marked
us under water or above-they see US
now, If they have eyes. But now they
evade US and pursue the boat which
we pursue. What does it mean? And
who is in commando"
Slow enough would even keen witted
Count Sachio have been to guess the
real answer to his own question. 1t
was his enemy who was in command
of this pursuing air craft-Count Fred
erick, not killed, but in full possession
Of his powers once more.
1t had been Frederick's plan to
hasten across the neutral lands and
over Grahoffen itself In a foray OF
scouting and discovery. He wished to
see whether the forces Of the enemy
would rally or whether they were to lie
utterly broken, accepting their defeat.
And at the last instant, when he had
stepped into the seat Of the air craft,
he had been followed by one who
would not accept denial from him
the young American. Thus they had
swept across the broad plain, across
the city of Grahoffen itself, and along
the water frcnt-and now far down
the great arm of the sea which thrust
up from the south.
The aeroplane for a time fell on
from the direct course held by the sub
marine. Ahead of the wind and driven
at top speed by its own tremendous
engines, it advanced in vast sweeps
and swoops, at q speed intellectually
fast.
Your majesty" said Count Sachio
at length, laying down the glasses
with which he had been examining the
ship of the air which passed above
them, 81 was wrong! At first | thought
some leader of their aviation corps
had developed this raid today, but II
is not so. | told you that Count Fred
erick was dead. My eyes must have
deceived me. 1t is he, yonder! He
himself is guiding this pursuit. With
him there is another-a woman, your
majesty! 1t is none less than the
young American, who has been the
most dangerous enemy we yet have
met. They two--for what reason an
not informed--are aloft together. TheiI
purpose can only guess"
The rage of Cortislaw now was such