The Red Cloud chief., 1916-07-13

featuring Company
others reorganize the scattered forces
OF the army. Himself, he was content
to continue his revelry in the palace
with those who cared to Join him.
male or female. creatures dissolute as
himself, who had clung to him fatuous.
ly in hope of possible reward at some
later time
Before this ruler Count Sachio OF
Crab ,ffcn presently bowed humbly.
processing his friendship, giving no
token of his treacherous errand.
What, again. friend Sachio Of Ora
hoffon?" jested Michael when he saw
him. You have become Cne of our
most faithful subjects, Is It not so"
I still miss Count Frederick, who has
left many duties unperformed--I still
miss the young American, who should
be here to tighten the cares Of the
heavy hours. Yet you come-late our
enemy, now cur friend What can we
dc for you. Sachic, 10 show our graft
tude for your faithfulness?"
Nothing, your majesty. save to al
low ne division OF flask, row and
then, with the greatest monarch of
the modern days. Nothing save to al
low rue to Join your majesty for a
lighter moment betimes, after the du
ties Of the day are done. Meantime
since ! would not weary your majesty
Il pray no more than safekeeping
within your majesty's walls. as l
wander here and there. The art treas.
ures OF this palace surpass any with
which am acquainted. As a youth. !
tried to paint, and | still love the
work OF those who have done as mas
ters what my student hand could new.
er do. May look ut the pictures In
the galleries--the statues. your mai
esty?"
with all the heart In the world, my
dear Sachio!" exclaimed Michael
Your discerning Judgment is valued
most highly. Make free with what
you like. and come to us when you
please"
This carte blanche was all that
Sachio could ask. He accepted 1t liter
ally. What he purposed actually was to
make free with anything he saw; and
he did indeed intend to return to
King Michael when he pleased. Thus
set free to wander as he liked In the
palace of Gretzhoffen. he made no
doubt whatever OF his own quick ar.
rival at the hidden door OF the lost
treasure Of Gretzhoffen. AS he bowed
the satisfaction on his face.
Sachio was an alert and active soul.
His was no haphazard intellect, apt to
accept the dictum Of a mind less exact
than hls,own. He was a soldier first
and next a diplomat. but all the time a
model secret agent, n typical spy and
detective. He now set about the bust
ness in hand, deliberately. with preci
sion, methodically. so that he need not
do any task q second time.
He himself had sketched rough
map of the lower galleries as he fan
cied them to lie. He calculated now
that with the aid of this chart and his
own earlier acquaintance with these
subterranean chambers, 1t would be
easy to find the last door that lay be
tween him and the buried treasure OF
GretZhoffen.
What scenes OF horror these places
must have held Sachio did not pause
to ask. That souls had passed out there
| thrnnCh thaca cnl1 ,,alia ~ ,ton, tho,
human flesh had Quivered here in tor
ment and human voices broken II
their anguish. meant naught to him
| A king had seen fit to surround hi
treasures with such terrors in ordel
to fence away all intruders. He ha,
buried these treasures under the yer!
floor Of his torture chamber 80 tina
all might fear to intrude there in thei
search. Some might he deferred b!
such fears-but not Sachio Of Grahof
fen. He walked on calmly, unmoved
sure that his own persistence, his owl
cunning, had defeated the purpose o
the dead king. whose methods 80 loni
had detled the avarice and greed O
these two kingdoms
Sachio lost little time In the earle
portions OF the subterranean galleries
and satisfied himself only that he wa
not being pursued. Soon he arrive
upon the lower levels, where he di
not expect to meet disturbance. NO.
came the crux OF his search.
He made his way slowly along tn
darkened channels carved at some III
known day from the granite rock o
which stood the Gretzhoffen castl,
tried door after door, and entere
chamber after chamber. slowly. m,
thodically, with no enthusiasm. bu
only the air OF n man covering oil po!
sible mischances In his search.
He looked most carefully in tina
portion OF the vaults where he ha
found the half OF the torn parchmen
but got no further trace of the miss
ing portion. This gave him certai
pause, for he had figured that tn
broken coin and the broken parchmer
would correlate, would focus, som,
where nearly ut the same point. BIZ
the stained ard mildewed walls. sti
damp from their recent fooding