The Blackfoot optimist., 1916-01-20

n 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 we'll across the neutral lands. :
Look" cried Sachio. "Cortislaw :
is afoot! BY the Lord! Yonder comes !:
real king :
1t was even SO. Soon they were .
among the advance guards, the skir :
mishers of the main force, which were
advancing. In time they we're 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 hn
grimly regarded that nobleman. You.
have failed again?" !;
mo your majesty, have not failed !;
l 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 mel.
Let me see!"
"The secret is ours!" said he. "The
torture chamber-the treasured"
1T lies in the northeast corner Of
the palace, deep under the wallis" 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 hing 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 kings
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.
mo, your majesty. that was explora-
tion fit for your majesty's hands alone.
| did not search for it. Rather, has
tened to bring your majesty here in
your own person"
1--WE 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 edi6ce. 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 GO 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-s
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:
none less than Count Frederick him.
self.
In such brief time as had been A.:
lowed him. he had made his arrange;
ments and posted his forces in what
he conceived to be the only feasible
strategy. Now the laws we're sprung
Whether trap or victim should prove
the stronger was later to be Known.
The busles Of 0retShoffen. high and
clear. sounded the counter-cha1gA The
advancing forces OF 0rahofYen vere
met fun in the face ~ level sieet of
missiles. aud from their covering tie !;
forces OF GretzhoRen sprans out. 80 |;
tion after section. Face to face. lfr> |;