The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-04-14
CHAPTER Lxxv.
The Last sieas.

the young ACCOMMODATIONS, !
intrude, but perhaps
What Is it?" demanded the nobles
man calmly. Are they calling us
from our own port2'
Precisely that. excellency. sc
have a wireless call. We we're sum.
moned out, and now are summoned
back again. They demand that we
shall come quickly
What Is wrong?" demanded Count
Frederick, springing TO his feet.
Everything. exceliency! Word has
come that Grahofen is marching
against us once moreover nov our
city may be besieged'
For a moment Count Frederick
stood silent. Il see" said he. That
faithless tyrant Cortislaw has forgot
his treaty and is going to war against
US when he thinks us u|nprcpared. His
traitor and SPY, Sachio, has kept him
well advised warrant that. How
are they coming this timer"
In part by land, but also in a
strong fleet by sea
so they are attacking on what they
think the weaker side OF our works.
Is there no such thing as faith among
kings-is there nowhere honesty in
all the worlds there no man OF
faithfulness and power any more?'
Sire said the prime minister, un-
covering and bowling to him, there IS
n such In our " country
Michael, our klnE-that MANI
mo, sire, not Michael. our king. II
is none other than yourself / mean. IN
you only can our kingdom have any
hope-that is palmer now than II has
ever been in all our history. Times
must change or we are undone. We
must dethrone our king at last. Take
the place. ! beseech you; eXcellency,
which belongs to you, the place which
you only can hold. for. believe me, Il
is only in you that Gretzhoffen may
have any hope.
81 trust that you will remember
that II was myself that first made
this plain to your e~xcellency," he
added, thoughtfully.
Time for all that later said Count
Frederick hastily. First we must
get back to port and pull together
such forces as we can"
"Excellency, /, myself, attempted
something OF that before we left
said the prime minister. ~ attempted
TO carry out such orders as | fancied
you would have given had you been
;here. Some OF the regiments, 40
doubt, have assembled. The guns
may be ready on our sea.front now
Very well. Full speed ahead then.
We may not be in time
They were but barely in time. Be
fore the Adeliua locked in Gretzhof,
fen port there might have been seen
In the bay the smoke OF the adyanC'
Ing neet-tho Grahonen cvpsditionary
force already was crowding In for the
landing. At the same time, upon the
opposite side of the city. the army OF
Grahofen, I'm full force, was advancing
over the route which heretofore had
! carried the assault. Already this col
umn, composed Of cavalry, infantry
and the full artillery Of Grahoiien
had passed the neutral strip, and was
entering the suburbs below the castle
walls OF the Gretzhoffen citadel.
They came eXultantly, confident o.
their victory, and swept on as though
eager to begin the sacking of the city
And the sacking OF Gretzhoifen surel,
I had begun but for the arrival OF on
r man.
The prime minister was right. Tn,
q confidence of the people OF Gret2hoi
8 fen, as much OF II as was left for an.
n man. now rested solely in tn.
g nobleman who held so prominent
/ part in the country's affairs of late
q Count Frederick Of Gretzhofen. Swift
ly enough passed from lip to lip tn
news that Count Frederick had com
that he would lead the army, that h
a would direct the defense OF the city
that his mind was organizing the r.
s%istance. And as this word passed
=, cheers followed II. The men tlocke
= readily to the standards, and one
!, more abided the shock OF arms.
. In this strained moment Cour
a Sachio OF GraacSon made good hi
promise to his king-he fought in tn
. front rank OF his own troops, and nc
= ven the Jealous eyes OF Cortisla'
y himself could find fault with his cou
y g or his Judgment. He himself lie
= the last assault against the wall
D., which finally broke through the quite
II d~efenses. The forces Of Grahofien a.
70 yanced so rapidly that II seemed II
~ deed as though Cortislaw would MAX
u good his threat to leave standing NJ
n one ton upon another In this capitI
" of his enemy.
m This was Sachio's opportunity, an
Id he knew tit was his crucial hou
One thought even more potent tha
n his ambition for military glory stI
, ruled the soul OF this warlike nobl
TX man. Sachio fought that he mlgI
o. gain one thinR-the t%reasurers OF a
o. king, buried deep somewhere in tn
NJ citadel. That treasure was the eau
TX OF this war. Without It's discovery Il
wal itself was worthless.