The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-02-25
SEVENTEENTH INSTALLMENT
TX.
The Plotters Of erahoHen,

The Plotters Of Grahoffen,
In the court OF Grahofen, meantime.
mixed sensations occupied the minds
Of those responsible for the disappear
ance OF Kitty Gray and her servant
Roleau. Old Cortislaw and his re-
doubtable aid, Count Sachio, foregath-
cred in the palace rooms Immediately
following the acts which had meant
the forced deportation.
She has gone. then, Sachio?' de-
manded the king.
Without a doubt, your majesty! |
myself from a distance saw the two
holsted inboard in freight nets-as so
many cattle. They vent into the hold
OF the vessel beyond any lestion-
whether or not they come out again
is their concern, not ours!'
Il am not so sure said the old
king thoughtfully. not so sure. True,
we have rid ourselves OF potential
trouble. but at the same time We have
deprived ourselves Of potential aid in
questions not yet solved. They might
have been useful, perhaps
You mean the girl?'
Yes. She has a mind, be sure Of
that. But what she might have done
OF use to us we may no longer ask
with pro1t-she now is beyond our re.
call. That is only as to her knowl-
edge. whatever it may have been, OF
the broken coin. As to this other enig
ma. this scrap Of paper, which may or
may not be connected therewith-who
knows? l declare, | am like a horse
in the dark-ready 10 shy at any such
trine as a scrap Of paper blowing on
the wind"
1--WE still have it, your majesty-we
took it from her
Yes, but when we separate the two
the scrap OF paper and the scrap OF a
girl-what do we actually accomplish ?
We have only a larger secret left. a
deeper mystery. Curses on all women,
anyhow, They only make US trouble.
Mysterious themselves, they solve no
mystD les. The best ! hope for yonder
traveller is that she sinks at sea !
swear. sometimes our little kingdom
bids fair to sink in is own wav Of
trouble"
Well, now, your majesty" said
Sachio, who disliked this discomfort
Of his sovereign, at no time safe for
any courtier, let us see what we our
selves may be able L do in solution OF
this mystery which has been be-
queathed us. Surely our minds are as
good as those OF a rattle-brained girl
from America"
Hunt may be true. What do
you propose, at least?"
why, your majesty, that is obvious
What we must do is to get into our
hands the other half of this scrap OF
paper. II lies still somewhere over In
G%retzhonen, along with the other half
OF the G%retzhoflen coin
Yes, along with the missing half
Of that coin, also! They hold the key,
or half Of it, that is true And yet W.
hold as much as they-half Of the
answer. Each Is complement Of the
other. That is TO say. a stalemate, a
drawn game-there is nevel profit in
any such"
Stay, your majesty, let us see fur
Their before we call the game done.
Surely our chances outweigh theirs,
for we have a monarch TO guide US
who has brains and courage. ! count
~yself. also, as worth an equal bal
ace with Count Frederick, their
strongest man. And how shall we es-
Innate yonder drunken, worthless, pup
pet king Of theirs-how shall he stand
in comparison with ours?'
Sachlo bowed deeply. His fattery
was not without its eject on the old
king, who smiled his approval.
My dear sachio. whenever ! need
comfort you have II al hand ex-
claimed he. Well, then, what fur
Their may we plan against them? How
may we loose their hold upon these se-
crets which perplex and ena US
so much?'
Why. this: That We profess a new
and profound friendship for Michael.
He win be but too glad 10 listen to our
proposition be sure OF that.
suppose we may be assured OF
tkat-what them"
He would be willing TO do US some
little favor II IL caused him but little
trouble TO grant It. He looks on us as
defeated. Let us encourage him 10
play the role OF the grand Caesar. able
to be gracious, to be magnanimous. to
a fallen foe"
"Good-go on see the point"
80 we ask OF that weak mind some.
thing which his mere sloth viii dis.
pose him TO grant us-nothing much
only the ownership Of a worthless
bit OF paper. He does not know IFS
value-perhaps he does not know OF
lis existence