The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-05-26
PURPOSE i can only guess.

"Your majesty" said Count Sachio
at last, "it must be as your majesty
reasons. But it is by sinking yonder
craft, not by saving it, that he can
most hurt US. Yes, I am convinced
wonder is the coin. How they know It
how they guess it, I do not know.
More than once it would seem to me
that intuition rather than knowledge
has guided them in their plans. l say
that yonder coin is bewitched and al,
ways fights for Gretzhoffen and not
for u.s.
The chase went on, and now under
such curious relations as left the three
vessels of the surface, of the subsurf-
ace and Of the air, drifting along none
taking the offensive.
But though the giant air craft fol
lowed close, seeming ever to hold the
yacht at it's mercy, it made no often
sive movement; it seemed rather to
shelter than to menace the fleeing
vessel which steamed on SO gallantly
And in the rear of both, helpless, i'm
potent, with speed and naught but
speed at its disposal, came the sub
marine OF Cortis1aw and his noble
man. Thus neither of the three could
or would hurt another.
But Sachio's guess had been right
The governing influence in Gretzhof-
fen affairs scarce was so much req
son as instinct, intuttion-a woman's
intuition. For he had been rights
woman was aloft, yonder with the
pilot Of the air craft.
st is a curious chase. mademoi-
selle,'' said Count Frederick, turning
to the companion at his side AM
Speaking so that his voice could be-
heard above the loud drone of the en-
gines. "What have we gained? What
do we know
Look" said she. Look at them
below us yonder They want what
we want. They pursue what we pur-
sue? Why? Believe me, they know
that the coin is on ahead If they
know It, why shouldn't we? Monsieur
| lie comte, your ride this morning was
an inspiration. The accident OF fol-
lowing what might have been the
wake Of q fish, but was the flash of
e submarine-the accident of seeing
yonder cloud of smoke ahead-that
was fate fighting with US. Believe
me, Roleau is yonder on that beat,
Believe me, he has the coin. Fate is
fighting with us at last, I say The
end OF all our troubles is at hand
AS they swept forward, now near,
now dropping off from the course of
the speeding yacht, always Kitty
ned her glass upon the decks Of
re water craft. At length she ex-
Claimed:
1t is he! I see him. He is there
standing looking back. He has no
glass. He cannot recognize us now.
But it is he. All, trust yonder faith
ful soul not to be travelling III vain.
am sure, as though I saw it, that he
has the coin with him there. l am
sure, as though l saw him, that it is
! Count Sachio himself in yonder sub
| marine pursuing him. Come! Lit
| orally, we must fly"
| And fly they did. Moment after mo-
ment, hour after hour, until at length
I the smoke above Gretzhoffen harbor
+ thickened, until the towers of the
cathedrals and the palace appeared,
until the shipping grew more distinct,
until the long green slope of the coast
Notifications showed to the eyes OF
/ Count Frederick high above the level
of the sea.
I'VE will make it safely, made
/ rloiselle,' said Count Frederick at
! last. For some reason the subr2a-
rine does not attack, I do not know
why. The three of us soon will be
within reach of our own guns. won
der
The wonder of Count Frederick was
/ not i'll placed. In few moments they
heard the dull report of 3O-centi-
I meter piece of one of the coast bat
teries-saw the white cloud of smoke
burst from the emplacement in front
of the disappearing gun. On ahead
they saw the white splash of the shell
I across the bows Of the advancing
7 yacht
j What do they mean?' exclaimed
Count Frederick. "Ah, I see. The
I yatch carries the ensign of the royal
navy of Grahcffen! 1t is armed Our
gunners take it for an enemy. Now
/ heaven send them bad aim for once"
A shot, and yet another followed
bracheting the yacht between the
ranges. Count Frederick held his
! breath for what he knew would come
Come it cid. The yacht, struck full
by the impact of a heavy shell, reeled,
/ careened, half broke apart and began
to settle by the head.
"It is too bad." exclaimed Count
Frederick; sunk by our own men
Yonde1' yacht was coming to our har-
Dor for protection, carrying our own
man-carrying our own fortune-the
Gretzhoffen coin! And now all is
LOST"
He turned the prov of the air craft
+ full toward the settling yacht. The
wake of the submarine was no longer
visible
Then, what the men of the Gretz
4 hoffen batteries saw-what the men
OF the submarine might have seen had
their Deriscope then been above the
/ surface-was the swift volplane OF
the air craft which they so long had
followed. 1t swept down now like a
giant bird, at a. keen angle, as though