The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1916-02-10
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Broken Voyage.

A Broken Voyage.
Alone in his palace, Count Frederick
paced up and down. engrossed in
futile plans. After many hours, an
attendant announced the arrival of
one of the emissaries he had sent to
follow Count Sachio.
"Excellency," began his servant agi-
tatedly-"quick. or We shall be too
late"
What now-why too late-what has
happened? Tell me, men!" Count
Frederick was none too gentle in his
moods of anger.
"They have taken her prisoner
they plot to ship her away today
toinght-now, for all l know"
What are you saying. man? But
you found her, them"
found where she is, or was. AS
you suspected. she was taken pris-
oner by Count Sachio and carried to
GrahOffen. l followed him. He went
to the docks and bargained there with
some fellows of an ocean steamer due
to sail within an hour or so. l heard
them agree to take over a prisoner, a
woman-another prisoner, man.
Count Sachio said he would deliver
them just before the vessel sailed
They were to be hid in the hold and
discovered later as stowaways too late
for return"
Quick, men," He turned now to
his assistants. Hasten to the ship
ping Offices on our own dock. Have
them make ready boat to carry my
message to the captain of the royal
yacht. Tell him to make ready to sail
at once on my arrival-and to expect
a race with an ocean liner"
A few moments later he was at the
dock and, hurrying into the small boat
which lay awaiting. was carried
swiftly to the side of the royal yacht,
on whose decks already there was evil
dence of the orderly confusion Of
boat about to get under way. Evil
IDENTIFY his message to the captain of
the yacht had been received.
Come on board, sir" said Count
Frederick. as the captain met him at
the ladder. You understand"
"Your servant, Count Frederick
said the commander. II know you
we'll. Command u.s.
"Under way at once then, captain"
said Count Frederick. Lay course
to the foot of the bay. The vessel we
must search has perhaps even now
sailed from Grahoffen port. 1t is our
duty in the name of the king to in
tercept her. They have on board pris-
oners of our own people-there has
been treachery done by Sachio, leader
of Grahoffen."
An instant, and the jangle of the en-
gine-room bells made sweet music to
Count Frederick's ears. At least now
there would be action, at least sus-
pense would be at on end.
The speedy yacht ripped through
the water as though conscious itself
of its imperative duty. Ere long they
had passed the lower headlands o.
the Gretzhoffen harbor. Eagerly Fred
erick scanned the levels of the sea as
they opened before him. AT last an
exclamation escaped his lips. long
and heavy cloud of smoke lay on the
horizon, the trail of a great ship max
ing for open sea.
Captain, there she goes! A thou
sand napoleons il you lay US along
side,-dishonor II you fail TODD So
And the captain nodded.
Meantime what was the secret that
the distant liner was carrying with
her? None save those aboard could
tell that, and of these but two or
three rude deck men. The bought
agents of Sachio had done their work
we'll. None on the ship save those
interested had noticed when two bun
dies, trussed up and concealed in
heavy coverings, had been hoisted
aboard by the ships donkey engine
and dropped into the hold. Yet in this
way two human beings we're loaded
as cattle. without the knowledge of
the ships officers.
When Kitty Gray recovered her
senses she found herself in q dark
and noisome hole, she knew not
where. Terror smote her. Her pulses
refused to work, her mind rebelled.
Above she heard tramplings. shout
ings, the creaking of tackle, the sound
Of machinery mufaed by intervening
walls Of the ships structure. At last
she thought she heard the swash of
water alongside. What did this mean
was this the sea? Was she a pris
oner to be handled in some new and
mystifying way? What did it all
mean?