The Elbert County tribune., 1916-02-11
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, meni" 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 / knowl"
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 bargaired 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
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
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 a
boat about to get under way. Evi-
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. Il know you
| we'll. Command u.s."
Under way at once then, captain.
said Count Frederick. Lay a 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 tc
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 itseli
of its imperative duty. Ere long the,
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 ar
exclamation escaped his lips. A Ions
and heavy cloud of smoke lay on the
horizon, the trail of great ship max
ing for open sea.
Captain, there she goes! thou
| bduu hdpoicoho IL Jou iny oS "AS"o
side-dishonor II you fail to do so.'
And the captain nodded.
Meantime what was the secret thai
the distant liner was carrying witt
her? None save those aboard coult
tell that, and of these but two ol
three rude deck men. The bough
agents of Sachio had done their worl
well. None on the ship save those
interested had noticed when two bun
dies, trussed up and concealed II
heavy coverings. had been hoistet
aboard by the ships donkey engine
and dropped into the hold. Yet in thi'
way two human beings were loaded
as cattle. without the knowledge o
the ships officers.
When Kitty Gray recovered hel
senses she found herself in darl
and noisome hole. she knew no
where. Terror smote her. Her pulse,
refused to work, her mind rebelled.
Above she heard tramplings, shout
ings, the creaking of tackle, the sount
of machinery muffied by intervening
walls of the ships structure. At las
she thought she heard the swash o
water alongside. What did this meal
was this the sea? Was she a pris
oner to be handled in some new ant
mystifying way? What did 1t al
mean?