Show 4 4 C ee 4 44 the br broken k ce coin it JL L 1 I 1 coq 0 aop story y of by EMERSON HOUGH HOU GH M mystery v and 1 from the scenario by 4 adventure grace cunard copyright 1915 by tAL A patterson novelized Kovell zed from the motion picture drama of the same name produced by the universal film manufacturing company SYNOPSIS kitty gray newspaper woman finds in a curio shop half of a broken coin the mutilated inscription on which arouses her curiosity and leads her at the order of her manag manering ma noRing ng editor to go to the principality ci of Gretz hofren to piece out the sto story b suggested Ug by tho the inscription she Is allowed oll owed ed and on arrival in Gretz hotTen hoffe n her adventures Ventures fd while chasing the secret ot of the brolien broken coin begin TWELFTH installment CHAPTER the sinews of war it was touch and go between the two little kingdoms for a time their troops had faced each other in the copen open field blood had been shed generals had looked other generals in the eye at no great distance at the lines of contact the imperial 2111 rulers lers of the two countries had been within earshot one of the other yet parted now naw why the trumpets sounded the recall even as the leaders were awaiting the summons tor for the charge why at least one ruler had been eager for the assault yet did not advance his troops why the other vacillating as ever of soul none the less had been upon the battle front itself whether or not his courage had been more than temporary he now retired why the answer to all these questions lay in the hands of the young american girl sundered the to iwo halves of the divided Gretz hoffen coin still pleaded tor for reunion one lay in the grasp of another had either king dorn dom on this day owned them both war would have ensued Corti slaw of Gra hoffen old as he was none the less was in respect of martial nature far in advance of the weak ruler of Gretz holTen hoffen michael had come to the rescue not so much to save count frederick from danger jas as to save count frederick for himself lie he needed fredericks courage not so Corti slaw who retired to his own city fuming and full of ire evil was that hour tor for the courtiers ot of Gra hoffen and worst of all for the unfortunate sachio who had promised so much for his sovereign and himself and who had come so far short ot of the measure of his promises believe me my good friend sachio exclaimed Corti slaw when at length that crestfallen individual was brought before him your failure to bring me the missing half of the coin has well night cost me my dignity and you your life I 1 will not longer suffer such disappointments at your hands your majesty began sachio but the other raised a hand we are at the brink of war now at any moment war may be forced on us whether we like it or not I 1 did not think michael would march but he has shown that under certain circumstances lie he not only can but will vill if we delay we lose all the advantages of the initiative none can tell what yonder count frederick will do for at beasi least he does not lack courage and now he will be eager for revenge against us for the danger in which we have placed him it was a danger shared by all those who engaged in the struggle for the coin said sachio we had it ak 7 TI convinced count frederick the room was empty in our own hands wo we brought it to the very edge of our throne it was in our country when they took it once more yes and those persons were persons that had no more at stake than you have count broke in Corti slaw with the cold wrath his officers knew so well have they more reason for success than you are they ot of greater wit than yourself your seir by the lord it if those things be so time we lidd had better wits about us than such stich as yours bours A a sachio hung his head but found no nc A speech in answer and choking tho king went T i i 1 0 on listen now A U jio beckoned about him other boffl cars cers bf h as au aburt rt and hold held out be fore him in his palm the half coin coil odo bad come into his possession T FT c vl bat asa says it talks of treat uro ure treasure we know that tho the Gretz hoffen treasure Is enormous wo we know that it Is concealed in the torture chamber whatever or wherever that may be beyond that we know ow no more it Is tho the other half ot of the coin alone that can tell us what we covet now this halt half but whets our anger until we have the mate for it now my noblemen you who jare pretend to serve me and this people once more I 1 warn you yonder halt coin or your resignations dr or your heads his officials loft him all in a state bordering upon consternation for they knew that this kingway king was iwas i not net one soon forgetful of his hatred or his revenge they laid their heads beads together sachio desperately anxious now and tried their best to formulate some come plan all they could conclude was that the coin had found its way back to Gretz hoffen once more in the possession of the persons who so stoutly had defended it meantime these were far away as time had allowed them the walls walla of Gretz hoffen sheltered now both kitty gray and close behind these rode king II michael ichael at the head of his troops at his side the man whose danger had called him forth none less than count frederick himself my afy dear count exclaimed michael in his own very pretty opinion of his prowess all is well that ends well did you not note the speed with which we came to rescue you was it not all magnificent yes replied the count the wit of yonder girl her courage they were indeed magnificent her wit her courage pardon your majesty but was it not those things which brought you to our rescue how else could you have known of our stress it was she who carried the news she I 1 doubt not who also carries the coin the coin what coin why do you speak of it demanded michael in a certain surprise we have that half coin in our own possession or at af least have supposed so surely did have it but the other day you have one halt half have you not and I 1 the other it if either halt half be missing at least I 1 do not know where it Is it is in Gra hoffen boffen town this minute tn in every likelihood exclaimed count frederick care careless loss of any consequences that might arise it if his counterfeiting were discovered we had a half that equally is sure in our hands in the mountain fight th the e young woman and myself gave it in keeping of her servant the man a stout fellow and a desperate fighter as more than one of yonder army might attest and where is he now that is what I 1 cannot say rejoined the count at the time the danger of conflict ended I 1 turned to find him and he was gone as you know we agreed that those two and his mistress would meet as soon as possible my own tear fear Is that the young woman will take ship at any time and sail for home with her goes the secret for very likely would go with her 1 I do not share your fears my dear count he said in my own belief the young woman will not be so apt to leave the palace presently leave the palace yes she was in the charge of my people there even as I 1 started out with the troops I 1 am thinking that a palace la is a safer place than a ship for a young woman who is a stranger in a strange land a beautiful young woman CHAPTER in the name of the law As for now object of solicitude on the part of a nobleman and even a king he was experiencing further adventures of his own As soon as he had made his escape from the field where the three had so nearly met disaster he made such speed as he could after kitty who as he knew very well would hasten as fast as might be to find some hiding for herself and the coin but where was she now that ho he could not guess for he had no means of learning that kitty had been left in the palace of the king rather lie he supposed that she would bo be at the hotel hetel which she had made her residence he bent his own stops steps thither as rapidly as might be he met only coldness at the office at that stately caravansary the ritz where both he and his mist mistress Fess save for the intercession of the king before this would have been set out in the streets bag and baggage mademoiselle the young american excellency lie ho asked of the clerk at the desk sho she la Is at home today we know nothing of mademoiselle the young american excellency replied that worthy coldly sho she left no announcement of her plans when she d departed op arted she has not returned l as to that demand ed nonplused nonplus ed no an to what nhat next to do 1 I am not hero here to malce make guesses guess qs on such things rejoined the clerk 1 I i know nothing and that Is something nothing is enough for one of your kind to know replied blandly ile ho might perhaps have engaged in still more truculent conversation with the clerk had he not at that moment felt a hand laid on his bis arm he turned to face a sergeant of gendarmes gen darmes who drew him to one side in the name of the law you are my prisoner said the man como with me on what charge then monsieur demanded coolly it is my right to know something of that I 1 fancy the charge Is murder as you know said the sergeant the same on which you were just in charge I 1 am to warn you once more that wilk what you say may bo be used against you at the trial at the trial exclaimed 1 I thought tha all dismissed did wo we not have the kings excuse to leave the king himself set tree free my master and my mistress i both your empl employers byers grinned the sergeant 1 I am servant of bodif both I 1 and certainly it if either went avent arec t then so should 1 I Is that not true JI it is far from true returned the gendarme grimly you louwill will see how far murder was committed yonder by br someone as you know you saw it said that you saw it the law does not sc sei t such witnesses free the king sets free whom lie he pleases in this thia land rejoined 1 I shall tell my mistress of this do so laughed the gendarme e a rich jest enough but first flud find your mistress found this a proposition biffl difficult of present answer others of the police closing in upon him he went with them now peaceably as he might to the tribunal where someone must answer for the recent crime the prefect greeted him grimly enough yet with a certain exultation in hla his mien it was necessary in that country as in others that a victim should be found tor for the law perhaps in that country more than in many others it mattered little who that victim might be so we have you again messer and why may I 1 ask your honor rejoined innocently 1 I was Z f 1 I 1 warn you the other half of this coin or your heads away true on business in other lands business connected with my coun arys welfare having concluded that matter I 1 returned fast as I 1 might and hero here I 1 am criminals always come back to the scenes of their murder asserted the prefect pompously Is that true I 1 did not know it As tor for me I 1 have done no crime I 1 was simply looking alter after my mistress affairs in her room her excellency the young american who is so high in the kings good will that is all very well very well but it is not enough as you will see 1 rejoined the prefect the king did not set you free only because the king had not yet heard from my mistress give me leave to bring the two together and that may be done and she will set all right at once ask her 1 I do not need to ask her the king has set for me the task of finding yonder murderer I 1 must nil fill that task I 1 have done so now what myself I 1 am suspected of that crime your honor that is impossible there has been no proof of any crime send to the king he be added catching a glimpse ot of uncertainty on the face of the prefect send to my mistress I 1 claim that right under tho law 1 I send to the king demanded the prefect blustering why should I 1 I 1 can control the process of the law without troubling royalty with details of that sort but suppose there are consequences quen ces these are ticklish times be hove me your excellency 1 have seen blood deeds done today when a king goes to war and our king may go before long the life of an offic officer er left behind is worth no more to him than that of a good fighting man taken with him to the front perhaps as between your honor and myself the official took counsel with his own caution tor for a moment 1 I will go to the palace said ho ile at a it to ibe su rewe w e cannot bo be too r careful ln th theatt alSing of the ends of justice if I 1 cannot gain access to the king I 1 shall at least have made the attempt it if I 1 can have an audience I 1 shall put something of this caso case before him myself we wish not to meddle too intimately in affairs of which we do not know but if the king disavows ou CHAPTER the chamber 0 of f horrors arria arrived ed presently in the royal palace and in the company not only of count frederick but of yet other noblemen and king michael relaxed his martial front under the warming influence of the wine on which ho he so much relied they fled he be exclaimed agata and again boa stingly as he referred to the scenes which but now ho he had left they fled before us like sheep my dear count with myself to lead the army and you at my side what chance would they have they knew they had none and took counsel of their wisdom for once if they remain in that counsel surely they will stay behind their own walls and not give offense to our country wo would annihilate them A halt hour more an and d wo we would have plundered plunder ea their city today their treasure would would have been ours what treasure your majesty inquired count frederick coldly would we go to war for that for what else smiled the king for liberty justice freedom your majesty tut tut tnt where do you get those terms A monk speaks but listen did we not march to your rescue yes your majesty I 1 am m not unmindful and not unthankful but still we lack the clue which alone can make war possible or d desirable the clue which alone has back of it ino motives tives worthy vor thy of a king and of a people well well what does all this tean mean then rejoined michael irritated where do we arrive what is it that tha t you ask 1 I can ask no questions and answer none until we have found once more the young american your majesty aking michael smiled in self tion at last ali ah well that Is easy said he 1 I have said that she is or should be 1 here in this palace it is true she brought me the news of your plight count frederick waited for no change in the royal will but bowed himself from the room inquiry found for him presently the waiting woman in whose care kitty had been placed and together they approached the room where she had bad been left some hours before to her own devices they knocked knocked again and yet again but got no answer the woman at length opened the door with her own key her sudden exclaim exclamation convinced count frederick that the room was empty she is up to her tricks exclaimed he to himself now I 1 wonder he did not pause to ask much of the waiting woman but hurried away down the hall intent on certain plans of his own he must find her must see her at once he had no real idea as to which course kitty had taken after leaving the room but alone after a time he walked mure more slowly ho he could not say why something came to his senses as first not recognized a faint scant a perfume which it seemed to him ho he had known before the perfume of violets faint indefinite fragrant he found himself at length in a narrow hallway from which there were no side passages it led him deeper back into the palace its trend continually downward thus finally final lybe he found himself in the selfsame self same subterranean tunnel which kitty earlier had discovered she was searching tor for the torture chamber said ho he to himself with sudden conviction that la is why she came here ile ho came at length to the great door which closed the |