Evening star., 1921-03-13

the determined onslaught OF the san
dy-haired American and. introducing
the guest with frightened bob OF
his head. disappeared into the kitch-
mock. and another young man, very
cool and comfortable in white duck
clothes. was twanging guitar in the
shadow of a banana tree.
Hello" the consul said. sitting up
sleepily. What do you want
haired one gasped. second officer
of the Liberia. I'm looking for a
man-schmidt-Car Schmidt. Fol-
lowed him block and lost him
again. Can you tell me where he
lives?"
, The consul shook his head. Sorry,
Mr.. White There aren't many Euro
peans in Maeella other than Italians.
And your Mr.. Schmidt. l Judge. IS
German. No one here by that name.
player questioningly-"un ne nap
pens to he at the railway camp;
Nope" said the guitar player.
| briefly. continuing to pluck the
strings. .I en-
Won ! followed him for a block. But
he got mixed up with the SEM sGGnei
and disappeared. Big. blonde fellow
yellow beard. Panama nat. III h9
his feet out like this
"Oh. YOU mean Peterson.
The sandy-haired youngster laus
an unnIeasant laugh full of angry
disdain. so that's what ne cans
himself. Peterson" Suddenly ne
turned to the consul with pld%,ns
eyes. "where does he live! -, m GO
ing after him. What's more III
ing to get him.. +hora
must be some mistake. ne saiu y,
nuiet,v. MIR. Peterson has lived IN
Magella for twenty years. AS ,,iaa
asT know, he has always peen ea..ru ru
Peterson. He is ban nv
honest. respectable and trust"o' '"'
man. Perhaps the sum-
"I'm all right" young Nhlte an
suared 1--WE been travelling up aH1
down this coast for two years an.
a little thing like hot Gay uor ,hat
make me see things il Una down on
Won mean. The man | sa" COW
fbe beach is not Peterson-his ha"ie
Is Schmidt. and he's a crook: .,,,,
"Have you ever been in Masei'"
before. MIR. White:
"Tben how comes it that you rec,
;ne man YOU have never seen
petaraon hasn't left the city LOT III
taen wears. except to ride as ia' as
the foothills. ,a .ewe11 sir.
The young man smiled; mei tbat
it's a long story. ! won re two men
| ro,
=. III ne world who look like carr
Schmidt. But 1 doubt it. Id ike 10
'e mRy all means. I'm the consn.
here. The musical gentleman 4n nir.
the banana tree is kno"n as To
chiId> or. popularly. signor Pug. his de
ia ON his vacation. twiddlihg !hs n,s
tbumhs after three months IN
hak lands of the campagna- Any d ms ~
yo2 say to us will be accep'eo
strictly confidential. ,;sht-
Dug nut down the guitar ana ny NJ
ed cigarette. 'If you've gov amt t;a
thing on old gold whiskers' ne
politely. spill it. ! am nis h,i face with
,,;s h,,1e flannel sleeve. sat GOWN IN
nna of the consul's home-made Foe !.
irg chairs. accepted glass oi 60. S
Nth aIacrity, and began 20 taih: ~
"n the yeranda of his house III IN;
Via Cristoforo, Peterson sun sd hi;pr
ii and watchful. with t ohai'.
L. ,,,;.ht have been following wori
e. VOID the story told by the sahus
rai,ad American to Pug Faircniio anu
,ha consul His attitude was that OF
a man who listens intentiy; YET
consulate was quarter ol n,,.e
asxay. separated from peterson > S~ks
~ mass of wandering streets' ooos
S!,e1,in@s tangled gardens and dusty
n"hiic souares. An impartial anger,
lansing moment above the clty OF
Marella. would have said that fet
son heard. word for word.
fer sentence, chapter for chaPtei, ,e
story told in the sun-checkereo pa'io
of the consulate.
FLASH back twenty-five years: inc
T. gold and blue and purple OF Ma