Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-08
r1z1 IN o0S NAT m Mystery Story
II me- uVAW1k & UWuAMUNGN By E.


! story which. against the evidence,
would not be believed, that his reason
| told him he was rs good as condemned
from the moment he put his foot In
! the dock.
! Wcll--what?
Forty-cieht hours ago this phase OF
! the situation had apparently taken care
| of itself. He had expected and believed
the Break O'Dawn would do down with
| all on board. He had believed it to
| have been but a matter of an hour or
! had repudiated it. he. Peter. believed
! that the little red-haired skipper had
expected ii, too. But tonight 1t was
different. Given moderate weather, the
| Break O'Dawn would limp into some
port somewhere, refit. get another crew.
and eventually make Sydncy-or. for
that matter. he Peter. might be turned
over 10 the police no matter where the
schooner touched. Capt Josephus
Munlm's $4,000 would be equally secure!
Peters hands gripped tightly on the
do? He was conscious OF an over
whelming sense OF impotence. He was
like man bound hand and foot. on
the crumbing edge of q precipicc.
powcrless TO move or help himself No
defense, Not a shred of evidence TO
bring forward III his own behalf The
pearlS2 Capt. Mumm had disposed of
that point. Either. he Peter. had hidden
them, or the natives-priceless things to
the natives, pearls were!--had taken
them. The jury would not leave the
box!
Isolation! He was conscious of that.
too. He stood alone. 1t would have
helped to be able to talk 1t over, argue
it. discuss 1t with some fellow human
even with some one who was antagon-
iStic 10 him, He had tried again with
Capt. MUmm that morning No go!
The red-haired skipper had unbent so
far as TO fetch a pannikin of hot water
and razor on deck. and had permitted
him to shave-but had been painstak-
inely careful to appropriate the razor
again Capt. SoSephds Munm was not
interested in that end of the matter
ct aN-Capt. Mumm was interested
merely in the $4,000.
AS we'll attempt to argue with a stone
image! The man argued about nothing.
He merely clamped his mental jaws on
en- idea. like a dog with bone. as it
were, and prepared TO fight all corners
One might get the bone away from him
but ii would only be by battering the
irasclble and stony little man into in
sensibility. Witness the last IS hoursl
The way he had handled those Gagged
animals up there in t1le forepeak!
Peter smiled grimlv Yesterday thev
had buried Durga. the man with the
broken head. A strange funeral-with
Capt. Mumm as chaplain. his robes of
Office couple Of revolvers ona in each
hand. Var Lal and Mir Dass had
brought the man on deck, at the skip
per's snarling cornrand-the other two,
a. S.Hrr - fNty a..
prison door slammed in their faces un-
til the otsequies were at an end. The
bodv. thanks to the prodding revolvers
in the ribs OF Var Lal and Mir Dass.
had been hastily committed to the deep.
and. quite as promptly. the two pail
bearers had been herded back into the
forepeak again. Only one of the four
had seen the light Of day since then
Selin Dey, who proved to be the man
that had been slightly wounded and
Who was, therefore. the least likely of
the lot to attempt to make trouble
had been permitted on deck at intervals
to prepare rations that Capt Mumm
served out, and TO carry water TO his
fellow prisoners.
Peter turned his head suddenly,
cooking his car against the wind. Was
that sound of some sort out there in
the fog-or imagination? Imagination
probably! Or perhaps the Break
O'Davn herself! The Break ODawn
was making all sorts OF queer noises
creakirgs and groanings and meanings
and. despite the shippers efforts. loose
tackle in squcaky blocks was constant
~ in evidence: and then. too, the
swash-swash into the heavy swells
And then. as. head turned, Peter
stood listening !ntert;y. Capt. Mumm
spoke at his elbow
Thought you heard something cut
there. eh?" grunted the skipper.
Yes" said Peter.
Me, too" nodded the other. "What'd
II sound like?"
Il don't know" Peter answered 1T
was SO indistinct that I'm not sure It
was anything at all II had To give
II q name. I'd say 1t was more like a
rumbling than anything else"
III put better nam: to 1t than
that" said Capt Aiumm. ITS a fog
siren. There's q ship out there. Listen!
Wen get 1t again In minute"
Peter listened. 1t seemed a long time
and then his ear caught a mufIled
and prolonged below that, thanks to
Capt. Mumms explanation, he recog-
rized now rs the hoarse booming note
OF ships whistle.
"A fast boa.-and travelling like
Gehenna!" snapped Capt. Mumm.
'Where'd you place II"
Peter shook hts head. One instant
the sound had seemed TO come from