Evening star., 1928-03-20
Continued from Yesterdays starr

:
Somebody had discovered that Alec
Dunn was Peter Blake--whether Jaf-
fray. or the man who had killed
Jaffray. But how had that discovery
been made? How? How? And who
had made it?
And why had Jaffray been killed.
What was the motive? What was
the reason? Why? Why had Jaffray
been murdered? Humphrey Garth knew
Marion knew all the world would know
why by nowl How could there be any
question about it? Jaffray had found
out that Peter Blake was masquerading
as Alec Dunn. and so Peter Blake had
killed Jaffray to save himself from eX-
posture and arrest for the murder OF
Tom Murchison--a crime for which he
was being hunted by the law.
But Peter Blake had not killed Jaf-
fray
Another three --forward-bsck
again--another three.
Marioni Oh, Godl
Would she have ever cared; in time.
would she have come to care-aS he
cared2 An inner voice answered him:
Yes" 1t reiterated itself fiercely chal-
lenging!y, defiantly; "YesE 1t had
been drawing in her eyes. her voice,
ItpE Sillllt tkRat i4Stll NkSH Alle dliQ ltS
had been together up there on the deck
and he had lied to her, clinging des-
peratelv to a lie that he might not crush
out forever. in horror and aversion. the
glory or a great promise that III its
fulfillment would hold all that was ten
deTest and dear in life. And so she
would have cared, would she? Rather
bit of ego. of braggadocio, wasn't it?
Oh, well, II he was so surel Go on,
then. and picture the future as ii might
have been-the years with her-the
world fairyland Of love in which just
they two lived-happineSs-the glad
things! Go on and draw the picture
and torment himself the more-go on
go on.
She the thought of her-that was
what made him finch. wasn't 1t? II
Marion had never existed If love for
could have faced the world. in sense
contemptuous of the worlds verdict,
and in the end have accepted the
ignominy and the shame and the brutal
unfairness of it all with perhaps GER
tain fataliStic philoSophy--but he could
never be contemptuous or in any meas
ure philosophical over the verdict that
she would pronounce. that she must al
ready have pronounced in her own
mind. He did not blame her for it.
Why should he? If love had come TO
her. reached its fullneSS, she might
have stood defiant of the world. trust
ing in him. refusing 10 believe any
thing but the promptings of her own
heart: but love had not come-only the
dawning that he dared 20 imagine he
had seen--and that had been shat
tered in Its inception. What other ver-
dict could she arrive at. save the one
pronounced by everybody else?
And now any chance to reverse that
verdict, to fight for the evidence OF his
to fight for her love. was gone-he was
a prisoner and fight was denied him.
He was locked in here--a Gagged beast
No one had come near him except the
steward who brought him food, and
who was always escorted by two burly
seamen. He was counted not only q
beast, hut a dangerous beast! Well,
perhaps, he would be if--if he could
only get out! There were limits to hu-
man endurance-mental endurance,
Some one on board here was walking
about free and unsupported, because
he. Peter. was safely Gagged. Capt.
Mumm hadn't conae-they wouldn't let
the little red-haired skipper come. OF
course NOT M6f1OIl-. daE1ufi4 WHY
should she come? What made him
say that2 Was he beginning 10 lose
his reason?
Peter stood abruptly still and lis
tened. There seemed TO be a sudden
and unusual commotion aboard the Isis
family. voices reached him; family.
there came the patter Of hurrying feet
along the deck over his head. What
was It?
He was aware for the first time that
the short twilight had already faded
into dusk and that 1t waE almost dark.
for something luminous now through
the portfolio caught his eye. He stepped
quickly forward, and stood there staring
out A thread Of light traced its way To
the heavens. another and another, and
broke high up into balls of FIRE Rockets !
Distress signals There was vessel out
there Yes, he could make her out now
about miles ahead of the star
board bow, he Judged sailing vessel.
shadowy. just barely outlined against
the last fading streaks of day on the
horizon line.
He heard the bell In the engine room
tangle In response 70 the sharp. quick
summons Of the engine telegraph on
the bridge: he felt the ships vibration
increase as the Isis began to work up
70 her maximum speed: he heard the
ghriii scream and hiss OF an answering
rocket, and the hoarSe below Of the
siren above his head. and watching, he