Evening star., 1928-03-17
| The Devils Mantle
A MYSTERY. STORY.
By FRANK l.. PACKARD

curing that five thousand pounds
reward. He asked for Capt. Mumm's
| advice and during the course
| Of the conversation. by way of instan-
| cling the difficulty OF running a man
down with nothing but description to
| work on. pointed out tina. I, as he said
! hundreds of other men would. answered
| perfectly TO that description
| There was moments silence In the
! room. Peter smiled n little wanly They
| were all staring at him--ail except
! Marion. He was looking at her nov
| for the first time since she had come
/ into the lounge. She vas . very iigic
/ little flgure in great armchair, Hei
head was bent forward her eyes fixed
/ On the floor. where. with the toe of one
! small white shoe. sha was tracing tho
/ pattern OF the rug, Her face was set
! he corners Of her mouth trawr In hard
| straight lines. She seemed conscious
OF his scrutiny now. for her e-es lifted
met his with blank stare. and, pass
ting By him. fixed intently upon Hand.
Rand broke the silence with q shor,
laugh t.
VERY kind OF you. Blake to let Capt
Munnn o,ft!'' he said acidly. II hope
he appreciates It. But in view Of his
| attitude. his rather friendly attitude
toward you. and Tire fact that, your
| identity nov being established. we know
| you ran away from !5urchisons &land
| only comparatively short time ago
! whereas Capt N,frlTa had given US the
] !nIpreSsi0n th3t YoH were All OLD hand
with him on his schooner. I think ]
/ am justified in asking capt Mumm I.
i he was not perfectly well aware that
+ II vas Peter Blake. and not ALEC Dunn
& aa g-E he kes
night?"
] Peter drew himself little n-oro erect
as though his nJscics had SuddenlS
become tense II was the one question
/ that. though nc had expected 1t tc
! come sooner or later. he dreaded the
| most. Somehow. II he lied for 1t. ht
| must keep Capt. Munini out Of what. in
! the eyes Of the law at least was likelS
10 prove a nasty complication for the
little rcn-haired skipper.
'I'll answer that too" ne AA!d a,
quietly as before. Capt. Munm had
/ no"
Blast ~" roared the Httle red.
haired man, jumping suddenly 10 hi'
feet. You hold your tongue, Peter
can look out for myself" He shoot
his fis. belliscrentIy at Rand. III yot
/ want 10 know il. / didt And whats
more, It Was me that got him 10 sAy h.
ws5 Alto Dunn-~and be damned Il
you.".
''So." draw!ed Rand cooliy, Well
! thought sol And may ASK whY yol
have connived at his escape 20 far?"
fYes~~you may!" shouted Capt, Jose
Dhus Mufnm furiously And that, II
snswer, ! picked him up sick In I
native hut on Malitua. And figuret
he was Peter Blake on account of
motor boat called the Marion that wa
| III the lagoon, and which, according u
the police notice I'd read In PHI, be
/ longed 10 Murchison. And Peter her
admitted he was Blake. and ] tool
him aboard the Break O Dawn, think
ing had q murderer that was hadl
wanted, even though hadn't t0und an.
Of the pearls that the murder was sup
/ rJSed 10 have been done f7r And
was making for sydney, and kgeudinI
That five thousand pounds reward ever!
time ] thought N II. and glOating owe
| my blooming luck. when you tsn u
1nWn last night"
Il see. said Rand with an aGriInoni
Gus smile But that hardly aErees viii