Evening star., 1928-03-22
The Devils Mantle By "a saASs sys't'S SAosssD otstg

Copyright 1927. by Frank L. Packard.
Tajal Ali shrugged his shoulders.

| Taial Ali shrugged his shoulders.
Humphrey Garth's chin was sunk on
his breast again.
How long viii you give me to get the
gold?" he demanded:
Again Tajal Ali shrugged his snoui-
| ders. ,.,-,
SON" he answered shortly. Il VIII
merely remind you that the longer you
take. the more unpleasant 1t VIII prop
ably be for your daughter. Wen?
Humphrey Garth looked up. MS race
white
II agree" he said hoarsely.
1 "It was rather obvious that you would
since YOU had no choice in the mat
ter" said Tatal Ali with a grim smile
s"Very well l will send my men at once
aboard the brig. When that Is done
Iahat Khan will come back here and
release you; and you, In turn, can re-
lease your crew" He stepped toward
the door--and paused. "I should regret
leaving YOU under the slightest misap-
prehension." he added coldly. so let
me repeat that any attempt at trickery,
any attempt to evade Lahat knans
instructions, or any personal attack or
restrictions put upon him VIII De palo
| for by your daughter-ln full. l plo
you good night and a pleasant voyage
Mr.. Garth--and gentlemen"
The door closed behind Tajal All and
| Lahat Khan.
"Oh. nv God-Marionl" Humphrey
| Garth cried out In his misery.
| The others stared at each other and
at the crouched figure In the chair with
bitter eyes.
From without came the sound OF sud-
| denly augmented mmotion-Scurrying
| feet native voices raised Shrilly in COM
mand; and then. as suddenly. an utter
stiffness along the Isis decks.
They've gone!" gritted the yacht s
commander. He broke into flood OF
violent sea profanity-and abruptly
checked himself biting at his lips.
Sorry, Mr.. Garth" he said In a low.
strained voice.
| Lahat Khan came back into the
cabin. He was smiling blandly as he
drew a knife from his pocket, and. in
| turn, beginning with Humphrey Garth,
cut the cords that bound the wrists OF
| the four men,
| Capt Josephus Mumm was the last
| to be released and, on the instant, the
little red-haired skipper lunged forward.
and his fingers, curved like claws, shot
out toward Lahat Khan's throat.
Lahat Khan did not move.
For an instant Capt Josephus Mumm
hesitated--then his hands dropped to
his sides.
Lahat Khan laughed softly.
| II see that you have learned your
lesson we'll from the mouth of Tajal
All" he said. "And now, II Capt Stone
will come with me, we VIII set free the
| crew"
Capt Stone followed Lahat Khan to
the door.
YOU'D better lend hand. Mumm," -"
| he suggested
| Right" said the little red-haired
| skipper gruffiy
The three men left the cabin,
| Rand lighted a cigarette. only to
throw II savagely away. and stepping
over 10 Humphrey Garth put his hand
on the others shoulder.
| There isn't anything one can say"
he said huskily. but / think you'll
understand best how ! feel, and how !
feel for you. when / tell you that the
night before last / asked Miss Garth
Marion-~to be my wife"
Humphrey Garth stared with haggard
eyes at Rand.
II didn't know that" he said duly,
mo" said Rand. "She did not say
anything 10 you. suppose for the same
reason that | didn't either. She~-she
| did not say yes to me, Mr.. Garth, but
! am not without hope that some day
she may perhaps come 10 care for me
| as ! do for her. And 30 l think you'll
| understand how much what has hap
pened means 10 me, too"
Humphrey Garth put out his hand
| silently.
THANK you" said Rand.
| IF they've harmed hair of her
| head or~~of II never get her back. "
| said Humphrey Garth In a dead tone.
as though almost to himself, II will
never rest until have that man In my
power and have killed him with my
own hands"
Yes" said Rand, II knowl I've
| thought OF that, too thatw~that harm
might come To her even II the mon sy
were paid and she were returned 10
you, don't think there IL the slightest
doubt but that she will be returned To
You alive because it's the money they
want~wbut ! was thinking Of that other
| thing while that devil was talking In
here, and ] was thinking there was
something else that we, or !, at least,
could do that might turn the tables on
| TaJai All and that hound OF q Lahat
Khan and the rest OF their crew"
| What do you meanf" demanded
Humphrey Garth eagerly, God, man.
II there In anything Wa can do~~any"
.1a'sR