“With that thing!” said the man, pointing at the oilskin envelope. “It does not contain the message!”
Packard was astounded, but he resolved to make a good bluff.
“What are you saying?” he exclaimed, pretending to be much astonished. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I know your game to beat me out of five hundred dollars! I mean that I was watching you last night! I mean that I saw you when you went to Merriwell and gave the message to him with your own hand!”
Roland gasped.
“Went to him—and gave him—the message?” he faltered. “Why, man, you are——” Then he paused, uttering a little cry, as a sudden light broke on him.
It was Oliver this fellow had watched! It was Oliver he had seen give the fake envelope to Merriwell!
“You are mistaken,” he said swiftly, although he could not quite see how he was going to make things clear. “I have a twin brother who looks exactly like me. You saw him.”
For one moment Mescal seemed surprised, and then a dangerous laugh came from his lips.
“And what was your twin brother doing with the message?” he demanded.