Percival looked hard into Manuel Crust's bloodshot eyes. An appalling thought had suddenly flashed into his mind. Many seconds passed before he dared to open his lips. As if by divine revelation the situation lay bare before him,—the whole Machiavelian scheme as conceived by Manuel. Sancho Mendez was to be sacrificed!
Even as he stood there speechless, the plan began to work toward its well-calculated end. Manuel's friends started to harangue the crowd. They were growling hoarse invectives, shaking their fists in the direction of the wood, fanning the pent-up fury of the mob into a whirlwind that would sweep everything before it. Once the tide turned there would be no stopping it until Sancho Mendez was torn to pieces. He would shriek his innocence into deaf ears. And that was Manuel's game.
Percival's heart leaped with joy as he saw the armed force under Lieutenant Platt move swiftly into a position barring the way to the woods. He thrilled with a mighty pride in the shrewd intelligence and resourcefulness of this trained fighting-man from the far-off homeland.
Manuel Crust was turning away to mingle with the crowd. Quick as a flash, Percival was down from the steps and at the “Portugee's” side. He grasped the man's arm.
“I've got a gun against your back,” he cried in fierce suppressed tones. “Stand still and keep your mouth shut, or I'll drill a hole through you. You're safe if you do as I tell you, Crust. I'm onto your little game. I'm not saying you are the guilty man, but you know who he is,—and it won't work.”
Manuel Crust was as rigid as a block of stone. He did not even turn his head to look into the face of the man who held him.
Michael Malone and Landover were at Percival's side in an instant. From their position on the steps they could see what was not visible to the crowd beyond,—the revolver that was pressed against the small of Crust's back.
“Cover this man,” whispered Percival to Malone. “Shoot if he opens his mouth.”
Malone's revolver was jammed against the “Portugee's” back, and Percival sprang back up the steps.
Manuel Crust shot a look of surprise at Abel Landover.