CHAPTER LXXV.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 April 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER LXXV.

" I WARN YOU f YOU MOVE TO RUIN I" During these days and weeks while the lawyers were mutually preparing for the contest of " Leigh versus Hartington," Helen Hope was living at tho hotel of che Golden Croas, Strand, Kemp remained at the Mitre, in (Jhansery Lane, bat hiu infatuation for Helen grew hourly, and he was constantly going to visit her, or insisting on taking her to ride or walk, or tor trips on the Thames efcsainers. Helen was in a fever of unrest ; despair, revenge, rage, remorse, contended in her soul, and she submitted to trointr about with Kemp because any company wa* better to her than solitude, any speech was preferable to the horror of hor own thoughts. She heard that Lord Leigh was lying at the point of death in brain fever, and accusing herself of his condition, ah 6 made up her mind to fling herself from London Bridge if she heard of his death, Kemp was constantly buying rich presents for Helen, and whenever she admired anything, he promised to give it to her as soon as they were ma-riod. For reasons of his own, he dreaded the progress of the coming case of " Leigh verwt* Hartington, and again and attain he passionately be sought Helen to m*rry Mai at once, setting out for Australia, and destroying btfore they lett nil the peces of evidence in their hands. But no pats'iatLnp, no lover's vow «, no bribes, would lure Helen Hope from her deadly purpose. In fact, Kemp was- the object of her abhonence, and she never intended to fulfil her contract of marriage with him ; he was to be forsaken as eoo'j as he had accomplished her purpose of vengeance. A leaf infatuated suitor than LCemp would have perceived this "I assure you," said Mr Storrac, one morning, to Lord Keith, "that the weakness of that plea of acting for honesty and justice i* cieuriy visible. It U not for tionesty'ri a-»ke th.it thi^ einguiar pair have Volunteered theii evidence to the colonel, 1 have been inclined to thiuk it ib money they wish after all. I doubt if the man is aa rich . 8 they Pay " ' But Colonel Httr<ineton and his lawyers would not stoop to bribery, or purchasing evidence." k ' No. But thyre is an ulterior motive, and that motive I wi»h to get ar. The pair are on thbir guard the very minute they -see me or my shadow." "I will go and see thun myself," eaii Keith. That afternoon Kemp and Helen were juHt about to go our for a walk in llyde Park when Lord Keith was announced. He wa 1 * struck with Helen's appearance. " I feel sure i. have *eea you before," he said. "Yes, you have You were at Berne I 1I 1 saw you often with Mrs Kemp." "Keally ? But I am not acquainted with any Mrs tiemp." " Calling herself Countess of Leigh," said ' Helen, emphatically. "Oh, the Countess of Leigh ! Yes, 1 am a friend of hers " '• And it is for her sake, in some way, I suppose, that you call upon me?" "hot merely for her sake, but for the pake of many. I have from boyhood known Lord Leigh. I am fond of his little eon. As a peer of England, I regroc to ccc the honour of an ancient family impugned. As a man, 1 regret to see people going wrong, moving on a disastrous way. I fee here, in Mr Kemp, a man vrho, by yoart>of industry, has accumulated a handsome fortune, and who has the respect of hia friends in Aus tralia. I regret to see such a man enter upon a scheme that may, and no doubt will utterly ruin him. You, Mi*a Hope, are one whom 1 should with sorrow see a ruined woman, a convicted crimuitsl I come to day to warn you ot the probable outcome of this suit. Will you accept my,waining ?" " We rely upon the law, which protect* English witness; s in the statement of truth," said Helen "We found out facts, and w»i made them known to the right parties . W e fear nothing " Keith turned to Koinp. "Do you reflect what you may do? Is you are fuarles* for yourself, do you consider that you are betraying this lady to a terrible doom ?" "What?" cried Kemp, flashing crkenon and leaping to his feet. " vvh.it V " To traosoortation !" said Ksith, calmly, "for ten, fifteen, or twenty juara, or for life, according to the pleasure of the judge. Your cisc being aggravated, for life probably." " What in fury do you mean ?" thrioUed Kemp. " What cnina do >ou charge on me? We can provwall ti»at wo nay " " You will be ill off if you cannot. The ciitno I refer to ia forgery " " Do not try to frighten i-," *<aid Helen advancing between cbe paling Keuap, r aud Keith. "Tbeprido ol tho anaai countess and fibam earl ahull be laid i>w We defy you, Lord Keith !" Ac this instant. Keith vv a» called from the room to fee Mr Stoims, the lawyer. " I followed you here," he said, '- to tell you that I have discovered that money in not this man's object. He has twenty thousand invested in thuee per cente. Aleo, I approached him through a third party, and be utterly refuses to sell out. I think the instigator is the woman ; and if that is so, be sure there is some old stoEy betweea her and Leigh, and jealousy atid revenge are driving her. Tbe fact is, there ia a strong collusion between throe witnesses the man, tbe woman., and the grave digger. The stone-cutter is. a slow, honest fellow, and we can get at tho bottom of his ca&s, I have no doubt." " Did you carry out your effort at bribery with tbe womaa?" ' askedi Lord Keith, curiously. " I'll own I did. I sent a man from Scotland Yard, and the woman won't sell out. Ho says ehe fighta for vengeance. She rejected his ©ffers with Sury and scorn. They are nofefco be caught in that trap." "1 am glad of it. Raajly, Mr Storms, 1 prefer to wta the case by clear open dealing," '* Well, 'all's fair in love or war' or in a detective," said Mr Stosmß, witkalaugh* as he turned away. Lord Keith returned* toward the private parlour where he had left Mies- Hope and Kemp. He had. ever- a light step, and as he reached the door, he> saw thais the latch had not caught, and that a single touch of hie finger would set it open. Instinctively ho laid his fore finger on the panel, and to the gentle pressure tbe door swung wide. Kemp and Helen wore standing in a window, their backs to the room, and Keith who was quick of hearing, heard Kemp say : " Helen, consider » For myself I fear nothing, but for yoo I fear all. I will promise you anything, everything, if you will agree to drop all this and come with me." " You premised me vengeance, and. I will have that or nothing,"'eaid Helen, turning on him like fury,

'*&«t conwder \rhat he said. Can you, in yflfcr proud beauty, ba placed at the pri K onfl/a bar, transported like a felon ?" "Ifc wtll never happen if you do not cowardly raft me " "It Is no* fear for myself — " began Kemp. " And I, at all risk, resolra to follow—" .Helen turned, and Ba w Lord Keith in tho j doorway. She paled. I "Are you listening, Sir Peer!" ahe [cried, with fury. "A lordly act, truly! ' Well, now, you understand we. This case is no mttue case, it is no fiction, but it is not simple frankness and defire of honest juptice that induced us to go to Lord Leighcalled Hartinerron. No ! for me, it was Jove of vengeance. I thirst for vengeance ad a tiger thirsts for blood I I hare vowed it, and I will have it ! 1 have sold my soul to obtain venereance, and am I going back at a word ? I hate the co called Lord Leigh. I hate that sham little countess, with the brown ruffled hair, and the blushes and the dimples." "Who might have had you convicted of felony when, in disguise, you penetrated her house and rifled her papers, and who forgave you," said Lord Keith. "Who then knaw my power, and dared not contend with me !" "I warn you, you move io ruin," mid Keith, firmly. " and I warn you that I have oet my price as vengeance, bitter and irretrievable, ; and I will have my price !" [To be continued.)