THE RIVAL CLAIMANTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5565, 1 July 1889, Page 4

THE RIVAL CLAIMANTS.

fBY MRS. HARRIET LEWIS.]

CHAPTER XXIV.

FOGARTY SEES HOW TO MAKE MONEY.

For hours the young Lady Nora Kildare slept on, in the little swift-sailing sloop, under the dark night sky, her small head drooped low on her bosom; and for hours her fellow-voyager, Fogarty, sat at the tiller, watching her, and debating the fearful problem of what should he do with her? On the one hand was the reward offered him by Michael Kildare for his ward's destruction—a trivial reward, and considered only because behind it lay the threat of a betrayal into the hands of the law. On the other hand were riches and safety, Fogarty thought, with advantages and pleasures innumerable.

Long before the Lady Nora awoke, Fogarty had decided that she should live, and live for his benefit.

" I'm out of the lawyer's reach here," he mused. " I can hide where he can never find me. I have found a mine of wealth, and I shall be a fool not to work it. Why should I play iuto Michael Kildaro's hands when my own pockets are empty P "

And with these thoughts came projects of gaining wealth for himself out of the coffers which Le supposed might, after all, belong to the Lady Nora. •' My days as valet aro over," he thought, exultantly. "Bassantyne will find that I am as clever as ho. He managed, by somo legerdemain, to induce an heiresss to elopo with him. I shall get money, and not be tied down to tho whims of any fine lady !"

The morning broke at last over the waters —a dull, gloomy, sunlcns morning, with a firm breeze.

Tho little sloop was heading her way gallantly to tho north, and making fair progress. Fogarty was content, and ate his breakfast which he procured from tho basket, with a good appetite. Ho bad no conscience to interfere with his digestion.

Au hour or so later the Lady Nora awakened. She aroused herself with a start, and looked around her with a frightened gaze.

" Oh, I had forgotten I was on my way to England," she said, as the color slowly tinged her pale cheeks. " I fancied myself still in my prison at Vow Cottage. How glorious this free, strong air is ! Aud we are out of sight of land'r"

Sho stood up and surveyed the waters on every side with dilated eyes. " Yes, my Jady," returned Fogarty, "we're bowlteg along at eight knots an hour, as near as I can make out. The wind is shifty. We'll do better when she settles." " But there is no sun," said the Lady Nora, looking up at the dim clouds. " How can you tell our course ? Have you a compass ?" " No, my lady," answered the pretended sailor. " But I can tell our courso by tho wind. And all night I told it by the stars. We're all right, my lady. Tim Fogarty knows this 'ere Channel as well as ho knows tho way to his mouth !" Tho Lady Nora was reassured, yet for a long time she looked thoughtfully at both sea and sky. At last sho asked:

"Ought we not to got to Liverpool by noon, Mr. Fogarty ?" " With this wind, my lady P" askod Fogarty in apparent astonishment. "It's well we'll be doing if wo get there by sunset. But it's not for Liverpool I'm making I Mr. Kildare, when ho discovers our flight, my lady, may sond by the steamer, or telegraph, to Liverpool and Holyhead to intercept you. And so it would bo better to put in some small bay on tho English coast near Southport, and you can tako tho train to Manchester from Southport." Tho Lady Nora's faco brightened. " You are very thoughtful, Mr Fogarty!" she exclaimed. " You Bhall be well rewarded for all your kindness to me, if I have to sell my jewellery to repay you. I am poor, you know, but if ever I should be rich I shall know how to reward your goodness."

" Its not helping you for money I am !" gaid Fogarty, hypocritically. "It is out of pity. Its not in a sailor's heart to look on calmly and see an innocent girl persecuted. But eat your breakfast, my lady. This air makes sharp appetites!" The Lady Norn, weakened by her meagre prison fare, felt tho need of complying with this suggestion. She got out the provision basket, and took from it a slice of bread and a piece of cold meat, these being tho chief edlb'es it afforded. Thero was a largo can of fresh water, which had been placed in tho half-cabin by the owner of tho sloop, and to this can was attacned a rusty tin cup. The Lady Nora moistened her meagre breakfast with tho water, and both food and drink had a delicious taste to her which pretentious feasts had formerly sometimes tacked.

Her breakfast over, she resumed her rent and tho contemplation of the heaving whitecapped waters. As the morning deepened the clouds lifted. At noon the sun chewed itself, and the chill October air had a tinge of warmth imparted to it. The young girl ceased to shiver under her wrappings.

" Are you sure we aro going in the right direction, Mr Fogarty f" asked tho Lady Nora, at length, when tho sun had begun to descend the afternoon sky. " "We do not seem to be going cast !"

"We are all right, my lady," suid Fogarty. "I shall tack presently. It's on the tack lam now. I've been wondering, my lady," he added, "why Mr Kildare should have treated you so ill. It's not altogether to make you marry a nobleman, I'm thinking!"

" No, that was not all he shut me up for," said tho young heiress. " I happened to overhear a conversation in which be took part the labt evening of my stay at his house, and the discoveries I then mado and the revelations I overheard wero full of danger to him. He discovered my presence in tho adjoining room, and that very night brought me to Yew Cottage, informing mo that I should never bo released until I agreod to marry Lord Kildare .' A promise to do so would alone give bim safety after what I had overheard:"

"And what was it you overheiird, my lady?" asked Fogarty, with protended indifference.

" That I cannot tell you, Mr. Fogarty. I can tell no ono until I have sec my principal guardian, Sir Itussol Ryan." Fogarty looked chagrined. He had expected to find it an easy matter to induce the Lady Nora to tell him all she knew concerning her kinsman; but something now in tho giave, sweet face, and lovely, rescluto mouth told him that sho was not ono to open her heart to evory one. Not even the supposed service he had rendered her, and was rendering her, could induce her to make him her confidant. "If you was to toll me, I might help you," be suggested. " The only help I need is in getting to England," said the Lady Nora, with a bright, warm smile. " You are rendering mo the only and tho greatest service now that you can, Mr. Fogarty. Onoo on English soil, I can take caro of myself. Once with Sir R*ssel, ho will take caro of me." "And so you won't tell mo?" said Fogarty, a little sullenly. Tho young heiress opened her sunny eye more widely. Such pertinacity was as singular as it was disagreeable. "Icannot tell you," {.lie said, gravely. I scowled, but wan silent. The lis looks impressed tho young 10 also was silent. Presently ko again. Mr Kildare say, as he went lirs at Yew Cottage lant night, lew too much.' How did you .noli, my lady? You havo got -ion him ? You have got track :ret of his, tho disclosure of ijure his reputation f" t answer your questions now, ' returned Lady Nora, "My _ duo, first of all, to my cowled again. Tho role of becoming irksome to him. Ho •:«£, bad-hearted fellow at boat, ible of fow good deeds, except deeds wero likely to prove He began to think now that a I tho facts iv tho case, and of iess, might make his girl pasconfidential. it to tell me the vhole story," " And as sho won't tell rue liness, she must out of fear. I . terrify her into a complete 1 how to tell her the truth, how ier his true character. And whilo he was thus engaged, tho young girl was studying him. The fact that thero was somothing strange about this protended sailor was just forcing itself upon her attention. " I didn't tell yon that I knew Mr. Kildaro perKoually, did If" u?kcd Fogarty. " Did I mention to you that I had a long interview with him alone last night in my mother's parlor?" Tho young heiress started. Sho replied iv the negative. ■ " It's so," said Fogarty, smiling sullenly. " You never heard of me, you said. My past is nothing to boast on, and Kildare knows it He knows, too, that lam wanted out in tho colony. You see, I had an engagement and came homo. Kildato knew tint, too."