CHAPTER XVII.-(Continued.)

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 37, 3 January 1890, Page 25

CHAPTER XVII.-(Continued.)

" In the dead of night, Annie Kennedy herself was torn from her home. Tell me, how was entrance gained into Kennedy's house? bow could it have been, but by his connivance ? Observe, again. For four hours after her abduction no notice was taken of the fact by him or by bis household — for four long hours. At the end of that lapse of time, Connor Keone y's own faithful servant was discovered, forsooth, tied to his bed-post, gagged, and so forth. When they made him free to use his tongue again, this fellow it was who accused you of having been a party in the outrage committed on Annie Kennedy. Nay, further, be swore before the sage magistrates that you had assisted to tie him up and gag him, and otherwise maltreat him."

" I remember."

" Upon that ruffian's testimony, you were sent to prison ; upon that ruffian's testimony, yon were to be tried and convicted, as a felon ; and, had I not interfered to protect you, sent, as I bad been, from your native country, disgraced, and— branded ! " " How did the hired abductors of Annie Kennedy dispose of her ? "

" They took her to a remote place, provided for the occasion by her guardian ; guardian, forsooth 1 Hal ha! There she was informed, and she believed the information, that you were the perpetrator of the violence committed upon her. Ay, and there, by more atrocious measures than even these, your poor Annie was compelled to become the wife of Oonnor Kennedy. 1 '

" Hell and Heaven 1 how compelled ? What other and more atrocious measures do you speak of ? "

" I will answer you in due course. Now, for a proof, I have promised you the truth of some of my statements." Stokesbury struck his heel violently twice or thrice against tha floor. A deliberate tread was heard coming up stairs, and Donnelly, Oonnor Kennedy's servant, entered the room. " You know this man, George ? " " I do ; he is the same you have just spoken of ; the same who swore falsely against me."

" Yes. he is that man. It was easy for me to surmise, knowing that he had been guilty of perjury, who had set him on to destroy you. I sought him out, therefore, and found him as willing to betray his employer for a bribe as he had be3n to take one from him."

This was said in a low tone to George ; Henry Stokesbury went on aloud. " Sirrah ! relate to this young gentleman, as you have already related to me, the plots in which you have been engaged against him." In a c ->ld and unimpassioned tone and manner, Donnelly complied, verifying Stokesbury's previous accounts to George Blundell of the wiles, tbe treachery, and the baseness of Oonnor Kennedy. To every question proposed by the young man, the scoundrel answered quietly, aad to the purpose. " From what motive did you engage in these matters with Mr. Kennedy ? " demanded George Blundell. " Why, then, 'pon my nate conscience, for what people calls a long purse o' money," "And you have since divulged Mr. Kennedy's secrets? " continued George. " Yes, faith, an' so I have ; an' does your honour want to know the motive, as you call it, over again 1 Ha ! ha I

" Yes, declare it."

" Glory to my sowl, then, bud it was for the motive of a longer purse of money than the one that went before it." " You are satisfied, George 7 " demanded Stokesbury. " Yes, yes, I am," muttered the youth. " Go down stairs, Donnelly, and await me elsewhere," continued tbe strange Mao of the Inch. Dounelly went away, as unconcerned as if he had but performed some everyday business.

George Biundell's feelings were too intense to allow of much exterior exhibition of them. He continued silent. Stokesbury observed him keenly, giving him leisure to cogitate as well as he could, for a necessary period of time, upon all that had been torced on bis mi ad. At length, he suddenly came close to him, and renewed his former question. " You say you are satisfied ? " George started from his gloomy reve.ie, and looked into the eyes of his interrogator. " You spoke to me, sir ? " 11 Are you satisfied? '" again asked Stokesbury. " Satisfied ? Ido not quite understand tbe drift of your question."

" I have told you before, George, that I returned to this native land of mine, which, in my boyish days, cast me from its bosom, as it might have cast one of its weeds upon the waters, only for the purpose of promoting and assuring your happiness. I have told you, and you know 1 can prove it, that, through me, great riches awaited you, strewn like flawers along your path of life. Had your Annie but been left to you, boy, all my hopeß, and, perhaps, more than all my hopes, in your regard, might have been realised."

Tbe lad groaned. Suddenly he said : — '• You told me a while ago that you would inform me by what means— you called them atrocious— Annie," his voice shook, " has been compelled to become that man's wife ? " 14 Ay, so I did ; and that is rather an important point. Listen then."

He put his lips to George's ear, and slowly hissed into it a few words. The youth started up like a wild beast wounded and at bay.

" Beware, sir I Father though you say you are to me, beware how you say that I Yon know not to what yon drive me!" " I state but the 'fact, boy. In that lonely and savage place she could feel no hope of escape, and of re-establishment in the world after his measures towards her, but by consenting to become his wife. But how do you think he made this really appear to the eyes of uninterested persons ? Are you listening to me ? " '•lam. Goon." " Why, Mr. Connor Kennedy has done no more nor less than impress upon the minds of the good Christians of his and oar neighbourhood, that you yourself have been the blighter of Annie's character, and that he through pure Christian charity, has by becoming her husband, sacrificed himself to bind up in a kind of legal, technical way, her tarnished reputation. And now, let mo ask you, do these little facts help still further to explain Annie Kennedy's letter to you in your dungeon ? " "All is explained," answered George, in a deep, shivering, agonised voice. " Yes — the explanation is full. And, oh I it h<*B changed my blood into hot venom, my heart into the hardest stone 1 Merciless— merciless it has made me I The wrongs against my father and against myself were, to bo sure, sufficient to inspire me with a deadly purpose. Yet I tried to push the thought from me, while it prompted merely an act of vengeance. But now do I cease to be an avenger 1 " he screamed out, starting vp — " now am I cUled upon, as if by the voice of Heaven itself, to become the minister of justice." II Before this moment," continued Stokesbury, feigning not to have heard the la9t words, " I kept from you all avowal of a determination to which I had come to, even before we had begun to apeak. Now, however, I deliberately ask you — does not the double traUor, the treble the t?n-fold traitor and villain, deserve, at my hands, what earthly law refuses to mete out to him — namely, punishment ? " " Why ask me such useless questions ? Had you but listened, I have already answered you." " Perhaps I might have returned to the better loved land of my adoption, without deciding upon such a blow, had not the wrongs committed upon my son, roused up and added new rancour to those perpetrated upon myself. Had not I found that the villain who poisoned the sourca of my life's stream, not contented with that had flung new infection into its current 1 Shall he a second time escape me ? I ask you again, does not Connor Kennedy merit punishment? " " Have some compassion on me ! Do not lacerate me so I Connor Kennedy shall be punished." "He shall, by heaven !— this very night, boy 1 Within this very hour, perhaps I will avenge you— you and myself, upon the closelycoiled, the fully-gorged, the s'plf-secure reptile. Awiit me here, all my measures are arranged. You are already an object of the persecution of their lawp, la a very short time so shall Ibe also. When I return, be prepared to accompany me towards a remote and safe place of refuge. " Father I Do not touch those pistols on the table I " And why not? Ihey are my doomed instrument of pun ishment on Connor Kennedy." "No— no 1 For that purpose — that holy purpose, they are mine I No other living creature haa a right to them. Let me have the weapons." The strange man's eyes dilated and flashed, his whole face was ablaze with triumph. But the maddaued boy saw or heeded it not. "Well; well 1 I certainly had no intention to depute my office ; if I do, there must ba no hvf measures, remember. As I had sworn to act, you — my s:lf-electrd agent — and my son — must act. " Have no doubt, no fear of me ! " 41 Nay— l will not relinquish mv sacred rigbt, unless you swear that he diesl Ay, and unless you sweir it upon this blessei book, in which we all believe." His face still alight with a devilish glow, he took from his bosom the volume of which he spoke, and handed it impressively to George. 11 1 swear I " responded the wretched lad, hastily catching it up, and pressing it to his fevered lips. •'Attend to me fora moment, then. With the ruffian whom you have just seen here, I bad arranged my manner oE admission into Connor Kennedy's house. Since y»u are to represent me, I must explain it to you. The fellow knows not, indeed, my intention in visitIng his master's premises ; but no mater about th*t. Listen to ma I say, and note me well. Three knocks at iha hal door ; thus— thus — and thus." The speaker with the back of his clenched hand, accompanied each ";thus " with a stroke up m the hollow wainsco ing of the room, which prod iced a sound which curdled, while it still maddened, the young man's blood. " Yes, yes 1 Now the pistols, give me both." "One will be sufficient, lhave.preparedthemwith my own hands, and can assure you, therefore, that either one or the other may be depen led upon." •' I require both, I say 1 Ay, now lam proparly armed. Fare you well. You are the father of a wretched, wretched son — the blighted stem of a blighted scion. Yet let ma taka your band. Fare you well — you shall be revenged Yes ; along with lur, and with me, you chall be revenged ! " The boy convulsively graspedjthe hand extended to him ; his hot red eye shed no tear over tha separation which he doomed should be final. Then, hiding the pistols in a hurried manner, he rushed bareheaded and panting into the street. Harry Stokesbury, while returning his parting salutation, as he looked intently and studiously into the expression of that eye, became satisfied that he had wrought upon the lad sufficiently to ensure the dreadful consummation after which he had so long thirsted.