Omaha daily bee., 1897-08-29
CHAPTER xxx.

What the girl answered l did not catch,
for as she raised her head again to reply
my ear caught the sound OF rising danger.
Ferguson was speaking; his words, no
longer incoherent. mere frothing of oaths
and calling of hideous fates on his head II
he had ever betrayed, II he had ever sold,
IL he had ever deceived, now ran in a steady
current of wrathful denunciation. And the
men listened he had their ears again. he
was no longer on his trial. Afterwards |
learned that while my attention was astray
with the woman, Smith by stating what l
had stated to him-namely, that the secre-
tary had used Ferguson as his Intermediary
through whom TO warn Berwick-had con-
hrmed the plotter's story and at a stroke
had restored his position. Whereon, full
OF spite and desperately certain that how
ever exposed he lay on other sides, | at any
rate knew enough to hang him, the wretched
man had set himself anew to compass my
destruction. Deferred neither by the check
he had received, nor by the gloomy looks
OF the consplrators who responded but slug
gishly to his appeal, he drove home again
and again, and with wild words and wilder
oaths the one point on which he relied, the
one point that was so dear to him that he
could not understand their hesitation.
Waste time?" he cried. "We would be
better employed looking to ourselves and
slipping away to Romney, would we? But
you are fools! You are babies! There Is
one evidence that can swear to you all! There
is the evidence. keen to do it! There is the
evidence in your hands! And you will let
him escape?"
There is evidence without him, said King
sulkily Where is Prendergast?"
20 he IL honest"
But where is he? And where is Por-
ter?"
where is Sir John Fenwick for that mat
ter?" replied the man who had answered
for Prendergast. He 10 too high ana
mighty TO mix with us, and Will only
eat the chestnut when We have got ii out
of the fire! For that matter. where are
Friend and Parkyns They are not here"
"Pshaww Ferguson cried, in a rage at
the depression. why will you be thinking
OF them? Cannot you see that they are
tainted, they are in 1t? They cannot II they
will And they are gentlemen besides, and
not dirty knaves like this fellow"
For the matter OF that" said Cassel
bluntiy: Preston was a lord. But he sold
Ashton"
That word brought a kind OF cold breath
OF suspicion into the room, at the chill
touch OF which each looked stealthily at his
neighbor, as II he said, lis II he? Or he?'
Ferguson seeing on this that he made little
progress, and that the men, though they
looked at me yengefully, were not to be
kindled. grew furious and more furious, and
began to storm and rave. But Charnock
In a moment cut him short.
"Mr Ferguson is so far right" said he
that II We let this person go TO perfect
his evidence against us we shall De very
foolish. Clearly, 1t is to set premium on
treason"
Then let Mr.. Ferguson deal with him"
Casssl answered, curtly. He is his man,
and IL ls his business, | don't lay hand
on him. and that Is fiat"
Nor Il Nor H. cried several, with eager
ness. God knows II they thought in their
hearts to curry favor with me.
You are all mad" Ferguson cried, beat
ing the air.
And you are a coward" Cassel retortei.
'I'd as soon trust him as you II YOU are
taken you'll peach, Ferguson! G. d YOU!
/ know you will. You will peach You
are as white-liyered cur as ever liyed"
Then seeing them divided and the most
bloody minded OF them-for such Cassel had
been a short time before-taking up my
eause, l thought that for certain the bitter