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Show hid Imrning win, gt vront, HM parching thirst ol venge&nca, bo-came bo-came or the Instant all dead, burled and forgotten. More. It wa aa It they had never been. Lionel In that moment was again the weak, comely, beloved brother whom h had cherished and screened anil Kuarded, and for whom when th hour arrived he had sacrificed Ms good name, and the woman he loved, lov-ed, and placed his life ltBelf In jeopardy. "Lionel, boy!" was all that for a moment he could say. Then: . "Poor lad! Poor lad!" he added. "Temptation was too strong lor thee." And reaching forth, he took tha other white hand that lay beyond (he couch, and so held both tight-clasped tight-clasped within his own. From one of the ports a ray of sunshine was creeping upwards towards the dying man's face. But the radiance that now overspread it was from an inward source. Feebly he returned the clasp of his brother's hands. "Oliver, Oliver!" he whispered. "There is none like thee! 1 ever knew thee as noble as I was base. Have I said enough to make you safe? Say that he will be safe now," he appealed to the others, "that no " "He will be safe," said Lord Henry stoutly. "My word on't." "It is well. The past Is past. The future is in your hands, Oliver. God's blessing on't." He seemed to collapse, to rally yet again. He smiled pensively, his mind already wandering. "That was a long swim last night the longest I ever swam. From Penarrow to Trefusis a fine long swim. But you were with me, Noll. Had my strength given out I could have depended on you.. I am still chill from it, for it was cold cold ugh ! " He shuddered, and lay still. Gently, Sir John lowered him to his couch. Beyond it Rosamund fell upon her knees and covered her face, whilst by Sir John's side Oliver continued to kneel, clasping in his own his brother's chilling hands. There ensued a long spell ot silence." Then with a heavy sigh Sir Oliver folded Lionel's hands across his breast, and slowly, heavily heavi-ly rose to his feet The others seemed to take this for a signal. It was as if they had but waited mute and still out of deference to Oliver. Lord Henry moved softly round to Rosamund and touched her lightly upon ih shoulder. She rose and vi"nt out in the wake of the others, Lord Henry following her, and none remaining re-maining but the surgeon. Outside in the sunshine they checked. Sir John stood with bent head and hunched shoulders, his eyes upon the white deck. Timidly almost a thing never seen before in this bold man he looked at Sir Oliver. "He was my friend," he said sorrowfully, sor-rowfully, and as if to excuse and explain himself, "and and I was misled through love of him." "He was my brother," replied Sir Oliver solemnly. "God rest him!" Sir John, resolved, drew himself up into an attitude preparatory to receiving with dignity a rebuff should it be administered luiri. "Can you find it in your generosity, gen-erosity, sir, to forgive me?" he asked, and his air was almost one of challenge. Silently Sir Oliver held out his hand. Sir John fell upon it almost in eagerness. "We are like to be neighbors again," he said, "and I give you my word I shall strive to be a more .. neighborly one than in the past." "Then, sirs," said Sir Oliver, looking from Sir John to Lord Henry, "I am to understand that I am no longer a prisoner." "You need not hesitate to return with us to England, Sir Oliver," replied his lordship. "The queen shall hear your story, and we have Jasper Leigh to confirm it If need be, and I will go warranty for your complete reinstatement. Count ma your friend. Sir Oliver, I beg." And, he, too, held out his hand. Then turning to the others "Come, sirs," he said, "we have duties elsewhere, I think." They tramped away, leaving Oliver and Rosamund alone. Tha twain looked long each at the other. There was bo much to say, so (much to ask, so much to explain, that neither knew with what words to begin. Then Rosamund suddenly came up to him holding out her hands. "Oh, my dear!' she said, and that, after all, summed up a deal. One or two over-Inquisitive seamen, sea-men, lounging on the forecastle and peeping through the shrouds, were disgusted to see the lady of Go-dolphin Go-dolphin Court in the arms of a be-turbaned be-turbaned bare-legged follower ot Mohammed. ; THE END JU.) "JJonell" he criod In stricken accents. ac-cents. And then, aa if thoughts ot vengeance ven-geance were to soothe and comfort his sinking friend's last moments he added: "We have the villain fast." Very Blowly. and with obvious effort, Lionel turned his head to the right, and his dull eyes went be yond Sir John ana made quest In the ranks of those that stood about him. "OliverT" he said In a hoarse whisper. "Where Is Oliver?" "There la not the need to dls tress you" Sir John was begin ning, when Lionel interrupted him "Wait!" he commanded in a louder tone. "Is Oliver safe?" "I am here," said Sir Oliver's deep voice, and those who stood be tween him and his brother drew aside that they might cease from screening him. Lionel looked at him for a long moment In silence, sitting up a little. Then he sank back again slowly against Sir John's breast. "God has been merciful to me a sinner." he said, "since He accords me the means to make amends, tardily though it be." Then he struggled up again, and held out his arms to Sir Oliver, and his voice came in a great pleading cry: "Noll! My brother! Forgive!" Oliver advanced, none hindering until, with his hands still pinioned behind him, he stood towering there above his brother, so tall that his turban brushed the low ceiling of the cabin. His countenance was stern and grim. "What is it that you ask me to forgive?" he asked. Lionel struggled to answer, and sank back again into Sir John's arms, fighting for breath; there was a trace of blood-stained foam abouthis lips. "Speak! Oh, speak, in God's name!" Rosamund exhorted him from the other side, and her voice was wrung with agony. He looked at her, and smiled faintly. "Never fear," he whispered, "I shall speak. God has spared me to that end. Take your arms from me, Killigrew. I am the the vilest of men. It it was I who killed Peter Godolphin." "My God!" groaned Sir John, whilst Lord Henry drew a sharp breath of dismay and realization. "Ah, but that is not my sin," Lionel continued. "There was no sin in that. We fonght, and in self defense I slew him fighting fair. My sin came afterwards. When suspicion fell on Oliver, 1 nourished it Oliver knew that the deed -was-mine, and-kept silent that he might screen me. I feared the truth might become known for all that and and I was jealous of him, and and I had him kidnapped to be sold " ' His fading voice trailed away into silence. A cough shook him, and the faint crimson foam on his lips was increased. But he rallied again, and lay there panting, his fingers plucking at the coverlet. "Tell, them," said Rosamund, who in her desperate -fight for Sir Oliver's life kept her mind cool and steady and directed towards essentials, essen-tials, "tell them the name of the man you tired to kidnap him." "Jasper Leigh, the skipper of the Swallow," he answered, whereupon she flashed upon Lord Henry a look that contained a gleam of triumph for all that her face was ashen and her lips trembled. Then she turned again to the dying man, relentlessly almost in her determination to extract all vital truth from him ere he fell silent. "Tell them," she bade him, "under what circumstances Sir Oliver sent you last night to the Silver Heron." "Nay, there is no need to harass him," Lord Henry interposed. "He has said enough already. May God forgive us our blindness, Killigrew!" Killi-grew!" Sir John bowed his head in silence over Lionel. "Is it you. Sir John?" whispered the dying man. "What? Still there? Ha!" be seemed to laugh faintly, then checked. "I am going go-ing " he muttered, and again his voice grew stronger, obeying the last flicker of his shrinking will. "Noll! I am dying! 1 I have made reparation all that 1 could. Give me give me thy hand!" Gropingly he put forth his right. "I should have given it you ere this but that my wrists are bound," cried Oliver in a sudden frenzy. . And then exerting that colossal strength of his he suddenly snapped the cords that pinioned him as if they had been thread. He caught his brother's extended hand, and dropped upon his knees beside him. Lionel, boy!" he cried. It was as If all that had befallen In tha last five years had been wiped out of existence. His fierce, relentless hatred of bis half-brother, jHAPi t i- - 11 'continued) 1C, li:io .caul auoujth, ,ir," i Hw-T "i-.v lapteJ. ,t yon so. ty !" he fi, stung suddenly to anger. shail hear yet a little more. troti will prevail, you have j yourself; and prevail the truth pj sines U's sweet la(i' so He' -l It" 3i wis flushed, and his light played over them like points reel, and, like points ot steel. jf n'rled a certain measure of vision. He had stood before 'J-j half mocking and Indifferent. jMd to hang and desiring the ... might be over and ended as 2ii? ae possible. But all that ni before he suspected that life . ;j still have anything to offer - whilst he conceived that Rosa--i was definitely lost to him. fme he had the memory of a uin tenderness she had shown ; yesternight aboard the galleys, lie had deemed that tenderness y no more than such as the sit ;.mi itself begot. Almost he had ;id the same to be here the ; until he had witnessed her :-xss and despair in fighting Ls life, until he had heard and ; d the sincerity of her avowal l: he loved him and desired to ie some amends to him for all :t he had suffered in the past. :!'. had spurred him. and. had a -:r.er spur been needed, it was : reed him when they branded Tords with falsehood: mocked r-to her face with what they sup-: sup-: ;s! to be her lies. Anger had ..?chim at that to stiffen his re-i re-i : to make a stand against them use the one weapon that re-j re-j ied him; that a merciful :.::e, a just God. had placed on his power almost despite i Lji!!. i little knew, sirs," he said, ! Sir John was guided by the ul of destiny itself when, last in violation of the terms of ' -irrender, he took a prisoner : my galeasse. That man is, as i said, a sometime English ! .i-.n. named Jasper Leigh. He i:o my hands some months and took the same road to i ire from thraldom that I took :-;fif under the like circum-.::ts. circum-.::ts. I was merciful in that I I -::ted him to do so. for he is j err skipper who was suborned ouel to kidnap me and carry I Ir.o Barbary. With me he fell tie hands of the Spaniards. him brought hither and ques-'. ques-'. -im." : silence they all looked at him, :i more than one face he saw reflection of amazement at his ::ience, as they conceived it. ' -as Lord Henry who spoke at :::tiy, sir, this Is most oddly', ijspiciously apt," he said, and could be no doubt that he faintly sneering. "The very -to be here aboard, and taken :er thus, almost by chance " ': quite by chance, though aearly. He conceives that he ssrudge against Lionel, for it trough Lionef that misfortune him. Last night, when 'i so rashly leapt aboard the Jasper Leigh saw his op- "My to settle an old score and it- It was as a consequence aat that he was arrested." -Ten so, the chance is still mi- ".lous." 'fccles, my lord, must happen -'times if the truth is to pre- Sir Oliver replied with a - of his earlier mockery. llim hither, and question - He knows naught of what Passed here. It were a mad-" mad-" 10 !PPose him primed for a :iUon which none could have I'tfln. Fetch him hither, then." i !'Pi sounded outside, but went 1 ;.f!W at the moment ;"lT," said Sir John, "we ' n trifled with by liars long 1 "'li!" 1 door was flung open, and the ' llck figure of the surgeon appearance. John!" he called urgently, f without ceremony into , '"Kiings, and never heed-! heed-! Heny'1, scowl. "Master 'U&n bag recovered con-1- ;ess. He Is asking for yon U his brother. Quick, sira'! C 4 Inking fast" a CHAPTER XXXIV. THB JUDGMENT ' I?' Cbln beIow tie whole 'y impaired In all speed in f "a' waka. Sir Oliver com-between com-between his guards. They ed about tie couch where r leaden-hned of face, his ?, iT? kbored. his eyes dull 1' ' o 'a ' mm' wen' down W n to I"1' loving arms 1 " lat ebJJlln, clay, and very '"Ued him In them, and held rasttat aealnst bis breait |