t I put it to you that on the
18th of August, when this tree was covered with its summer foliage, you
could no more have seen the library window behind its branches than you
could have seen the inhabitants of Mars. What answer have you got to
that, witness?"

There was a slight stir in court--an expression of the feeling of tension
among the spectators. Kemp drew the back of his hand across his lips,
then moistened his lips with his tongue.

"Come, witness, give me an answer," thundered prosecuting Counsel.

"I tell you I saw him after Mr. Holymead had left," declared Kemp
defiantly. His voice had suddenly become hoarse.

To the surprise of the members of the legal profession who were in
court, Mr. Walters, instead of pressing home his advantage, switched off
to something else.

"I believe you have a feeling of gratitude towards the prisoner?" he
asked, in a milder tone.

"I have," said Kemp. His defiant, insolent attitude had suddenly
vanished, and he gave the impression of a man who feared that every
question contained a trap.

"He did something for a relative of yours which at that time greatly
relieved your mind?"

"He did, and I'll never forget it."

"Well, we won't go further into that at present. But it is a fact that
you would like to do him a good turn?"

"Yes."

"You came here with the intention of doing him a good turn?"

Kemp considered for a moment before answering:

"Yes."

"You came here with the intention of giving evidence that would
get him off?"

"Yes."

"You came here with the intention of committing perjury in order to get
him off?" Mr. Walters waited, but there was no reply to the question, and
he added, "You see what your perjured evidence has done for him?"

"What has it done?" asked Kemp sullenly.

"It has established the prisoner's guilt beyond all reasonable doubt in
the minds of men of common sense. You did not see Sir Horace Fewbanks
that night after the prisoner left him. You could not have seen him even
if he had leaned out of the window. But your whole story is a lie,
because Sir Horace was dead when the prisoner left him."

"He was not," shouted Kemp. "I saw him alive. I saw him as plain as I
see you now."

The man in court who was most fascinated by the witness was Crewe. He
had watched every movement of Kemp's face, every change in the tone of
his voice.

"I wonder what the fool will say next," whispered Inspector
Chippenfield to Crewe.

"He will tell us