how Sir Horace Fewbanks was shot," was Crewe's reply.

Mr. Walters approached a step nearer to the witness-box. "You saw him as
plainly as you see me now?" he repeated.

"Yes," declared Kemp, who, it was evident, was labouring under great
excitement. "You say I came here to commit perjury if it would get him
off." He pointed with a dramatic finger to the man in the dock. "I did.
And I came here to get him off by telling the truth if perjury didn't do
it. You say I've helped to put the rope round his neck. But I'm man
enough to tell the truth. I'll get him off even if I have to swing for
it myself."

This outburst from the witness-box created a sensation in court. Many of
the spectators stood up in order to get a better view of the witness, and
some of the ladies even jumped on their seats. Mr. Justice Hodson was
momentarily taken aback. His first instinct was to check the witness and
to ask him to be calm, but the witness took no notice of him. He
displayed his judicial authority by an impressive descent of an uplifted
hand which compelled the unruly spectators to resume their seats.

It was on Mr. Walters that Kemp concentrated his attention. It was Mr.
Walters whom he set himself to convince as if he were the man who could
set the prisoner free. Of the rest of the people in court Kemp in his
excitement had become oblivious.

"Listen to me," said Kemp, "and I'll tell you who shot this scoundrel. He
was a scoundrel, I say, and he ought to have been in gaol himself instead
of sending other people there. I went up to the house that night to see
if everything was clear, or whether that cur Hill had laid a trap--that
part of my evidence is true. And from behind a tree in the plantation I
saw Mr. Holymead pass me--he struck a match to look at the time, and I
saw his face distinctly. A few minutes afterwards I heard loud, angry
voices coming from somewhere upstairs in the house. I thought the best
thing I could do was to find out what it was about. I said to myself that
Mr. Holymead might want help. I walked across the garden and found that
the hall door was wide open. I went inside and crept upstairs to the
library. The light in the hall was turned on, as well as a little lamp on
the turn of the staircase behind a marble figure holding some curtains,
which led the way to the library. The library door was open an inch or
two, and I listened.

"I could hear them quite plainly. Mr. Holymead was telling him what he
though