He spoke fiercely, with his eyes gleaming. He saw the heave of Leona's magnificent white breast, the look of anger on her face. And meanwhile the precious minutes were stealing on rapidly.
"Very well," he said, "then I shall wash my hands of the whole business. Fool, do you want to stand in the dock? And there are other dupes with not a tithe of the wit and brains of Maitrank. The gems!"
The Countess turned on her heel, and disappeared. A moment later, and she was back with the glittering stream of fire in her hand.
"There," she whispered. "Take them. It is the bitterest moment of my life for----"
Balmayne stopped to hear no more, but hurried quickly down the stairs.
[CHAPTER XXXIII.]
THE WAY BLOCKED.
Leona Lalage had scarcely returned to her own room when Hetty came out of hers. She had heard the loud knocking at the door, and had instantly guessed who it was. But the strange silence that followed the answering of that summons puzzled her. The whole house was wonderfully still now, a silence that seemed to tell of dark mysteries. She looked over into the hall below. She could not remain here any longer. She would go down into the library and wait there. Those two people were quite capable of murdering her lover as well as Maitrank. She opened the library door, and to her great surprise Bruce stood before her.
As she would have cried out he laid his hand on her lips. He could feel that she was trembling from head to foot.