nearly due, and I left him for a moment alone in his room and

skimming through the pamphlets. When I returned, his head had

fallen upon the table, his arms lying abroad amongst the crumpled

papers.

"My lord, my lord!" I cried as I ran forward, for I supposed he was

in some fit.

He sprang up like a figure upon wires, his countenance deformed

with fury, so that in a strange place I should scarce have known

him. His hand at the same time flew above his head, as though to

strike me down. "Leave me alone!" he screeched, and I fled, as

fast as my shaking legs would bear me, for my lady. She, too, lost

no time; but when we returned, he had the door locked within, and

only cried to us from the other side to leave him be. We looked in

each other's faces, very white - each supposing the blow had come

at last.

"I will write to the Governor to excuse him," says she. "We must

keep our strong friends." But when she took up the pen, it flew

out of her fingers. "I cannot write," said she. "Can you?"

"I will make a shift, my lady," said I.

She looked over me as I wrote. "That will do," she said, when I

had done. "Thank God, Mackellar, I have you to lean upon! But

what can it be now? What, what can it be?"

In my own mind, I believed there was no explanation possible, and

none required; it was my fear that the man's madness had now simply

burst forth its way, like the long-smothered flames of a volcano;

but to this (in mere mercy to my lady) I durst not give expression.

"It is more to the purpose to consider our own behaviour," said I.

"Must we leave him there alone?"

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