He sprang up hke 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.
Xl?e /faster of Ballaijtrae 227

"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.
