oom, and shut the door.

On the landing, I found myself face to face with the Cur.

"_You!_" he said.

I lifted my hand. The servant ran between us. "For God's sake, control
yourself, sir! We mean no harm. It's only to tell Mr. Toller that his
boat is missing."

"Mr. Toller knows it already," I said. "No honest man would touch your
master if he could help it. I warn him to go; and I make him understand
me by a sign." I pointed down the stairs, and turned my head to look at
him.

He was no longer before me. His face, hideously distorted by rage and
terror, showed itself at the door of Cristel's empty room. He rushed out
on me; his voice rose to the detestable screech which I had heard once
already.

"Where have you hidden her? Give her back to me--or you die." He drew a
pistol out of the breast-pocket of his coat. I seized the weapon by the
barrel, and snatched it away from him. As the charge exploded harmlessly
between us, I struck him on the head with the butt-end of the pistol. He
dropped on the landing.

The door of Toller's room opened behind me. He stood speechless; the
report of the pistol had terrified him. In the instant when I looked at
the old man, I saw, through the window of his room, a rocket soar into
the sky, from behind the promontory between us and Kylam.

Some cry of surprise must, I suppose, have escaped me. Toller suddenly
looked round towards the window, just as the last fiery particles of the
rocket were floating slowly downwards against the black clouds.

I had barely time enough to see this, before a trembling hand was laid on
my shoulder, from behind. The servant, white with terror, pointed to his
master.

"Have you killed him?" the man said.

The same question must have been in the mind of the dog. He was quiet
now. Doubtfully, reluctantly, he was smelling at the prostrate human
creature. I knelt down, and put my hand on the wretch's heart. Ponto,
finding us both on a level together, gave me the dog's kiss; I returned
the caress with my free hand. The servant saw me, with my attention
divided in this way between the animal and the man.

"Damn it, sir," he burst out indignantly, "isn't a Christian of more
importance than a dog?"

A Christian!--but I was in no humor to waste words. "Are you strong
enough to carry him to his own side of the house?" I asked.

"I won't touch him, if he's dead!"

"He is _not_ dead. Take him away!"

All this time my mind was pre-occupied by the ex