trength."

The two now stopped almost under me, and the speaker continued:

"Such things are very common with maniacs. At times they acquire an
unnatural strength which is perfectly wonderful. I have seen a
little fellow struggle and fight so that four strong men could not
hold him."

Then the other person spoke.

"I am afraid what you say is too true," he remarked. "Indeed, I have
known it for some time."

At these words my breath almost stopped. It was the voice of Mr.
Gilbert, my townsman, and the father of Janet. It must have been he
who had arrived in the travelling-carriage. He was acquainted with
the Alpine Club man, and they were talking of me. Proper or
improper, I listened with all my ears.

"It is a very sad case," Mr. Gilbert continued. "My daughter was
engaged to marry his son, but I broke off the match. I could not
have her marry the son of a lunatic, and there could be no doubt of
his condition. He has been seen--a man of his age, and the head of a
family--to load himself up with a heavy knapsack, which there was no
earthly necessity for him to carry, and go skipping along the road
for miles, vaulting over fences and jumping over rocks and ditches
like a young calf or a colt. I myself saw a most heartrending
instance of how a kindly man's nature can be changed by the
derangement of his intellect. I was at some distance from his house,
but I plainly saw him harness a little donkey which he owns to a
large two-horse wagon loaded with stone, and beat and lash the poor
little beast until it drew the heavy load some distance along the
public road. I would have remonstrated with him on this horrible
cruelty, but he had the wagon back in his yard before I could reach
him."

"Oh, there can be no doubt of his insanity," said the Alpine Club
man, "and he oughtn't to be allowed to travel about in this way.
Some day he will pitch his wife over a precipice just for the fun of
seeing her shoot through the air."

"I am sorry he is here," said Mr. Gilbert, "for it would be very
painful to meet him. My daughter and I will retire very soon, and go
away as early to-morrow morning as possible, so as to avoid seeing
him."

And then they walked back to the hotel.

For a few moments I hung, utterly forgetful of my condition, and
absorbed in the consideration of these revelations. One idea now
filled my mind. Everything must be explained to Mr. Gilbert, even if
it should be necessary to have him called to me, and