he bell like a demoniac.

The music stopped in the room below. Cutts, drunk as he was, observed the
circumstance; and no sooner were steps heard upon the stairs, in obedience
to the tocsin, than he took his departure with the candle. I lay down
again till the tumult should subside, when I intended to apprise Mackinnon
of the present state of matters.

My appeal to the bell, which was a vigorous one, had produced a marked
effect. Several of the company had come to the door of the ball-room, in
order to learn the true nature of the alarm; and Cutts on his descent was
assailed by vehement enquiries.

"Oh, don't ask me--don't ask me!" said the villain, wringing his hands
like a male Antigone. "My poor friend! he's just going! Oh, gentlemen, is
there no medical man here to save him?"

"Doctor Morgan! Doctor Morgan!" shouted twenty voices.

"Bless my soul, what's the matter here?" said the doctor, emerging from
the ball-room. "Any body taken suddenly ill, eh?"

"Oh, my poor friend!" groaned the traitor.

"Mercy on me! is it so bad as that?" said the Doctor, "I must see him
immediately. My dear sir, what _is_ the matter with your friend?"

"His head, sir--his head!" said Cutts with a sob--"he is quite mad at the
present moment. If you go up-stairs to No. 3, you'll find him biting the
bed-posts!"

"This must be looked to instantly," said the Doctor. "Gentlemen, if I want
assistance I shall call for you; but we must use gentle means if possible.
Poor young man! No. 3 did you say, sir?" and the doctor ascended the
staircase.

"This is an awful thing, Mr Cutts!" said Mrs Hickson, the comely mistress
of the house; "is there nothing that would do the poor gentleman any
good?"

"I think he'd be a great deal the better of a little brandy and water,"
said Cutts--"the doctor hinted as much just now; and, my dear madam, you
had better make two glasses of it, rather stiff, and send them up-stairs
by the Boots."

I was startled by the entry of a stranger with a light, who approached the
bed with all the stealthiness of a cat.

"'Zounds, sir, what do you want here?" cried I, springing up.

"Hush, my dear sir, hush! we must be calm--really we must. It will never
do to allow ourselves to be agitated in this way."

"Confound you, sir! what do you mean?"

"Oh, my dear sir! merely a friendly visit, that's all. I would like to
have a little quiet chat with you. How is our pulse? Do we feel any pain
about the temples?"

"I'll