rtuguese doctor; but he had not returned by the evening of the
fourth day. That night, worn out with watching, I had dozed off to sleep
on a chair placed by the sick man's bed, when all at once I was awakened
by a loud report, and I jumped up to find the room filled with smoke.
As it cleared away I saw that Jackson was standing in the middle of
the room with a revolver in his hand. As I confronted him he laughed a
devilish laugh and cocked the weapon, crying as he did so, "It was you
who tempted me with your smooth face and unsuspicious way, and you
shall die, though I suffer doubly in hell for it. Hist!" and he stopped
suddenly and listened. "Don't you hear the breakers? Hark, how they
roar! They say they are ready, always ready," and staring in front of
him, he advanced, as if following the sign of an invisible hand, to the
door, unconsciously placing, to my infinite relief, the revolver on the
top of a chest of drawers as he passed by it. I did not dare to move,
and he opened the door and walked into the front room. Then I followed
him. For a little he remained in the room, glaring vacantly about him,
and muttering to himself; but seeing the outer door open he made a rush
toward it, and disappeared into the darkness of the night. Calling to
the boy, I ran after him, and easily came up to him, when he turned, and
picking up a heavier stone than I thought he could have lifted, threw it
at me. I dodged it and closed with him. Once in my arms I found I could
hold him, and my servant and I carried him back into the factory. We
placed him on the floor of the dining-room, and he was too exhausted
to move for a while. By degrees, however, he recovered sufficiently to
stand; and as soon as he could do so by himself, with devilish cunning
he made for the lamp, which he struck, quick as lightning, with a stick
that had been lying on the table. In an instant the great round globe
fell to pieces, but luckily the chimney was not broken, and the lamp
remained alight, and before he could strike another blow at it I had
grappled with him again. This time he struggled violently for a few
moments, and seemed to think that he was dealing with Bransome, for he
shrieked, "What! have you come back from the sea? You are wet! you are
wet!" and shuddering, he tried to free himself from my hold; and I, not
liking to hurt him, let him go, taking care to keep myself between him
and the lamp.

"Back from me, you villain of hell!" he cried, as soon