companion. The open door
shed enough light for me to see the outline of things, and there was
little Lord Linchmere with his arms round the neck of his
brother-in-law, holding bravely on to him like a game bull-terrier with
its teeth into a gaunt deerhound. The tall, bony man dashed himself
about, writhing round and round to get a grip upon his assailant; but
the other, clutching on from behind, still kept his hold, though his
shrill, frightened cries showed how unequal he felt the contest to be.
I sprang to the rescue, and the two of us managed to throw Sir Thomas
to the ground, though he made his teeth meet in my shoulder. With all
my youth and weight and strength, it was a desperate struggle before we
could master his frenzied struggles; but at last we secured his arms
with the waist-cord of the dressing-gown which he was wearing. I was
holding his legs while Lord Linchmere was endeavouring to relight the
lamp, when there came the pattering of many feet in the passage, and
the butler and two footmen, who had been alarmed by the cries, rushed
into the room. With their aid we had no further difficulty in securing
our prisoner, who lay foaming and glaring upon the ground. One glance
at his face was enough to prove that he was a dangerous maniac, while
the short, heavy hammer which lay beside the bed showed how murderous
had been his intentions.

"Do not use any violence!" said Lord Linchmere, as we raised the
struggling man to his feet. "He will have a period of stupor after
this excitement. I believe that it is coming on already." As he spoke
the convulsions became less violent, and the madman's head fell forward
upon his breast, as if he were overcome by sleep. We led him down the
passage and stretched him upon his own bed, where he lay unconscious,
breathing heavily.

"Two of you will watch him," said Lord Linchmere. "And now, Dr.
Hamilton, if you will return with me to my room, I will give you the
explanation which my horror of scandal has perhaps caused me to delay
too long. Come what may, you will never have cause to regret your
share in this night's work.

"The case may be made clear in a very few words," he continued, when we
were alone. "My poor brother-in-law is one of the best fellows upon
earth, a loving husband and an estimable father, but he comes from a
stock which is deeply tainted with insanity. He has more than once had
homicidal outbreaks, which are the more painful because his inclinat