Fiction > Book editions > London, 1889 - Master of Ballantrae

THE XKillT OP FEBUUAUY 27TH. I'll
forced him to swallow it like a cliild ; and, being- still
perished with the cold of the nig'ht, I followed his
example.
" It has to be told, Mackellar/' said he. " It must
be told." And he fell suddenly in a seat — my old lord's
seat by the chimney-side — and was shaken with dry
sobs.
Dismay came upon my soul ; it was plain there wag
no help in Mr. Henry. " Well/' said I, '^ sit there, and
leave all to me.'' And taking- a candle in my hand, I
set forth out of the room in the dark house. There
was no movement ; I must suppose that all had gone
unobserved; and I was now to consider how to smuggle
through the rest with the like secrecy. It was no hour
for scruples ; and I opened my lady's door without so
much as a knock, and passed boldly in.
" There is some calamity happened," she cried, sitting
up in bed.
" Madam," said I, " I will go forth again into the
passage ; and do you get as quickly as you can into your
clothes. There is much to be done."
She troubled me with no questions, nor did she keep
me waiting. Ere I had time to prepare a word of that
which I must say to her, she was on the threshold sign-
ing me to enter.
"Madam," said I, " if you cannot be very brave, I
must go elsewhere ; for if no one helps me to-night,
there is an end of the house of Durrisdeer."