I was terrified, and half choked. As I looked at his blazing eyes I felt a cold horror at my heart, for his face was distorted into a frightful grimace of imbecile hatred and fury. I picked myself up slowly, for I feared a quick movement would bring him upon me. But he still crouched menacingly, and I could see his body quivering with insane malice. I felt about in my mind for some way of escape. The window? The door? But suddenly he was at me, and I sprang away behind the table. There followed a terrible chase, round and round, and my nimbleness stood me in good stead; for three times he was foiled as I swung a chair in his path, and he crashed to the floor, sprawling, and hissing out threats and curses. But I couldn't get to the window or the door. He was cunning enough to guard my escape, and I began to wonder how the chase would end. Again he crouched away from me, with the table between us, while I kept my eyes fixed steadily on his. He was jabbering to himself like an angry ape, but with a menace too terrifying to describe. Then with a bound he cleared the table, and only my quickness in dropping flat to the floor saved me from his clutch. With a scramble I was under the table, and again facing him across it. But he lay moaning to himself, holding his head, and I felt a sudden pity swell up in my heart. He must have hurt himself, and foolishly enough I wanted to comfort him. I took a step or two round the table, and yet he lay still. I advanced but he made no movement. "Sir," I said, "it's only me. It's Tommy." "Tommy? Tommy?" he repeated vacantly; then suddenly broke out with a sob, "Oh, forgive me, Tommy!" With that I ran boldly up to him and knelt down beside him, but with a hideous cackle he gripped me by the shoulders, and I realized I had been duped. But I wasn't to be taken so. I remembered my pistol, and as my hands were free I drew it easily enough, and cried, "Let me go, Captain, or I'll shoot you." I was amazed at the success of my manœuvre, for he fell back holding up his hands and gazing at me in horror. I began to retreat to the door, but just then it opened, and Jenny, whom I hadn't missed till now, returned, and behind her Abou. He went straight to the Captain and said, "Come, my master," in that smooth voice of his which fell like a charm on the terrible scene. And like a lamb the Captain followed his servant from the room. CHAPTER XVII THE SIGN I was left alone with Jenny, and found her glaring at me white with anger. I was startled and fell back from her, for it seemed for a moment as though her father's madness had descended upon her, and that I was to be whirled into another storm of frenzy. But as she gazed at me, her fierce eyes blazing, I soon came to realize that nothing worse than anger possessed her, and I wasn't long in learning the cause of it. "You would kill my daddy," she said with sharp emphasis, still fixing me with her gaze.