CHAPTER VIII.
THE TEST "I knew something was wrong," he said, emerging, big and efficient, from the firelight, "and I was just coming up." Before she could answer she felt his warm grasp on her hands, and it seemed to her suddenly that it was not only her hands he enfolded, but her agonized and suffering mind.
"There's a man up there--" she faltered helplessly.

"I was once married to him long ago--oh, long ago.

Just now I found him in the street and he seems to be out of his mind.

We are frightened." But he seemed not to hear her, not to demand an explanation, not even to wait to discover what she wanted.

Already his long stride was outstripping her on the staircase, and while she followed more slowly, pausing now and then to take breath, she realized thankfully that the situation had passed completely away from her power of command.