“No!” exclaimed the madman violently, throwing off the friendly grasp. “Leave me to myself—I advise you to do so!”
“Alick, I dare not leave you, in your present state of mind. Even if we were not cousins, we are still countrymen! Consider me your sincere friend, and take me with you in this crisis of your affairs,” pleaded Dick again, gently essaying to restrain the infuriated man.
“No! leave me alone, I say, Hammond! for your own good, take care of yourself and don’t interfere with a desperate man!” cried Alexander, breaking loose.
A hansom-cab was passing at the moment.
“Cab!” cried Alexander, seeing that it was empty.
The hansom pulled up, and Alexander threw himself into it, and was gone before Dick could prevent him.
“I must get another, and follow him if possible,” said Mr. Hammond, making the best of his way to the nearest cab-stand.
Meanwhile, General Lyon, Anna, and Drusilla returned to their lodgings.
General Lyon, after a few moments of gay bantering of Drusilla upon her social triumphs of the evening, went to rest.
Drusilla, as soon as she was free, hurried to her own room, to look after her little son.