His fears vanished; and he immediately concluded that the Resurrection Man, wounded and suffering, must be somewhere near.
At that idea, all sentiments of aversion, hatred, and abhorrence,—all reminiscence of injury and wrong, fled from the mind of that generous-hearted young man: he thought only that a fellow-creature was in anguish and in pain—perhaps neglected, and left to die without a soul to administer consolation!
Reckless of the danger which he might incur by alarming the inmates of the house, he determined upon rousing the porter in order to obtain a light.
He turned from the scullery, and was rushing up the stone steps in pursuance of his humane intention, when he suddenly came in violent contact with a person who was descending the same stairs.
CHAPTER CXLI.
THE SUBTERRANEAN.
The violence of the concussion threw Richard backwards; and in a moment he felt the rough hand of a man grasp him by the throat.
"Who is it?" was the demand simultaneously put to him.
"I will answer you when we are on equal terms," replied Markham; and, hurling the man away from him, he sprang upon his feet. "Now—stand off," he cried; "for I am not to be injured with impunity."
"I don't want to injure you," said the man. "But who are you? I know by your voice that you're not one of us."
"You then are an inmate of this house?" observed Markham, fencing with the other's question.