He raised his hand solemnly.
"You must not do that, Kate. You must promise me not to speak a word on the subject until I have given you leave."
"I will promise you anything—but why not speak of it at once? I feel as if we were standing over a—a magazine of powder!"
"We are—only worse. But it would be madness to warn Henshaw now. He is unnerved—almost insane. His granddaughter, for whom he had made all his fortune and to whom he is going in the States—"
"Yes, Salvain told me. She is dying; it is pitiful, Angus, but—"
"He must not be told. He would start with the hand of iron, and the first act of violence which he committed would be the touch of fire which would set off this powder magazine. No, we must wait. Perhaps in a little time I may be able to win over one of the mutineers and from him learn all their plans, and then turn the tables on them. But I must first know all the men who are concerned in the uprising. When we do move—shall I spare Harrigan, Kate?"
He tried to ask it frankly, but a devil of malice was in his eyes.
"I don't know—I can't think! Angus, what did Dan mean?"
"I warned you of what he was capable," he said.
She caught his hands, stammering: "You are all that is left to me. You will stand between me and danger, Angus? You will protect me? But wait! I could go to Harrigan. I know that if I plead with him, I can win him away from the mutineers!"