‘You can’t! You can’t!’ she cried wildly. ‘I won’t let you do it! I’d rather see us both dead, Hugh—’

‘Hush!’ I tried to quieten her. ‘You’re overwrought, Terry. Sit down, lassie, and I’ll see about a meal. Take off these wet clothes. Let me look at the scratches you got—’

‘I know what you’re meaning to do!’ she went on without heeding my words. She stared at me for a moment with panic in her eyes.

‘You’re going to kill! you’re going to make murderers of us both.’

‘I’m going to defend myself if I must,’ I answered.

‘No! No! No! No!’ she exclaimed. ‘You can’t do it! I won’t let you! Give me the rifle!’

She flung herself on me and began to wrest the rifle from me.

‘Let go!’ I shouted, ‘it’s loaded; do you hear, Terry! let it go, it’s loaded!’

I had to use my strength brutally before I could loosen her grip on the rifle. Suddenly she let the gun go. My hands were round her wrists and the gun fell clattering to the floor. She began to drag herself back, struggling in intent silence to be free. I gripped her wrists with all my force. Then she let herself fall on the floor beside the rifle, clawing with her fingers towards it. I dragged her to her feet and held her close to me.

She commenced to tremble and shake and her struggling ended.

‘Terry!’ I breathed. ‘What are you doing, Terry?’

‘Let me go,’ she said in a hoarse voice. ‘Take your hands off me.’

‘Then let the rifle be,’ I retorted. All at once she grew limp. I supported her as best I could with one arm while I let down the hammock with my free hand. I lifted her into the hammock and commenced to take off her wet clothes. I left her there while I blew up the fire. I felt deathly cold; the cave was dank and shadowy; I was afraid I was going to be sick. The rifle lay unheeded on the floor until I tripped over it as I went to bring out the bottle of whisky Duncan gave us. I unloaded the rifle before I poured out some of the whisky into a cup.

‘Drink this,’ I bade Terry. ‘Draw up the blankets and keep yourself warm until your clothes dry.’

She took the cup obediently and swallowed the dram at a gulp. She coughed and tears stood in her eyes.

‘It’s very strong,’ she whispered.

I drank a mouthful of the stuff myself.

‘Hugh!’ Terry whispered.

‘Yes?’ I said. ‘I’m going to make a meal, Terry. I’m sure you’re famished.’

‘Come here a minute, Hugh,’ she continued. As I came to the side of the hammock she reached out her arms gently and touched my cheeks and my hair with her hands.

‘Hugh!’ she murmured.