"What's wrong?" he asked as he came upon the butler and Eva still
knocking excitedly at the dining-room door.
Eva was almost in a panic as she answered, "Father and Mr. Flint have
been in there laughing ever since last night."
Balcom tried to comfort her. But somehow his sympathy sent a cold
shudder through the poor girl.
Meanwhile Zita had encountered Locke hurrying down at the sound of the
commotion. To him she told the story, again hurt that his interest was
solely for Eva, not in herself.
Locke paused long enough to seize an umbrella from the rack, rip the
cover off, and break out a rib, to which he tied a piece of string while
he hurried to the group at the door.
"Break down the door and call the police," ordered Balcom.
The butler reached for a chair and was about to swing it over his head
to break down the door.
"Stop!" interrupted Locke.
The young scientist knelt down, inserted the umbrella steel through the
keyhole, and bent it by the string as he fished about with it on the
other side to find the bolt. Meanwhile the butler telephoned frantically
for the police.
It was at this height of excitement that Paul Balcom entered.
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