Lulled into a false security, as her father slept now for a time under
an opiate, Eva was sitting beside him with loving care when she heard
the noise below of the arrival of the car from Doctor Shaw's sanitarium.
At once she was in wild alarm. Nor was Locke off his guard. While Zita
tried to reassure Eva, Locke met the men.
There were four of them, and as the first passed, Locke halted him. The
parley gave another a chance to push past, while Locke held three at
bay.
A moment later there was a scream from Eva, who had hurried from her
father's room at the sound of the high voices. The emissary had seized
her.
It was a signal for the other three, who leaped on Locke all at once.
With almost superhuman strength Locke seized one of them and flung him
over his head for a fall down the whole flight of steps as he fought the
other two single-handed.
Even then the third came back to the attack and Locke was forced to give
back step by step down the stairs.
Another scream from Eva.
In the heat of the fray Locke caught a glimpse of her battling on the
landing above with the first emissary. It gave him redoubled strength.
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