At the sight Zita's whole body expressed her
unquenched hatred of the unconscious girl. Her eyes narrowed, her lips
became livid, and her hands clenched as though she would like to strike
the helpless Eva.
"Zita," demanded Locke, suspiciously, "why did you hesitate to save my
life?"
"Because," she replied--and her voice indicated the force of her answer
whether it were really the truth or not--"I love you, and would not save
you--for _her_."
Zita turned and ran up the stairs leading to Old Meg's as Locke turned
to try to revive Eva.
But the hammer blows of the monster resounded throughout the cellar. At
any moment the door might come crashing down and Locke and Eva might
again be at the mercy of the iron fiend.
Locke caught up Eva in his arms again and, groping, sought the exit of
the warehouse.
He dared not follow Zita through Old Meg's den. Love that could for any
reason hesitate or injure the one loved was incomprehensible to him. He
felt that the hag's den might now be but an ambush and that Zita might
have run ahead to warn the uninjured emissaries of his coming.
By a lucky chance he found the path leading directly to the warehouse
steps and the street.
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