"What do you make of it now--father?" asked Locke of Doctor Q. "Balcom
is dead. Who is now in the iron man?"
Doctor Q shrugged. It was a mystery to him as much as ever, and he
seemed unable to throw any light on it.
"But De Luxe Dora," queried Zita. "What had she come for? Why was she
struck down--first?"
Again Doctor Q shook his head.
From the yard they could hear the Automaton's heavy tread in the room
and, as there was nothing to be gained by remaining, they left the yard
and hurried away out of the neighborhood.
They had not gone far, however, when Doctor Locke came to a full stop.
"I must go back," he exclaimed.
For a moment all thought he had again taken leave of his senses. Yet he
was obdurate.
"Miss Brent--Eva," he explained, "you know that a grievous wrong has
been done your father through me. He lies ill of that most terrible of
diseases, the laughing madness. I alone possess the antidote, and it is
in the laboratory that we have just left. I pray that that iron beast
has not destroyed it."
At the mere words Locke turned as if to go back for it.
"No, Quentin," remonstrated his father.
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