At first Barbara could not bear to tell her father, but at last her
excitement and distress became so great that she had to tell him. In a
few hours she had changed from a radiant person to one white, sick,
and shadowed.
"I've seen that man," she said. "I was writing notes in the
summer-house. He--"
"What man--Blizzard? Well?"
"I've promised to marry him. He has Wilmot Allen in his house--in his
power. He told me that if I would marry him, he would let Wilmot go. If
I wouldn't, he would kill him with indescribable tortures. I told him
that I would marry him when I learned that Wilmot was safe. And so I
will, and then I will kill myself. You've got to do something. I never
knew till he was in this awful danger that in all the world there was
never anybody for me but Wilmot--fool not to know it in time."
Dr. Ferris made her drink something that he mixed in a glass. In a few
minutes her jumping nerves began to come into control.
[Illustration: "I've seen that man. I was writing notes in the summer
house when he came".]
"Wilmot," said he, "will never consent to save himself at your expense.
And I think I can promise you that Blizzard will do nothing in this
matter for some time. He is to undergo a very serious operation
to-night. It has all been arranged. A man under obligation to
Blizzard has consented to give his legs--I am to operate. Don't look at
me like that, daughter. I have given my word that if I thought the thing
could be done, I would do it. The man consents. There is no reason why I
shouldn't. I would do more to undo what I have done, and in the
interests of science."
"You don't understand. The man who _consents_ is Wilmot."
"Did Blizzard tell you so?"
"Nobody has told me. I know it. He consents so that I may go free."
"Of course if Wilmot is the man--"
"You couldn't--you wouldn't do it to _him_, father."
"And you so in love with him, my dear! We must go to the police."
"No, we mustn't. He said that if we tried to play any tricks, we might
get him, but never Wilmot, alive. Don't you see? Father, the man isn't
fit to live. He's insane."
"Answer wanted, Miss Barbara." Bubbles entered hesitatingly, a note in
his hand.
One glance at the superscription, and Barbara ripped open the envelope.
She read the note and her brows contracted with pain. "Read
that, father."
Dr. Ferris read: