“But, master,” persisted the Chinese, “you told me that this Miss Brent loves her father, and that she would do anything for his recovery.  Let this lady tell her that the Madagascan has brought an antidote that will restore his reason.  She will come here and we shall trap her.”

For a moment Paul stood in deep thought, then called to Dora.

At first she laughed at the idea that Eva would even listen to her.  But Dora was clever and conceited and in the end she agreed that at least she would make the attempt.

At this moment in another quarter of town Paul’s father was ready to leave his apartment, yet from his nervousness it could readily be seen that he was waiting for some one.  A Madagascan servant entered and salaamed.

“Master,” he announced, “the Strangler has arrived from Madagascar.”

Balcom’s face lighted up with intense satisfaction and cunning at the news.  He waved the servant away, picked up his hat and stick, and hurried out.

In the library at Brent Rock Eva and Locke were having an earnest conversation.  Locke had on his motoring togs and was on the point of going out.

“By elimination,” he was saying, “I will prove that either Paul or his father is the Automaton.  I am going to trap Paul.”

“Quentin,” cautioned Eva, “for my sake be careful.”

Locke strove to quiet her fears, pointing out that his scheme was necessary in order to save her father, and in the end Eva reluctantly consented.

She went with him to the porte-cochere where his car was already waiting.

“Good luck!” she tried to call cheerfully, in spite of her misgivings.

Long after his car had disappeared in the distance she stood there gazing after it, a world of anxiety in her eyes.

CHAPTER XX

Darkness had settled down upon Brent Rock, following the departure of Locke, when a trim runabout drew up under the porte-cochere and Dora stepped lightly out of it.

She paused for a moment and looked about curiously.  For some time she hesitated.  In this house lived the girl whom in her heart Dora hated bitterly.

What sort of reception might she expect?  Yet Paul and his underworldlings had played on Dora’s pride until they had prevailed on her to undertake the mission.  As she looked about all her old assurance came back to her and Dora turned and approached the door boldly.

Eva was just about to go up-stairs to her room when she heard the butler at the door and a woman’s voice asking whether Miss Brent was at home.  Eva paused a moment.

There was evidently a slight altercation between the butler and the new-comer as the latter raised her voice sharply.

“You will tell Miss Brent I must see her,” reiterated Dora.

There was a pause, during which the butler was heard to murmur something, and then the woman’s voice was heard again.