Worn out with the terrors through which she had passed, Eva bade Locke an affectionate good-night and went to her room, while he went to the laboratory and tried again to find an antidote for the Madagascar madness, a work that kept him up late and to which he returned again early the following morning.
It was on that following day, in the River Road apartment of De Luxe Dora, that Paul and she were having a demi-monde lovers' quarrel. Paul was intoxicated, and Dora may have been angry about that. Or it may have been that she was jealous of some other woman. However, they were quarreling fiercely when there came a knock at the door.
"You open it," flashed Dora to Paul.
He demurred a moment, then, changing his mind, consented and crossed to the door, while Dora ran to her own room and hid.
Paul was very much surprised to find that the visitor was Zita, much excited.
"I want you to help me on something of great importance," she exclaimed, almost before she had entered.
"Why, certainly! Anything you desire!" hiccoughed Paul. "Come on in."
Zita entered the apartment and they crossed over to the chaise-longue, where Zita made her direct plea.
"Help me find the record of my birth," she begged.
Paul pulled his wandering wits together and thought a moment; then a particularly crafty look came into his eyes as he detached a key from his key-ring.