He groaned in desperation. "Please—please—my girl—listen to me. You must not speak. We must think of our duty to those who have trusted us. Wait, I implore you. Don't do this!"
"I will. I have a duty to you which is greater than my duty to them. Dr. Hartmann!" she screamed. "I will tell everything—everything." She collapsed against the wall and sobbed as though her heart would break.
In a few moments they heard Hartmann and Mayer descending the steps, and the door was thrown open.
"Ah, so you have come to your senses, have you?" the doctor cried. "Well, what have you to say?"
Grace raised her head. "If I tell you where the ivory snuff box is hidden," she said, "will you let my husband go?"
"Yes. Your husband, and yourself, and the rat we've just caught sneaking around outside. He's up in the laboratory now. You can all take yourselves off as quickly as you like, when once the snuff box is in my hands. Now speak."
"First, let my husband up."
Hartmann went to the wall, and switching off the violet rays, turned on the electric lamp, then nodded to Mayer. "Unbind him," he said.
Duvall staggered to his feet, half-blinded. As he did so, Hartmann turned to Grace. "Speak!" he commanded. "We are wasting time."
Before Grace could reply, Duvall turned to her.