“You will admit that you are very neatly cornered?” taunted the doctor.
“It would seem so,” admitted the Phantom dryly, “but I have been cornered many times before. There’s nothing very original in the situation.”
“No, nothing except that you wriggled out of the others, while this one will hold you till I am through with you. Don’t you think it would be the part of wisdom to submit and tell me what I want to know?”
“Never!” declared the Phantom with emphasis.
“Wouldn’t it be better?” whispered Helen. “He’ll kill us both unless we do.”
“It’s his intention to kill us, anyway,” the Phantom whispered back. “The only reason he hasn’t killed us already is that he hopes to persuade us to give him the information he wants. Afraid?”
“Not for myself. But you——”
“Then step behind my back as quickly as you can.”
The girl looked up at him with an expression of uncertainty.
“Hurry!” whispered the Phantom. “It’s our only chance.”