Like a vengeful fury she crouched before the girl's locked door and motioned savagely to Welch to break it down. He put his massive shoulder against it and with a single mighty heave crashed it in.
A startled cry echoed in their ears and the girl seated before her dressing-table turned her face to them, full in the glare of the boudoir lights. It was a blanched terror-stricken face, but they, too, paused aghast, for the birthmark had vanished utterly and the girl who rose slowly before them was like yet vastly unlike the personality they had known.
For a tense moment they paused and then Ide's trembling voice cried:
"I know her now! I was sure I'd seen her before! It's old Westcote's daughter!"
The girl's hand flashed from her breast to her lips and a shrill, ear-splitting whistle cleaved the air as Welch sprang upon her with a bull-throated roar.
The world crashed down about her head and darkness came; a darkness filled with shots and shouts and vague struggling forms. Then all at once a shaft of brilliant light seemed to break over her and full in its radiance the face of Herbert Ross hovered close.
"Herbert!" It was little more than a whisper but her weak, hot hands fluttered out and clutched him convulsively and in her eyes shone the light of a faith which had not faltered. "I knew—I knew that you would come!"
"My wonderful, brave dear!" His voice had a curious, throaty catch in it. "You have been in frightful danger but you are safe now, thank God!"
Betty smiled wanly.
"I was not afraid, for I knew that you were there. No harm could come to me while you waited."