He seized her roughly and drew her down the stairs into the library.
She gripped the door, panting in terror. He loosed her hands and pushed her inside before the lounge on which the body of Norton lay, the cold wide-open eyes staring straight into her face.
She looked a moment in abject horror, shivered and covered her eyes:
"Oh, my God, let me go!"
The doctor tore her hands from her face and confronted her. His snow-white beard and hair, his tense figure and flaming anger seemed to the trembling woman the image of an avenging fate as he solemnly cried:
"Here, in the presence of Death, with the all-seeing eye of God as your witness, and the life of the boy you once held in your arms hanging on your words, I ask if that girl is your daughter?"
The greenish eyes wavered, but the answer came clear at last:
"No——"
"I knew it!" the doctor cried. "Now the whole truth!"
The color mounted Tom's cheeks as he listened.