He got up from his chair and walked up and down the room two or three times.
He then stopped suddenly before Nick Carter and cried:
"For God’s sake, do something—anything to prevent this outrageous lie reaching Miss Rogers’ ears! Let them take the money. Yes, I will add to it; but spare me my honor and my love."
He sat down, grief-stricken and miserable.
And then Nick went to him and extending his hand, he said:
"Brace up, doctor. You have nothing to fear, nor need you feel even worried."
The doctor took Nick’s hand in his and expressed his warmest thanks.
He was pouring out his gratitude, when Nick interrupted him by saying:
"Do you remember the terms of the agreement they wished you to sign, doctor?"
"Yes. It stipulated that upon condition[Pg 45] that the Alvarez woman or her brother would not breathe a suspicion about the finding of the hypodermic syringe point, I was to pay to her the sum of fifty thousand dollars on the morning of my marriage with Miss Rogers. I need not tell you that signing such a document would incriminate me and give them a perpetual handle for blackmail."