"My dear," she said, "do you not understand? Lord James is safe—quite safe!"
"Yes?" replied Genevieve vaguely.
"And Blake!" exclaimed Mr. Leslie. "He'll of course be coming, too. I'm going to meet him—learn the truth."
He cast a threatening glance at Ashton, and went out like a shot.
"Uncle Herbert, take me with you!" called Dolores, flying out after him.
"Blake!—coming here!" gasped Ashton. He ran to place himself before
Genevieve, who was about to go out. "Wait, wait, Miss Genevieve,
please! Save me! He—he said he'd smash me if I talked—he did! He did!
Don't let him hurt me! He threatened to kill me—it's true—true!"
"Threatened to kill you?" repeated Mrs. Gantry. "Genevieve, call back your father. If the man really is violent, as Lafayette says—"
"Aunt Amice!" remonstrated Genevieve. "Can you believe this miserable creature for an instant?"
"But it's true—it is true!" gasped Ashton.
"Mrs. Gantry, dear, dear Mrs. Gantry, you'll believe me! He will kill me! Take me aboard the car! Please, please take me aboard the car and hide me!"