"Are they conscious?"

She nodded. "Harry," she said, "I can tell you that. They are
living and conscious. You have seen them. They have only one
enemy--the Rhamda. But they must never come out of the Blind Spot.
I am their friend and yours."

A sudden courage came upon me. I remembered my word to Watson. I
had loved the old professor. I would save them. If necessary I
would follow to the end. Either myself or Fenton. One of us would
solve it!

"I shall keep the ring," I said. "I shall avenge them. Somehow,
somewhere, I feel that I shall do it. Even if I must follow--"

She straightened at that. Her eyes were frightened.

"Oh," she said, "why do you say it? It must not be! You would
perish! You shall not do it! I must save you. You must not go
alone. Three--it may not be. If you go, I go with you. Perhaps--
oh, Harry!"

She dropped her head again; her body shook with her sobbing;
plainly she was a girl. No real man is ever himself in the
presence of a woman's tears. I was again on the point of
surrender. Suddenly she looked up.

"Harry," she spoke sadly, "I have just one thing to ask. You must
see Charlotte. You must forget me; we can never--you love