hief, and prepared for his lonely watching.

The Doctor apparently dropped off to sleep at once, for he did not speak
again. The Big Business Man sat staring steadily at the ring, bending
nearer to it occasionally. Every ten or fifteen minutes he looked at his
watch.

Perhaps an hour passed in this way, when the Very Young Man suddenly sat
up and yawned. "Haven't they come back yet?" he asked in a sleepy voice.

The Big Business Man answered in a much lower tone. "What do you
mean--they?"

"I dreamed that he brought the girl back with him," said the Very Young
Man.

"Well, if he did, they have not arrived. You'd better go back to sleep.
We've got six or seven hours yet--maybe more."

The Very Young Man rose and crossed the room. "No, I'll watch a while,"
he said, seating himself on the floor. "What time is it?"

"Quarter to three."

"He said he'd be back by ten to-night. I'm crazy to see that girl."

The Big Business Man rose and went over to a dinner-tray, standing near
the door. "Lord, I'm hungry. I must have forgotten to eat to-day." He
lifted up one of the silver covers. What he saw evidently encouraged
him, for he drew up a chair and began his lunch.

The Very Young Man lighted a cigarette. "It will be the tragedy of my
life," he said, "if he never comes back."

The Big Business Man smiled. "How about _his_ life?" he answered, but
the Very Young Man had fallen into a reverie and did not reply.

The Big Business Man finished his lunch in silence and was just about to
light a cigar when a sharp exclamation brought him hastily to his feet.

"Come here, quick, I see something." The Very Young Man had his face
close to the ring and was trembling violently.

The other pushed him back. "Let me see. Where?"

"There, by the scratch; he's lying there; I can see him."

The Big Business Man looked and then hurriedly woke the Doctor.

"He's come back," he said briefly; "you can see him there." The Doctor
bent down over the ring while the others woke up the Banker.

"He doesn't seem to be getting any bigger," said the Very Young Man;
"he's just lying there. Maybe he's dead."

"What shall we do?" asked the Big Business Man, and made as if to pick
up the ring. The Doctor shoved him away. "Don't do that!" he said
sharply. "Do you want to kill him?"

"He's sitting up," cried the Very Young Man. "He's all right."

"He must have fainted," said the Doctor. "Probably he's taking more of
the drug now."

"He's m