ld in his hand, and he put it down towards them.
The three little figures ducked and scattered as the spoon in the
Banker's trembling fingers neared them.

"Not that--the ring. Bring it closer. Hurry--Hurry!" shouted the Very
Young Man. The Banker, leaning closer, could just hear the words.
Comprehending at last, he picked up the ring and laid it near the edge
of the handkerchief. Immediately the little figures ran over to it and
began climbing up.

The Very Young Man was the first to reach it; the Banker could see him
vault upwards and land astraddle upon its top. The Doctor was up in a
moment more, and the two were reaching down their hands to help up the
Big Business Man. The Banker slid the spoon carefully along the floor
towards the ring, but the Big Business Man waved it away. The Banker
laid the spoon aside, and when he looked at the ring again the Big
Business Man was up beside his companions, standing upright with them
upon the top of the ring.

The Banker stared so long and intently, his vision blurred. He closed
his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again the little figures
on the top of the ring had disappeared.

The Banker felt suddenly sick and faint in the closeness of the room.
Rising to his feet, he hurried to a window and threw up the sash. A gust
of rain and wind beat against his face as he stood leaning on the sill.
He felt much better after a few moments; and remembering his friends, he
closed the window and turned back towards the ring. At first he thought
he could just make them out, but when he got down on the floor close
beside the ring, he saw nothing.

Almost unnerved, he sat down heavily upon the floor beside the
handkerchief, leaning on one elbow. A corner of the handkerchief was
turned back, and one side was ruffled where the wind from the opened
window had blown it up. He smoothed out the handkerchief carefully.

For some time the Banker sat quiet, reclining uncomfortably upon the
hard floor. The room was very still--its silence oppressed him. He
stared stolidly at the ring, his head in a turmoil. The ring looked
oddly out of place, lying over near one edge of the handkerchief; he had
always seen it in the center before. Abruptly he put out his hand and
picked it up. Then remembrance of the Doctor's warning flooded over him.
In sudden panic he put the ring down again, almost in the same place at
the edge of the handkerchief.

Trembling all over, he looked at his watch; it