The Banker snored stertorously from his mattress in a corner of the room. In an easy-chair near by, with his feet on the table, lay the Very Young Man, sleeping also. The Doctor and the Big Business Man sat by the handkerchief conversing in low tones. "How long has it been now?" asked the latter. "Just forty hours," answered the Doctor; "and he said that forty-eight hours was the limit. He should come back at about ten to-night." "I wonder if he will come back," questioned the Big Business Man nervously. "Lord, I wish he wouldn't snore so loud," he added irritably, nodding in the direction of the Banker. They were silent for a moment, and then he went on: "You'd better try to sleep a little while, Frank. You're worn out. I'll watch here." "I suppose I should," answered the Doctor wearily. "Wake up that kid, he's sleeping most of the time." "No, I'll watch," repeated the Big Business Man. "You lie down over there." The Doctor did so while the other settled himself more comfortably on a cushion beside the handkerchief, 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?" Contents     10      11      12      13     14      15      16