My escort made outcry with the horn which hung from the wall, inviting such a summons, and a warder came to an arrow-slit, and made an did inspection of our persons and business. His survey was according to the ancient form of words, which is long, and this was made still more tedious by the noise from within, which ever and again drowned all speech between us entirely. 01

But at last the formalities had been duly complied with, and he shot back the massive bars and bolts of stone, and threw ajar one monstrous stone valve of the door. Into the chamber within--—a chamber made from the thickness of the wall between the two doors--—I and my fellows crowded, and then the warder with his machines pulled to the valve which had been opened, and came to me again through the press of my escort, bowing low to the ground. 02

“I have no vail to give you,” I said abruptly. “Get on with your duty. Open me that other door.”

“With respect, my lord, it would be better that I should first announce my lord’s presence. There is a baiting going forward in the circus, and the tigers are as yet mere savages, and no respecters of persons.” 03

“The tigers, if my lord will permit them the name. They are baiting a batch of prisoners with the two great beasts which the Empress (whose name be adored) has sent here to aid us keep the gate. But if my lord will, there are the ward rooms leading off this passage, and the galleries which run out from them commanding the circus, and from there my lord can see the sport undisturbed.”

Now, the mere lust for killing excites only disgust in me, but I suspected the orders of the Empress in this matter, and had a curiosity to see her scheme. So I stepped into the warder’s lodge, and on into the galleries which commanded the circus with their arrow-slits. The old builders of the place had intended these for a second line of defence, for, supposing the outer doors all forced, an enemy could be speedily shot down in the circus, without being able to give a blow in return, and so would only march into a death-trap. But as a gazing-place on for a spectacle, they were no less useful. 04

The circus was brightly lit by the moonlight, and the air which came in to me from it was acrid with the reek of blood. There was no sport in what was going forward: as I said, it was mere killing, and the sight disgusted me. I am no prude about this matter. Give a prisoner his weapons, put him in a pit with beasts of reasonable strength, and let him fight to a finish if you choose, and I can look on there and applaud the strokes. The war prisoner, being a prisoner, has earned death by natural law, and prefers to get his last stroke in hot blood than to be knocked down by the headsman’s axe. And it is any brave man’s luxury either to help or watch a lusty fight. But this baiting in the circus between the gates was no fair battle like that. 05

To begin with, the beasts were no fair antagonists for single men. In fact, twenty armed men armed might well have fled from them. When the warder said tigers, I supposed he meant the great cats of the woods. But here, in the circus, I saw a pair of the most terrific of all the fur-bearing land beasts:, the great tigers of the caves--—huge monsters, of such ponderous strength that in hunger they will oftentimes drag down a mammoth, if they can find him away from his herd. 06

How they had been brought captive, I could not tell. Hunter of beasts though I had been for all my days, I take no shame in saying that I always approached the slaying of a cave-tiger with stratagem and infinite caution. To entrap it alive and bring it to a city on a chain was beyond my most daring schemes, and I have been accredited with more new things than one. But here it was, in fact, and I saw in these captive beasts a new certificate for Phorenice’s genius. 07

The purpose of these two cave-tigers was plain: whilst they were in the circus, and loose, no living being could cross from one gate to the other. They were a new and sturdy addition to the defences of the capital. A collar of bronze was round the throat of each, and on the collar was a massive chain which led to the wall, where it could be paiyed out or hauled in by means of a windlass in one of the hidden galleries. Thus, So that at ordinary moments, the two huge beasts could be tethered, one close to either end of the circus, as the litter of bones and other messes showed, leaving free passage-way between the two sets of doors. 08

But when I stood there by the arrow-slit, looking down into the moonlight of the circus, these chains were slackened (though men stood by the windlass of each), and the great striped brutes were prowling about the circus with the links clanking and chinking in their wake. Lying stark on the pavement were the bodies of some eight men, dead and uneaten; and though the cave-tigers stopped their prowlings now and again to nuzzle these, and beat them about with playful paw-blows, they made no pretence at of commencing a meal. It was clear that this cruel sport had grown common to them, and they knew there were other victims yet to be added to the tally. 09

Next day, I hunted up a jeweller. I was careful to choose one with whom I was acquainted. I , and asked for a private consultation. When we were alone, I took the ring from my finger. 01

“Just an opinion,” I asked. “You know gems. Can you tell me anything about this one?”

He picked it up casually, and turned it over; his mouth puckered. For a minute, he studied.

“That? Well, now.” He held it up. “Humph. Wait a minute.”

“Is it a gem?”

“I think it is. At first I thought I knew it right off,; but now—--wait a minute.” 02

He reached into the drawer for his glass. He held the stone up for some minutes. His face was a study; queer little wrinkles twisting from the corners of his eyes told his wonder. He did not speak; merely turned the stone round and round. At last, he removed his glass and held up the ring. He was quizzical.

“Where did you get this?” he asked.

“That is something I do not care to answer. I wish to know what it is. Is it a gem? If so, what kind?”

He thought a moment and shook his head.

“I thought I knew every gem on earth. But I don't. This is a new one. It is beautiful—--just a moment.” He stepped to the door. In a moment, another man stepped in. The jeweller motioned towards the ring. The man picked it up, and again came the examination. At last he laid both the glass and ring both upon the table. 03

“What do you make of it, Henry?” asked the jeweller.

“Not me,” answered the second one. “I never saw one like it.”

It was as Watson had said. No man had ever identified the jewel. The two men were puzzled; they were interested. The jeweller turned to me.

“Would you care to leave it with us for a bit?; Yyou have no objection to us taking it out of the ring?” 04

I had not thought of that. I had business down the street. I consulted my watch.

“In half an hour I shall be back. Will that be enough time?”

“I think so.”

It was an hour before I returned. The assistant was standing at the door of the office. He spoke said something to the one inside and then made an indication to myselfme. He seemed excited; when I came closer, I noted that his face was full of wonder. 05

“We've been waiting,” said he. “We didn't examine the stone; it wasn't necessary. It is truly wonderful.” He was a short, squat man with a massive forehead. “Just step inside.”

Inside the office, the jeweller was sitting beside a table.; hHe was leaning back in his chair; he had with his hands clasped over his stomach. He was, gazing toward the ceiling; . Hhis face was a study, full of wonder and speculation. 06

“Well?” I asked.

For an answer, he merely raised his finger, pointed towards the ceiling.

“Up there,” he spokesaid. “Your jewel or whatever it is. A good thing we weren't in open air. 'Twould be going yet.” 07

I looked up. Sure enough, against the ceiling was the gem. It was a bit disconcerting, though I will confess that, in the first moment, I did not catch the full significance.

The jeweller closed one eye and studied first myself me and then the beautiful thing against the ceiling. 08

“What do you make of it?” he asked.

Really, I had not made anything of it; it was a bit of a shock; I hadn't grasped the full impossibility. I didn't answer.

“Don't you see, Mr. Wendel? Impossible! Contrary to nature! Lighter than air. We took it out of the ring and it shot out like a bullet. Thought I'd dropped it. Began looking on the floor. Couldn't find it,; looked up, and saw Reynolds, here, with his eyes popping out like marbles. He was looking at the ceiling.” 09

I thought for a moment.

“Then it is not a gem?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Not if I'm a jeweller. Whoever heard of a stone without weight? That is, Iit has no gravity, that is, apparently. I doubt whether it is a substance. I don't know what it is.” 10

It was puzzling. I would have given a good deal just then for a few words with Dr. Holcomb. The man, Kennedy, had kept it in his pocket. How had he held it a prisoner? The professor had use for it in some scientific work! No wonder! Certainly, it was not a jewel. What could it be? It was solid. It was lighter than air. Could it be a substance? If not,; what is it? 11

“What would you advise?”

In answer, the jeweller reached for the telephone. He gave a number.

“Hello. Say, is Ed there? This is Phil. Tell him to step to the phone. Hello! Say, Ed, I want you to come over on the jump. Something to show you. Too busy! No, you're not. Not for this. I'm going to teach you some chemistry. No,; this is serious. What is it? I don't know. What's lighter than air? Lots of things? Oh, I know. But what solid? That's why I'm asking. Come over. All right. At once.” 12

He hung up the receiver.

“My brother,” he spokesaid. “It has passed beyond my province and into his. He is a chemist. As an expert, he may give you a real opinion.” 13

"I am Mr. Sidney Graham," said the young man, advancing. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh, I wanted to ask you about a barn," began Shirley eagerly, then stopped abashed. How could she ask this immaculate son of luxury if he would rent a young girl his barn to a young girl to live in during the summer? She could feel the colour mounting in her cheeks, and would have turned and fled gladly if a way had been open. She was aware not only of the kind eyes of the man upon her, but also of the gaping boy taking it all in, and her tongue was suddenly tied. She could say no more. 01

But the young man saw how it was, and he bowed as gracefully as if asking about barns was a common habit of young women coming into his office.

"Oh, certainly," he said,; "won't you just step in here a moment and sit down? We can talk better. Edward, you may go. I shall not need you any longer this evening." 02

"But I am detaining you; you were just going out!" cried Shirley in a panic. "I will go away now and come again—--perhaps." She would do anything to get away without telling her preposterous errand. 03

"Not at all!" said young Mr. Graham. "I am in no hurry whatever. Just step this way, and sit down." His tone was kindness itself. Somehow, Shirley had to follow him. Her face was crimson now, and she felt ready to cry. What a fool she had been to get herself into a predicament like this! What would her mother say to her? How could she tell this strange young man what she had come for? But he was seated and looking at her with his nice eyes, taking in all the little pitiful attempts at neatness and style and beauty in her shabby little toilet. She was awfully conscious of a loose fluff of gold-glinted hair that had come down over one hot cheek and ear. How dishevelled she must look, and how dusty after climbing over that dirty barn! And then she plunged into her subject. 04

Chapter III

"I'm sure I don't know what you will think of my asking," said Shirley excitedly, "but I want very much to know whether there is any possibility that you would rent a beautiful big stone barn you own out on the old Glenside Road, near Allister Avenue. You do own it, don't you? I was told you did, or at least that Mr. Walter Graham did. They said it belonged to 'the estate.'"

"Well, now you've got one on me," said the young man with a most engaging smile. "I'm sure I don't know whether I own it or not. I'm sorry. But if it belongs to grandfather's estate,—--his name was Walter, too, you know.—--why, I suppose I do own part of it. I'm sorry father isn't here. He, of course, knows all about it—--or the attorney—--of course, he would know. But I think he has left the office. However, that doesn't matter. What was it you wanted? To rent it, you say?" 05

"Yes," said Shirley, feeling very small and very much an impostor; "that is, if I could afford it. I suppose perhaps it will be way ahead of my means, but I thought it wouldn't do any harm to ask." Her shy eyes were almost filled with tears, and the young man was deeply distressed. 06

"Not at all, not at all," he hastened to say. "I'm just stupid that I don't know about it. Where did you say it was? Out on the Glenside Road? A barn? Come to think of it, I remember one of my uncles lived out that way once, and I know there is a lot of land somewhere out there belonging to the estate. You say there is a barn on it?"

"Yes, a beautiful barn," said Shirley anxiously, her eyes dreamy and her cheeks like two glowing roses. "It is stone, and has a wide grassy road like a great staircase leading up to it, and a tall tree over it. There is a brook just below,—--it is high up from the road on a little grassy hill." 07

"Oh, yes, yes," he said, nodding eagerly., "I see! It almost seems as if I remember. And you wanted to rent it for the summer, you say? You are—--ah—--in the agricultural business, I suppose?" He looked at her respectfully. He knew the Nnew Wwoman, and honoured her. He did not seem at all startled that she wanted to rent a barn for the summer. 08

But Shirley did not in the least understand. She looked at him, bewildered a moment. 09

"Oh, no! I am only a stenographer myself—--but my mother—--that is—----" Sshe paused in confusion. 10

"Oh, I see, your mother is the farmer, I suppose. Your home is near by—--near to the barn you want to rent?" 11

Then she understood.

"No, oh, no!" she said desperately. "We don't want to use the barn for a barn at all. I want to use it for a house!" 12

Every citizen have has a numbered identity card. 01

The Central authority Central Authority issued its notice at dawn. 02

They waited outside of outside the inspection hall. 03

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