“You are right, of course,” the President’s tone was more cordial.  “And anyway we have no right to discuss Esther’s affairs.  The reference to it grew out of the proposed change of meeting.  And the change of meeting was thought of chiefly because when Mr. Macnair heard about the escapade he seemed much worried.  Naturally, as he says, he carries all his young people on his heart, and Dr. Callandar being such a newcomer—­”

“Oh, yes, naturally.”  Mary Coombe’s little gurgle of amusement had a note of cruelty in it, for she alone of all these women had guessed why the Rev. Angus Macnair should have taken Esther’s escapade so much to heart.  She knew, too, that the minister had no chance, but the idea of a rival was novel—­and entertaining.  Could Esther really have taken a fancy to this young doctor?  Mary knew the Coombe gossips too well to take their chatter seriously, but there might be something in it.  At any rate, there was enough to use as a conversational weapon against Esther.  She was becoming a little nervous of Esther lately.  The girl was positively growing up.  Somehow, almost overnight it seemed, a new strength had come to her, a strength which her step-mother’s weakness felt and resented.  But now with this nice little story in reserve, things might be more even.  Mary’s eyes sparkled as she thought of some of the smart things she could say the next time Esther began to make a fuss about—­about the matter of the ruby ring, for instance.  Esther had been most disagreeable about that.  Just as if any one could have foreseen that Amy would miss it so soon, or indeed at all, since it had been her fancy to keep it shut up in a stupid box.

As a matter of fact, the affair of the ring had assumed the proportions of a small catastrophe.  Aunt Amy had been feeling so much better that it had occurred to her to see if the ring were feeling better too.  Only one peep she would take, hopeful that at last its strange enchantment might be past.  If she could look into its depths without the blackness coming close she would know, with utter certainty, that Dr. Callandar’s cleverness had circumvented the power of her old enemies.  “They” would trouble her no more.

But when, flushed with hope, she looked—­the ring was gone!

Esther, reading in the sitting room, was startled beyond words by the scream which rang through the house.  She seemed to know at once what had happened and her gaze flew to her step-mother, laden with bitter reproach, before she sped up the stairs to Aunt Amy’s room.  The door was open and the tragedy was plain to see.  Aunt Amy stood by the bureau with the empty box in her hand and on her face an expression so dreadful, so hopeless that, with a sob, the girl tried to crush it out against her breast.

“What is it, dear?  Don’t look like that.”

“The ring, Esther!  ‘They’ have taken the ring!”

For an instant the girl hesitated, but common justice demanded that the sordid truth be told.