"Let's look at the thing."
Bart held out his hand, and Frank removed the ring from his finger, handing it over.
"It slips off altogether too easily," said Hodge. "I should think you would fear losing it."
"It does come off easy, and, for that reason, I have not worn it much till of late."
"Yes; I never noticed it on your hand till a short time ago."
"I have kept it among my valuables."
Hodge looked the ring all over, examining it slowly and carefully.
"There doesn't seem to be anything about it to make a fellow think it so very mysterious," he said, with a shade of disappointment in his voice.
"No."
"It is just a homely, twisted ring, with an old scratched black stone set in it."