"I thought he had gone away from this vicinity, but it seems that he has not. Now, I would like to know his name. What is his name, professor, please?"
"Eh? Ah? His name? Let me see. Now that is surprising—really surprising. I do not think he gave me his name."
"Did not give his name? How did he obtain admission to the building?"
"That's so—how did he? I hadn't thought of that. He was the smoothest talker I ever heard; he didn't give me a chance to ask many questions."
"He must have had some sort of business with you."
"He did—that is, he pretended to have. He said he was here to recover some property that belonged to him—property he lost several years ago."
The eyes of the old professor searched Frank's hands and rested on the peculiar ring.
"So that was his trick—the scoundrel!" cried Frank, repressing his anger with difficulty. "I presume he claimed this ring belonged to him?"
"Well—ahem!—he described such a ring, which he said he had seen on the hand of a student here."
"Exactly. And he named me as the possessor of the ring?"