With fingers that trembled he opened the book, saying as he did so: "Its bulk does not seem the same; I hope nothing has happened!" All three of us men crowded round close.

Margaret alone remained calm; she stood erect and silent, and still as a statue.

She had a far-away look in her eyes, as though she did not either know or care what was going on around her.
With a despairing gesture Trelawny threw open the pouch of the pocket-book wherein he had placed the Jewel of Seven Stars.

As he sank down on the chair which stood close to him, he said in a hoarse voice: "My God! it is gone.

Without it the Great Experiment can come to nothing!" His words seemed to wake Margaret from her introspective mood.