{"product_id":"2940013746497","title":"The Haunter of the Ring","description":"As I entered John Kirowan's study I was too much engrossed in my own\u003cbr\u003ethoughts to notice, at first, the haggard appearance of his visitor, a\u003cbr\u003ebig, handsome young fellow well known to me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Hello, Kirowan,\" I greeted. \"Hello, Gordon. Haven't seen you for\u003cbr\u003equite a while. How's Evelyn?\" And before he could answer, still on the\u003cbr\u003ecrest of the enthusiasm which had brought me there, I exclaimed: \"Look\u003cbr\u003ehere, you fellows, I've got something that will make you stare! I got\u003cbr\u003eit from that robber Ahmed Mektub, and I paid high for it, but it's\u003cbr\u003eworth it. Look!\" From under my coat I drew the jewel-hilted Afghan\u003cbr\u003edagger which had fascinated me as a collector of rare weapons.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKirowan, familiar with my passion, showed only polite interest, but\u003cbr\u003ethe effect on Gordon was shocking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith a strangled cry he sprang up and backward, knocking the chair\u003cbr\u003eclattering to the floor. Fists clenched and countenance livid he faced\u003cbr\u003eme, crying: \"Keep back! Get away from me, or--\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI was frozen in my tracks.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What in the--\" I began bewilderedly, when Gordon, with another amazing\u003cbr\u003echange of attitude, dropped into a chair and sank his head in his\u003cbr\u003ehands. I saw his heavy shoulders quiver. I stared helplessly from him\u003cbr\u003eto Kirowan, who seemed equally dumbfounded.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Is he drunk?\" I asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKirowan shook his head, and filling a brandy glass, offered it to the\u003cbr\u003eman. Gordon looked up with haggard eyes, seized the drink and gulped\u003cbr\u003eit down like a man half famished. Then he straightened up and looked\u003cbr\u003eat us shamefacedly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I'm sorry I went off my handle, O'Donnel,\" he said. \"It was the\u003cbr\u003eunexpected shock of you drawing that knife.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Well,\" I retorted, with some disgust, \"I suppose you thought I was\u003cbr\u003egoing to stab you with it!'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes, I did!\" Then, at the utterly blank expression on my face, he\u003cbr\u003eadded: \"Oh, I didn't actually think that; at least, I didn't reach\u003cbr\u003ethat conclusion by any process of reasoning. It was just the blind\u003cbr\u003eprimitive instinct of a hunted man, against whom anyone's hand may be\u003cbr\u003eturned.\"","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47070260986096,"sku":"2940013746497","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013746497_p0.jpg?v=1763589698","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013746497","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}