"I'm going to jump," Toffee said. "You'll agree, won't you, that such a fall would kill most people?" "Oh, but you mustn't!" Agatha cried, shocked. "You'll make a mess on the floor!" "You'll see," Toffee said. She wriggled her plump little body to the top of the railing and peered into the well of darkness beneath her. "Stop her!" Agatha cried. "Fetch her back, Chad! She may splatter the auto and ruin the finish!" Chadwick reached out toward Toffee, but just as his hand went to her, there was a terrible splintering sound, and the railing began to crumble. Then the railing gave way entirely and Toffee's small figure pitched forward, plunged into the darkness below. On the landing the three tensed, then started a bit as a dull thump echoed up to them from below. "Oh, gracious!" Agatha wailed. "I just know she struck the auto!" "What do you suppose ever made her do it?" Chadwick mused. He shrugged. "Just suicidal, I guess, by nature." "You'll wash the car," Agatha said adamantly. "I won't do it." Beside them, Marc had turned away from the railing and was peering anxiously down the darkened stairway. A smile suddenly lighted his face as the ancient boards sent up their accustomed cry. "Heavens!" Agatha said. "Whatever could it be?" "I haven't the faintest ..." Chadwick said. "One thing, it surely couldn't be the child." * * * * * But it was the child. Emerging from the darkness, Toffee raced up the stairs, smiling and completely unmarked. For a brief instant her eyes flicked in Marc's direction and her lips silently formed the word "thanks." Marc understood. It was only through his concentration that she had survived. As long as he was aware of her and "wished" her into being, she was indestructible. Her life could be threatened only when his was. "Lord," Chadwick breathed. "The little waif's all right!" "Chad!" Agatha cried, turning to him. "Do you realize what this means? We ... we ... I almost can't say it, it's so wonderful ... we can be _immortal_! All we have to do is get the formula. No one will be able to kill us! We can go where we choose, take what we like, and no one can ever stop us. Perhaps we could organize a whole band of immortals and...." "Certainly!" Chadwick cried, catching her enthusiasm. "We could rule the world if we chose! Who would there be to stop us? We'd be indestructible!" They turned to Toffee in unison. "What's the formula?" Chadwick asked, beginning to look a little feverish. "Tell us what it is." For a moment Toffee was pensive, then a touch of craftiness came into her childish face. "I'll do better than that," she said. "I'll take you to a whole bottle of the pills, all made up and ready to take." "Wonderful!" Agatha cried. Mr. Culpepper was suddenly recalled to them by a sudden, triumphant cry that issued from the inner reaches of the abandoned office. In a body they turned back and crowded through the door.