Mrs. Weatherley asked.

"He retired an hour ago, madam," the man replied. "It is most
extraordinary, this."

She began to shiver. Groves leaned down and tried to peer through
the keyhole. He rose to his feet hastily.

"The lights are burning in the room, madam," he exclaimed, "and the
key is not in the door on the other side! It looks very much as
though burglars were at work there. If you will allow me, I will go
round to the window outside. There is no one else up."

"I will go with you," Arnold said.

"If you please, sir," the man replied.

They hurried out of the front door and around to the side of the
house. The lights were certainly burning in the room and the blind
was half drawn up. Arnold reached the window-sill with a spring and
peered in.

"I can see nothing," he said to Groves. "There doesn't seem to be
any one in the room."

"Can you get in, sir?" the man asked from below. "The sash seems to
be unfastened."

Arnold tried it and found it yielded to his touch. He pushed it up
and vaulted lightly into the room. Then he saw that a table was
overturned and a key was lying on the floor. He picked it up and
fitted it into the door. Fenella was waiting outside.

"I can see nothing here," he announced, "but a table has been
upset."

She pointed to the sofa and gripped his arm.

"Look!" she cried. "What is that?"

Arnold felt a thrill of horror, and for a moment the room swam
before his eyes. Then he saw clearly again. From underneath the
upholstery of the sofa, a man's hand was visible stretching into the
room almost as far as his elbow. They both stared, Arnold stupefied
with horror. On the little finger of the hand was a ring with a
blood-red seal!

CHAPTER XVI

AN ADVENTURE

Arnold, for a moment or two, felt himself incapable of speech or
movement. Fenella was hanging, a dead weight, upon his arm. The eyes
of both of them were riveted upon the hand which stretched into the
room.

"There is some one under the couch!" Fenella faltered at last.

He took a step forward.

"Wait," he begged, "--or perhaps you had better go away. I will see
who it is."

He moved toward the couch. She strove to hold him back.

"Arnold," she cried, hoarsely, "this is no business of yours! You
had better leave me! Groves is here, and the servants. Slip away
now, while you have the chance."

He looked at her in amazement.

"Why, Fenella," he exclaimed, "how can you suggest such a thing!
Besides,"