"Hulloa, what's this?" he suddenly exclaimed, holding a piece of paper nearer his eyes and examining it carefully. The ejaculation caused the other constable to peer over his shoulder, while the inspector rose and walked towards them. It was then only that I recognised the horrifying reality. It was the fatal seal, the one given me by the strange man, now dead, that they had discovered? "Why, great Heavens!" cried the inspector, as he took the paper from the man's hand, "don't you see? It's the seal that puzzled us so last year!" "Good God? so it is!" ejaculated both the men almost simultaneously, a look of abject astonishment upon their faces. The inspector lifted his eyes from the seal and glanced at me keenly. He had been thoroughly taken by surprise at the discovery, but did not lose his head. "Warner," he said, hastily, addressing one of the men, "go round to the superintendent and ask him to come here at once." "Right, sir!" and, swinging his cape around his shoulders, the man departed. "Richards, remain here with the prisoner," he added, as he turned and left the charge-room also. A few moments later the sharp ring of the telegraph bell in the outer office broke upon my ear, followed by the whirr and click of the instrument; and with a sinking heart I knew that information of my capture was being flashed to Scotland Yard. For myself I cared nothing. I had never told Vera of my connection with that series of mysterious crimes that had startled the country, and was only thinking of the means by which I could still keep her in ignorance of the facts. I had given a fictitious name and refused my address; if I were firm and careful not to commit myself I might still be able to keep my identity a secret. What a fool I had been, thought I, not to have left the seal in the cash-box, as I first intended, and this reflection brought with it another, more maddening, when I remembered that, although I was bearing this oppression and mental torture for Vera's sake, nevertheless I had found a portion of a seal at Elveham, identical with that which had produced such a consternation among the police. Again I was seized with that horrible apprehension that Vera wished to rid herself of me, and the seal I found in my library was to have been placed on the next victim--myself!