"What is the meaning of this?" she asked. "My sitting-room is locked on the inside." The man tried the handle incredulously. He, too, was dumbfounded. "Where is your master?" 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," he added, "Groves saw me climb in at the window. He was with me outside." She wrung her hands. "I forgot!" she moaned. "Don't move the sofa while I am looking!" There was a knock at the door. They both turned round. It was Groves' voice speaking. He had returned to the house and was waiting outside. "Can I come in, madam?"