We all glanced in the direction she indicated, and noticed that from the corner of the room the blue carpet had been torn up, and lay back disclosing about a foot of flooring. Quickly I bent down to examine it, and found to my surprise that one of the boards had been cut across about nine inches from the wainscoting, and was hinged, so that it could be pulled up. There had evidently been a strong fastening which had been forced, for the wood was newly splintered. After some little difficulty I pulled it up, revealing a small box-like cavity lined with sheet-iron, well designed in order to hide plate or valuables secretly and securely. I placed my hand down, but could feel nothing. It was empty. The men, whoever they were, knew of that secret hiding-place, and had taken whatever it had contained. I struck a vesta in order to examine the place more closely, and the others grouped eagerly around me, when I distinguished at the bottom of the box a further flap, which I lifted, and saw something concealed in the false bottom. It was a small red morocco jewel-case about four inches square, which I opened very carefully. Next instant those around me with one breath gave vent to exclamations of surprise and horror. And well they might. The object which the jewel-case contained was truly startling. I stood staring at it amazed. Since that moment when I had stood with Sybil in the Long Gallery at Ryhall every hour seemed to bring with it some fresh mystery, or some gruesome problem. That jewel-case contained a most curious and uncommon object, a dark and somewhat shrivelled, but yet well-preserved, human eye! The doctor, leaving the unconscious woman's side, took it from me, and putting on his pince-nez examined it long and carefully beneath the light. It was a horrid thing, the white bloodshot, and the pupil a dark leaden grey. "It's a man's eye," declared the doctor, after long and very careful scrutiny. "It was removed by somebody unskilled in anatomy, and has been treated with some preservative. There's mystery here," he added, looking round at the scared faces of those grouped around him. "I wonder if the men wanted to get hold of that?" the constable suggested, a theory which Lane and the housemaid at once declared to be a sound one. "At any rate," he added, "I think I'd better report the affair at the station. They'll certainly want to make some inquiry about that eye." "For the present I'll take possession of it," said the doctor, replacing the ghastly-looking little object in the velvet-lined case, and closing it with a snap. Then he returned to Mrs Parham, who a few minutes afterwards stirred slightly, while her eyelids quivered. It was a good sign, as he pointed out, and ten minutes later the poor lady opened her eyes and looked wonderingly around. "Remain quiet, madam," the doctor urged in a gentle voice. "You are not very well." "No," she gasped faintly. "I--I don't think I--"