Again he put his hand into the hollow. The second object gave him more trouble, but at last he managed to humour it up the channel in the tree trunk.
“Your mirror. What a pity it’s in such a state! No permanent damage done, though. It’ll clean up all right. You can have that.”
He handed it to her and re-inserted his hand into the hole.
“The paper-knife. Don’t touch!”
“Why, that’s the one that used to be on the library table.”
“So it is,” said Westenhanger. “Now for the star piece of the collection.”
He drew out the fourth object, and at the sight of it Eileen exclaimed in astonishment:
“The Talisman! This is impossible, Conway! We left the Talisman safe in the house not a quarter of an hour ago. She can’t have stolen it a second time.”
She put out her hand for the armlet, but Westenhanger sharply drew it back out of her reach.
“Paws off, Eileen, as I remarked to Freddie not so long ago. Under no circumstances whatever are you to touch this thing until I give you permission.”