"It appears that after she had struggled to open it for several minutes it suddenly yielded, and she almost fell into the room.
"Of course, she expected to rush straight upon the thief. He had been holding the door, and naturally he couldn't have gone far after releasing it.
"She was inside just as soon as the pressure on the other side was removed. But the room was empty.
"She thought of her jewels at once. She rushed to her dressing-table, and instantly missed the ruby ring.
"Now, that's all there is to it. We hunted high and low for the thief, and did not find a trace of him.
"How did he get away? That's where I give up the riddle. The door in the hall was locked on the inside, and practically guarded by my uncle and myself. At the other door stood Mrs. Pond.
"There is only one window. It looks out on a sort of court with the house on three sides of it.
"A man with a wagon was almost under the window all the time. He was delivering groceries to the cook.
"It's absurd to suppose that anybody got in or out by that window. No thief would have been fool enough to try it at that time of day, and, as I've told you, there were two persons who would have been perfectly sure to see him if he had. And he couldn't have got in or out without a ladder.
"I admit that it looked very queer. What do you make of it, Mr. Carter?"