Besides, they have a sepulchre of Nature's which will outlast any human grave," replied Musard.
"The thing that puzzles me is how the ruby got into the skeleton's eye," remarked the lady journalist musingly.

"If that was the skeleton of the man who killed the other for stealing the ruby, who placed the ruby where you found it?
Obviously, he could not have done it himself, for it must have been put there after death.

Who, then, could it have been ?" "I have no idea," said Musard, in a tone which suggested that he did not care to discuss the subject further.
"May I look at the ring ?" Miss Garton asked.
Musard drew it off his finger and handed it to her in silence.

The others wanted to see it, so it was passed from hand to hand round the table, to the accompaniment of many admiring comments on the size and beauty of the stone.

One of the young officers, with an air of much interest, asked Musard whether he thought there were other rubies like it to be found near the spot.
"Hardly in that form," replied Musard.