In a corner of the cave, revealed by his lamp, lay two skeletons side by side.

The hand of one skeleton was missing, and in the eye of the other there gleamed a large uncut ruby.

We examined the skeletons and searched the cave, but found nothing to throw any light on the mystery or reveal any clue of identity.

There was not a vestige of food or clothing around the remains, and not a scrap of writing--only the two crumbling skeletons, the sapling, the sheath knife, and the ruby.
"What had brought about such a tragedy in the dim recesses of that prehistoric cave?
Who could say?
Perhaps the men had been prospecting together, and one had found the ruby and hidden in the cave, where his companion had found him and cut off his right hand with some primitive idea of making his vengeance fit the crime.

Then, perhaps, they had been unable to escape from the cave, and had died together of thirst and hunger.