That very circumstance, he felt sure, was a part of the skillfully executed plot, and he was convinced that the woman must have robbed him during the moment when he had bent forward and tried to extricate it for her; while she must have concealed the package somewhere in the coupe while she was apparently trying to pin together the rent in her dress.

Then, as soon as he alighted, how adroitly she had filled his arms with her bundles and kept his attention so engaged that he did not think of the diamonds again, until the gentleman of the house appeared in the room where Mrs. Vanderbeck had left him.

Oh, how negligent he had been!  He should not have released his hold upon that package under any circumstances, he told himself; and yet, he argued, if he had been ever so careful he might have been over-powered and the stones taken by violence, if the woman’s cunning had failed to accomplish the desired object.

He firmly believed that he was in a den of thieves, and that the man who had come to him in the reception-room and conducted him into that chamber was in league with the beautiful Mrs. Vanderbeck, who had so fascinated him and hoodwinked his father into sending out such costly jewels for examination.

Then his mind reverted to the strange sensations which he had experienced beneath those human eyes after being trapped into the padded chamber, and a shiver of repulsion ran over him.  Was he a captive in the hands of, and at the mercy of, a gang of conjurers and mesmerists?  The thought was horrible to him.  He had courage enough to defend himself in a hand-to-hand encounter, but he felt powerless to contend against such diabolical influences as he had already been subjected to.

While he was pondering these things, he heard the bolt to the door shoot back, and in another moment a strange man entered the room.

Ray started to his feet, and boldly confronted him.

“Who are you?” he haughtily demanded.

“My name is Huff, sir,” the man returned, in a calm, respectful tone, “and I have come to see what I can do for you.”

“There is but one thing I desire you to do—­release me instantly from this wretched place!” Ray responded authoritatively.

“Yes, yes; all in good time.  Doctor Wesselhoff will attend to that,” Mr. Huff mildly replied.

“Doctor Wesselhoff?” exclaimed Ray, astonished.  “I have heard of him.  He is the noted brain and nerve specialist, isn’t he?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And—­am I in his house?” the young man demanded, his amazement in nowise abated.

“Yes, this is Doctor Wesselhoff’s residence.”

“That is very strange!  I cannot understand!” Ray remarked, deeply perplexed.  “Why am I here?”

“You—­have not been quite well of late, and you are here for treatment.”

“For treatment?  Do you mean that I am here as a patient of Doctor Wesselhoff?” cried Ray, aghast.