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the side； he unlocked it and drew out one of the
drawers。 From this he took a paper； and returning to
his seat he flattened it out beside the taper on the
edge of the table； and began to study it with minute
attention。 My indignation at this calm examination of
our family documents overcame me so far that I took a
step forward； and Brunton； looking up； saw me standing
in the doorway。 He sprang to his feet； his face
turned livid with fear； and he thrust into his breast
the chart…like paper which he had been originally
studying。
〃'〃So！〃 said I。 〃This is how you repay the trust
which we have reposed in you。 You will leave my
service to…morrow。〃
〃'He bowed with the look of a man who is utterly
crushed； and slunk past me without a word。 The taper
was still on the table； and by its light I glanced to
see what the paper was which Brunton had taken from
the bureau。 To my surprise it was nothing of any
importance at all； but simply a copy of the questions
and answers in the singular old observance called the
Musgrave Ritual。 It is a sort of ceremony peculiar to
our family； which each Musgrave for centuries past has
gone through on his coming of agea thing of private
interest； and perhaps of some little importance to the
archaeologist； like our own blazonings and charges；
but of no practical use whatever。'
〃'We had better come back to the paper afterwards；'
said I。
〃'If you think it really necessary；' he answered； with
some hesitation。 'To continue my statement； however：
I relocked the bureau； using the key which Brunton had
left； and I had turned to go when I was surprised to
find that the butler had returned； and was standing
before me。
〃'〃Mr。 Musgrave； sir；〃 he cried； in a voice which was
hoarse with emotion； 〃I can't bear disgrace； sir。
I've always been proud above my station in life； and
disgrace would kill me。 My blood will be on your
head； sirit will； indeedif you drive me to
despair。 If you cannot keep me after what has passed；
then for God's sake let me give you notice and leave
in a month； as if of my own free will。 I could stand
that； Mr。 Musgrave； but not to be cast out before all
the folk that I know so well。〃
〃'〃You don't deserve much consideration； Brunton；〃 I
answered。 〃Your conduct has been most infamous。
However； as you have been a long time in the family； I
have no wish to bring public disgrace upon you。 A
month； however is too long。 Take yourself away in a
week； and give what reason you like for going。〃
〃'〃Only a week； sir？〃 he cried； in a despairing voice。
〃A fortnightsay at least a fortnight！〃
〃'〃A week；〃 I repeated； 〃and you may consider yourself
to have been very leniently dealt with。〃
〃'He crept away； his face sunk upon his breast； like a
broken man； while I put out the light and returned to
my room。
〃〃For two days after this Brunton was most assiduous
in his attention to his duties。 I made no allusion to
what had passed； and waited with some curiosity to see
how he would cover his disgrace。 On the third
morning； however he did not appear； as was his custom；
after breakfast to receive my instructions for the
day。 As I left the dining…room I happened to meet
Rachel Howells； the maid。 I have told you that she
had only recently recovered from an illness； and was
looking so wretchedly pale and wan that I remonstrated
with her for being at work。
〃'〃You should be in bed；〃 I said。 〃Come back to your
duties when you are stronger。〃
〃'She looked at me with so strange an expression that
I began to suspect that her brain was affected。
〃'〃I am strong enough； Mr。 Musgrave；〃 said she。
〃'〃We will see what the doctor says；〃 I answered。
〃You must stop work now； and when you go downstairs
just say that I wish to see Brunton。〃
〃'〃The butler is gone；〃 said she。
〃'〃Gone！ Gone where？〃
〃'〃He is gone。 No one has seen him。 He is not in his
room。 Oh； yes； he is gone； he is gone！〃 She fell
back against the wall with shriek after shriek of
laughter； while I； horrified at this sudden hysterical
attack； rushed to the bell to summon help。 The girl
was taken to her room； still screaming and sobbing；
while I made inquiries about Brunton。 There was no
doubt about it that he had disappeared。 His bed had
not been slept in； he had been seen by no one since he
had retired to his room the night before； and yet it
was difficult to see how he could have left the house；
as both windows and doors were found to be fastened in
the morning。 His clothes； his watch； and even his
money were in his room； but the black suit which he
usually wore was missing。 His slippers； too； were
gone； but his boots were left behind。 Where then
could butler Brunton have gone in the night； and what
could have become of him now？
〃'Of course we searched the house from cellar to
garret； but there was no trace of him。 It is； as I
have said； a labyrinth of an old house； especially the
original wing； which is now practically uninhabited；
but we ransacked every room and cellar without
discovering the least sign of the missing man。 It was
incredible to me that he could have gone away leaving
all his property behind him； and yet where could he
be？ I called in the local police； but without
success。 Rain had fallen on the night before and we
examined the lawn and the paths all round the house；
but in vain。 Matters were in this state； when a new
development quite drew our attention away from the
original mystery。
〃'For two days Rachel Howells had been so ill；
sometimes delirious； sometimes hysterical； that a
nurse had been employed to sit up with her at night。
On the third night after Brunton's disappearance； the
nurse； finding her patient sleeping nicely； had
dropped into a nap in the arm…chair； when shoe woke in
the early morning to find the bed empty； the window
open； and no signs of the invalid。 I was instantly
aroused； and； with the two footmen； started off at
once in search of the missing girl。 It was not
difficult to tell the direction which she had taken；
for； starting from under her window； we could follow
her footmarks easily across the lawn to the edge of
the mere； where they vanished close to the gravel path
which leads out of the grounds。 The lake there is
eight feet deep； and you can imagine our feelings when
we saw that the trail of the poor demented girl came
to an end at the edge of it。
〃'Of course； we had the drags at once； and set to work
to recover the remains； but no trace of the body could
we find。 On the other hand； we brought to the surface
an object of a most unexpected kind。 It was a linen
bag which contained within it a mass of old rusted and
discolored metal and several dull…colored pieces of
pebble or glass。 This strange find was all that we
could get from the mere； and； although we made every
possible search and inquiry yesterday；