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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 age…a 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； sir…it will； indeed…if 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
fortnight…say 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 armchair； when she 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
discoloured metal and several dull…coloured 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； we
know nothing of the fate either of Rachel Howells or of Richard
Brunton。 The county police are at their wit's end； and I have come
up to you as a last resource。'
〃You can imagine； Watson； with what eagerness I listened to this
extraordinary sequence of events； and endeavoured to piece them
together； and to devise some common thread upon which they might all
hang。 The butler was gone。 The maid was gone。 The maid had loved the
butler； but had afterwards had cause to hate him。 She was of Welsh
blood； fiery and passionate。 She had been terri