"' we searched the house from cellar to garret, but no trace of him , as said, labyrinth of an old house, especially the original wing, now practically uninhabited; but we ransacked every room and cellar without discovering the least sign missing man incredible that he gone away leaving all his property behind him, and yet where could he be ? I called local police, but without success Rain had fallen night before and we examined the lawn paths all round the house, but in vain Matters were state, when new development quite drew our attention away original mystery

"'For two days Rachel Howells so ill, sometimes delirious, sometimes hysterical, that nurse employed to sit up with her at night third night after Brunton's disappearance, the nurse, finding her patient sleeping nicely, had dropped into nap arm-chair, when she woke early morning the bed empty, the window open, and no signs invalid instantly aroused, and, two footmen, started off at once in search missing girl not difficult the direction which she had taken, for, starting from under her window, follow her footmarks easily across the lawn edge mere, where they vanished close gravel path which leads grounds The lake eight feet deep, and imagine our feelings when we saw trail poor demented girl came to an end edge of it

"' , we had the drags at once, and set to work to recover the remains, but no trace body could other hand, we brought surface an object of most unexpected kind linen bag which contained within it mass of old rusted and discoloured metal and several dull-coloured pieces of pebble or glass This strange find was all that get mere, and, although every possible search and inquiry yesterday, nothing fate either of Rachel Howells or of Richard Brunton The county police are at their wits' end, and come up as last resource '

" imagine, Watson, with what eagerness I listened extraordinary sequence of events, and endeavoured to piece them together, and to devise some common thread 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 terribly excited immediately after his disappearance She had flung lake bag containing some curious contents These were all factors which had taken into consideration, and yet got quite heart matter the starting-point chain of events ? There lay the end tangled line

"' see that paper, Musgrave,' said I, 'which this butler of your thought it worth his while to consult, even risk loss place '

"' rather an absurd business, this ritual of ours,' he answered 'But it has the saving grace of antiquity to excuse it copy questions and answers here care to run your eye over them '

"He handed me the very paper which here, Watson, and strange catechism each Musgrave had to submit when to man's estate read you the questions and answers stand

"'Whose ? '

"'His gone '

"'Who it ? '

"'He come '

"'Where sun ? '

"'Over the oak '

"'Where shadow ? '

"'Under the elm '

"How stepped ? '

"'North by ten and by ten, east by five and by five, south by two and by two, west by one and by one, and so under '

"'What shall ? '

"'All ours '

"'Why should it ? '

"' sake trust '

"'The original has no date, but is spelling middle seventeenth century,' remarked Musgrave ' afraid, however, of little help in solving this mystery '

"' ,' said I, 'it gives us another mystery, and one even more interesting first It solution one may prove the solution other excuse me, Musgrave, if that your butler appears very clever man, and to clearer insight that ten generations masters '

"'I hardly follow you,' said Musgrave 'The paper seems of no practical importance '

"'But it seems immensely practical, and I fancy that Brunton took the same view He had probably seen it night you caught him '

"' very possible We took no pains to hide it '

"'He simply wished, imagine, to refresh his memory upon that last occasion He had, as I understand, some sort of map or chart which comparing manuscript, and which he thrust into his pocket appeared '

"' true But what could he have old family custom of ours, and what does this rigmarole mean ? '

"'I don't think that much difficulty in determining that,' said I; 'with your permission first train down to Sussex, and go little more deeply matter spot '

"The same afternoon saw us both at Hurlstone Possibly seen pictures and read descriptions famous old building, so confine my account of it to saying built shape of an L, the long arm being the more modern portion, shorter the ancient nucleus, the other had developed Over the low, heavily-lintelled door, centre old part, is chiselled the date, 1607, but experts are agreed beams and stone-work are really much older than this The enormously thick walls and tiny windows part had last century driven the family into building the new wing, old one was used now as store-house and cellar, when used at all splendid park with fine old timber surrounds the house, lake, my client had referred, lay close avenue, about tow hundred yards building

" already firmly convinced, Watson, that there three separate mysteries here, but one only, if read the Musgrave Ritual aright hold in my hand the clue which would lead me truth concerning both the butler Brunton maid Howells then I turned all my energies Why should this servant be so anxious to master this old formula ? Evidently because something which had escaped all those generations of country squires, and he expected some personal advantage it then, and how had it affected his fate ?

" perfectly obvious , on reading the ritual, measurements must refer to some spot rest document alluded, find that spot, in fair way towards finding what the secret was which the old Musgraves had thought it necessary to embalm in so curious fashion There were two guides given us to start with, an oak and an elm oak there no question at all Right in front house, left-hand side drive, there stood patriarch among oaks, magnificent trees that ever seen

"'That was there ritual was drawn up,' said I, drove past it

"' there Norman Conquest in all probability,' he answered 'It has girth of twenty-three feet '

"' any old elms ? ' I asked

"'There used very old one over yonder but struck by lightning ten , and we cut down the stump,'

"'You where it used ? '

"'Oh, yes '

"' no other elms ? '

"'No old ones, but plenty of beeches '

"' like where it grew '

"We had driven up in dogcart, and my client led me away at once, without our entering the house, scar lawn where the elm had stood nearly midway oak house My investigation seemed progressing

"'I suppose impossible out how high the elm was ? ' I asked