The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-05

but not to be cast out before all the folk that know so well'
 You don't deserve much considera- ton, Brunton," l answered. Your con duct has been most infamous. However, as you have been long time in the fam fly, l have no wish to bring public dis grace upon you. A month. however, IS too long. Take yourself away in week, and give what reason you like for going.
 "Only week. sir?N he cried, in q despairng voice. "A fortnight-say at least a fortnightir
 LA week" | repeated and you may consider yourself to have been leniently dealt with
 He crept away. his face sunk upon his breast, like a broken man, while put out the light and returned to my room.
 '' For two days after this BrGnton was most assiduouS in his attention to his duties. ! made no allusion to what had passed and 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 left the dining-roo I hap pened to meet Rachel Howels the maid. I have told you that she had only re- gently recovered from an illness. and was looking so wretchedly pale and wan that l 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. MT. Mus grave" said she.
 "'"We will see what the doctor says. ' answered. You must stop work now, and when you go downstairs just say that l wish to see Brunton."
 The butler is gone' said she
 "Gonei 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 oi laughter, while I, mortified at this sudden hystercal attack rushed to the bell to summon help. The girl was taken to hei room, still screaming and sobbing, while l made inquiries about Brunton. There was no doubt about it that he had disap. peared. 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 sec 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 r the night, and what could have become ot him now?
 Of course we searched the house iron cellar to garret, but there was no trace Of him. It is, as I have said a labvrintl Of an old house, especially the orjeina wing, which is now practically uninhabit ed; but we ransacked every room and eel lar without discovering the least sign ot the missing man. It was incredible to mt that he could have gone away leaving al his property behind him, and yet wher, could he be? I called in the local police but without success. Rain had fallen or the night before. and we examined tho lawn and the paths all round the house but in vain. Matters were in this state when a new development quite drew oul attention away from the original mys tery.
 l" For two days Rachel HowelIs hat been so i'll. sometimes delirous. sometime. hystercal that nurse had been employ cd to sit up with her at night. On tn, third night after Bruntons disappear ance the nurse, finding her patient sleep ing nicely, had dropped into nap in tn, armchair, when she woke in the earl, morning to find the bed empty, the win dow open, and no sign of the invalid. was instantly aroused, and. with the tw, footmen. started off at once in search O the missing girl. It was not difficult t, tell the direction which she had taken l for. starting from under her window. VI