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

ruin. for it seems to have led to an in- satiable curiosity about things which did not in the least concern him. l had no
 idea of the lengths to which this would carry him. until the merest accident open
 ed my eyes to it.
 "'I have said that the house Is a ramb-
 ling one. One day last week-on Thurs day night, to be more exact--I found that l could not sleep having foolishly taken a cup of strong cafe nor after my dinner
 After struggling against 1t until two in
 the morning, l felt that it was quite hope less, so l arose and lit the candle with the intention of continuing a novel which
 left in the billiard room, so 1 pulled on
 my dressing gown and started off to get 1t.
 Tn order to reach the billiard-room had to descend a flight of stairs and then to cross the head of a passage which led to the library and the gun-room. You can imagine my surprise when, as l looked down this corridor, I saw a glimmer of light coming from the open door of the library. l had myself extinguished the lamp and closed the door before coming to bed. Naturally my first thought was of burglars. The corridors at Hurlstone have their walls largely decorated with trophies of old weapons. From one of these l picked battle-axe and then, leaving my candle behind me- I crept on tiptoe down the passage and peeped in at the open door
 'Brunton, the butler, was in the libra ry. He was sitting, fully dressed, in an easy chair, with 8 slip of paper which looked like map on his knee, and his forehead sunk forward upon his hands in deep thought. I stood dumb with as- tonishment, watching him from the dark ness A small taper on the edge of the table shed feeble light which sufficed to show me that he was fully dressed. Suddenly, as l looked. he rose from his chair and, walking over to a bureau at the side, he unlocked it and drew out one of the drawers. From this he took a paper, and returning to his seat he Hat tened 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 docu- ments overcame me so far that I took d 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.
 "'"Sov' said I. 'This is how you re- pay the trust which we have reposed In you. You will leave my service tomor- row"
 He bowed with the LOOK ol Il hldii who is utterly crushed. and slunk past me without a word. The taper was stlll on the table and by It's light l glanced to see what the paper was which Brunton had taken from the bureau. To my sur prise it was nothing of any importance at all. but simply copy of the questions and answers in the singular observance called the Musgrave Ritual. It is 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 archae- ologist, like our own blazonlng and charges, but of no practical use what ever
 We had better come back to the pa- per afterwards said l.
 " If you think it really necessary, he answered with some hesitation. ITO con- tjnue 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. ! MT 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, sr-it will, indeed-if you drive me to despair. If you cannot i keep me after what has passed, then for | Gods sake let me give you notice and | leave in a month, as if of my own free l will I could stand that, MT. Musgrave,