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placed lengthwise； which might very well become indented at the
lower end； since the whole weight of the stone would press it down
on to the edge of this other slab。 So far I was still on safe ground。
〃And now how was I to proceed to reconstruct this midnight drama？
Clearly； only one could fit into the hole； and that one was Brunton。
The girl must have waited above。 Brunton then unlocked the box； handed
up the contents presumably…since they were not to be found…and
then…and then what happened？
〃What smouldering fire of vengeance had suddenly sprung into flame
in this passionate Celtic woman's soul when she saw the man who had
wronged； perhaps； far more than we suspected…in her power？ Was it a
chance that the wood had slipped and that the stone had shut Brunton
into what had become his sepulchre？ Had she only been guilty of
silence as to his fate？ Or had some sudden blow from her hand dashed
the support away and sent the slab crashing down into its place？ Be
that as it might； I seemed to see that woman's figure still
clutching at her treasure trove and flying wildly up the winding
stair； with her ears ringing perhaps with the muffled screams from
behind her and with the drumming of frenzied hands against the slab of
stone which was choking her faithless lover's life out。
〃Here was the secret of her blanched face； her shaken nerves； her
peals of hysterical laughter on the next morning。 But what had been in
the box？ What had she done with that？ Of course； it must have been the
old metal and pebbles which my client had dragged from the mere。 She
had thrown them in there at the first opportunity to remove the last
trace of her crime。
〃For twenty minutes I had sat motionless； thinking the matter out。
Musgrave still stood with a very pale face； swinging his lantern and
peering down into the hole。
〃'These are coins of Charles the First；' said he； holding out the
few which had been in the box； 'you see we were right in fixing our
date for the Ritual。'
〃'We may find something else of Charles the First；' I cried； as
the probable meaning of the first two questions of the Ritual broke
suddenly upon me。 'Let me see the contents of the bag which you fished
from the mere。'
〃We ascended to his study； and he laid the debris before me。 I could
understand his regarding it as of small importance when I looked at
it； for the metal was almost black and the stones lustreless and dull。
I rubbed one of them on my sleeve； however； and it glowed afterwards
like a spark in the dark hollow of my hand。 The metal work was in
the form of a double ring； but it had been bent and twisted out of its
original shape。
〃'You must bear in mind；' said I； 'that the royal party made head in
England even after the death of the king； and that when they at last
fled they probably left many of their most precious sessions buried
behind them； with the intention of returning for them in more peaceful
times。'
〃'My ancestor； Sir Ralph Musgrave； was a prominent cavalier and
the righthand man of Charles the Second in his wanderings；' said my
friend。
〃'Ah； indeed！' I answered。 'Well now； I think that really should
give us the last link that we wanted。 I must congratulate you on
coming into the possession； though in rather a tragic manner； of a
relic which is of great intrinsic value； but of even greater
importance as a historical curiosity。'
〃'What is it； then？' he gasped in astonishment。
〃'It is nothing less than the ancient crown of the kings of
England。'
〃'The crown！'
〃'Precisely。 Consider what the Ritual says。 How does it run？
〃Whose was it？〃 〃His who is gone。〃 That was after the execution of
Charles。 Then； 〃Who shall have it？〃 〃He who will come。〃 That was
Charles the Second； whose advent was already foreseen。 There can； I
think； be no doubt that this battered and shapeless diadem once
encircled the brows of the royal Stuarts。'
〃'And how came it in the pond？'
〃'Ah； that is a question that will take some time to answer。' And
with that I sketched out to him the whole long chain of surmise and of
proof which I had constructed。 The twilight had closed in and the moon
was shining brightly in the sky before my narrative was finished。
〃'And how was it then that Charles did not get his crown when he
returned？' asked Musgrave； pushing back the relic into its linen bag。
〃'Ah； there you lay your finger upon the one point which we shall
probably never be able to clear up。 It is likely that the Musgrave who
held the secret died in the interval； and by some oversight left
this guide to his descendant without explaining the meaning of it。
From that day to this it has been handed down from father to son；
until at last it came within reach of a man who tore its secret out of
it and lost his life in the venture。'
〃And that's the story of the Musgrave Ritual； Watson。 They have
the crown down at Hurlstone…though they had some legal bother and a
considerable sum to pay before they were allowed to retain it。 I am
sure that if you mentioned my name they would be happy to show it to
you。 Of the woman nothing was ever heard； and the probability is
that she got away out of England and carried herself and the memory of
her crime to some land beyond the seas。〃
THE END
。