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〃Of course； with her weak heart and dropsy one couldn't expect
that she could get about with him； but he spent two hours every
evening in her room。 He might well do what he could； for she has
been a rare good friend to him。 But that's all over； too。 He never
goes near her。 And she takes it to heart。 She is brooding and sulky
and drinking； Mr。 Holmes… drinking like a fish。〃
〃Did she drink before this estrangement？〃
〃Well； she took her glass； but now it is often a whole bottle of
an evening。 So Stephens； the butler； told me。 It's all changed； Mr。
Holmes； and there is something damned rotten about it。 But then；
again； what is master doing down at the old church crypt at night？ And
who is the man that meets him there？〃
Holmes rubbed his hands。
〃Go on； Mr。 Mason。 You get more and more interesting。〃
〃It was the butler who saw him go。 Twelve o'clock at night and
raining hard。 So next night I was up at the house and； sure enough；
master was off again。 Stephens and I went after him； but it was
jumpy work； for it would have been a bad job if he had seen us。 He's a
terrible man with his fists if he gets started； and no respecter of
persons。 So we were shy of getting too near； but we marked him down
all right。 It was the haunted crypt that he was making for； and
there was a man waiting for him there。〃
〃What is this haunted crypt？〃
〃Well； sir； there is an old ruined chapel in the park。 It is so
old that nobody could fix its date。 And under it there's a crypt which
has a bad name among us。 It's a dark； damp； lonely place by day； but
there are few in that county that would have the nerve to go near it
at night。 But master's not afraid。 He never feared anything in his
life。 But what is he doing there in the night…time？〃
〃Wait a bit！〃 said Holmes。 〃You say there is another man there。 It
must be one of your own stablemen； or someone from the house！ Surely
you have only to spot who it is and question him？〃
〃It's no one I know。〃
〃How can you say that？〃
〃Because I have seen him； Mr。 Holmes。 It was on that second night。
Sir Robert turned and passed us… me and Stephens； quaking in the
bushes like two bunny…rabbits； for there was a bit of moon that night。
But we could hear the other moving about behind。 We were not afraid of
him。 So we up when Sir Robert was gone and pretended we were just
having a walk like in the moonlight； and so we came right on him as
casual and innocent as you please。 'Hullo； mate！ who may you be？' says
I。'。 I guess he had not heard us coming； so he looked over his
shoulder with a face as if he had seen the devil coming out of hell。
He let out a yell； and away he went as hard as he could lick it in the
darkness。 He could run！… I'll give him that。 In a minute he was out of
sight and hearing； and who he was； or what he was； we never found。〃
〃But you saw him clearly in the moonlight？〃
〃Yes； I would swear to his yellow face… a mean dog； I should say。
What could he have in common with Sir Robert？〃
Holmes sat for some time lost in thought。
〃Who keeps Lady Beatrice Falder company？〃 he asked at last。
〃There is her maid； Carrie Evans。 She has been with her this five
years。〃
〃And is； no doubt； devoted？〃
Mr。 Mason shuffled uncomfortably。
〃She's devoted enough；〃 he answered at last。 〃But I won't say to
whom。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Holmes。
〃I can't tell tales out of school。〃
〃I quite understand； Mr。 Mason。 Of course； the situation is clear
enough。 From Dr。 Watson's description of Sir Robert I can realize that
no woman is safe from him。 Don't you think the quarrel between brother
and sister may lie there？〃
Well； the scandal has been pretty clear for a long time。〃
〃But she may not have seen it before。 Let us suppose that she has
suddenly found it out。 She waits to get rid of the woman。 Her
brother will not permit it。 The invalid； with her weak heart and
inability to get about； has no means of enforcing her will。 The
hated maid is still tied to her。 The lady refuses to speak； sulks；
takes to drink。 Sir Robert in his anger takes her pet spaniel away
from her。 Does not all this hang together？〃
〃Well； it might do… so far as it goes。〃
〃Exactly！ As far as it goes。 How would all that bear upon the visits
by night to the old crypt？ We can't fit that into our plot。〃
〃No； sir； and there is something more that I can't fit in。 Why
should Sir Robert want to dig up a dead body？〃
Holmes sat up abruptly。
〃We only found it out yesterday… after I had written to you。
Yesterday Sir Robert had gone to London； so Stephens and I went down
to the crypt。 It was all in order； sir； except that in one corner
was a bit of a human body。〃
〃You informed the police； I suppose？〃
Our visitor smiled grimly。
〃Well； sir； I think it would hardly interest them。 It was just the
head and a few bones of a mummy。 It may have been a thousand years
old。 But it wasn't there before。 That I'll swear； and so will
Stephens。 It had been stowed away in a corner and covered over with
a board； but that corner had always been empty before。〃
〃What did you do with it？〃
〃Well； we just left it there。〃
〃That was wise。 You say Sir Robert was away yesterday。 Has he
returned？〃
〃We expect him back to…day。〃
〃When did Sir Robert give away his sister's dog？〃
〃It was just a week ago to…day。 The creature was howling outside the
old well…house； and Sir Robert was in one of his tantrums that
morning。 He caught it up； and I thought he would have killed it。
Then he gave it to Sandy Bain； the jockey； and told him to take the
dog to old Barnes at the Green Dragon； for he never wished to see it
again。〃
Holmes sat for some time in silent thought。 He had lit the oldest
and foulest of his pipes。
〃I am not clear yet what you want me to do in this matter； Mr。
Mason；〃 he said at last。 〃Can't you make it more definite？〃
〃Perhaps this will make it more definite； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said our
visitor。
He took a paper from his pocket； and； unwrapping it carefully； he
exposed a charred fragment of bone。
Holmes examined it with interest。
〃Where did you get it？〃
〃There is a central heating furnace in the cellar under Lady
Beatrice's room。 It's been off for some time； but Sir Robert
complained of cold and had it on again； Harvey runs it… he's one of my
lads。 This very morning he came to me with this which he found
raking out the cinders。 He didn't like the look of it。〃
〃Nor do I；〃 said Holmes。 〃What do you make of it； Watson？〃
It was burned to a black cinder； but there could be no question as
to its anatomical significance。
〃It's the upper condyle of a human femur；〃 said I。
〃Exactly！〃 Holmes had become very serious。 〃When does this lad
tend to the furnace？〃
〃He makes it up every evening and then leaves it。〃
〃Then anyone could visit it during the night？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Can you enter it from outside？〃
〃There is one door from the outside。 There is another which leads up
by a stair to the passage in which Lady Beatrice's room is situated。〃
〃These are deep waters； Mr。 Mason； deep and rather dirty。 You