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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
。