The second footman, who seemed just as embarrassed as the first footman had been, shifted his feet uneasily and answered:
"Well, I suppose you might call it that, Mr. Holmes. About three years ago, when I was employed at Balmoral Castle, in Scotland, I was taken before the village squire and given three days in jail for having been caught with a bottle in my pocket."
"It isn't a crime in Scotland to carry a bottle, is it?" said Holmes, grinning.
"No; but they claimed that it was half full of Scotch 'smoke,' and that I had been found totally unconscious up in the hayloft at the time," said MacTavish, with downcast eyes.
"Whom do you suspect of having stolen the cuff-buttons?"
The man from Balmoral brightened up, as he answered:
"I am inclined to believe that my partner, Egbert Bunbury, stole them, sir. When he went to propose to Miss Olivano, the Countess's maid, yesterday afternoon, I saw something sparkling in his hand."
"Think he intended to give her a diamond cuff-button, instead of a diamond ring, Donald?" queried Holmes.
"Well, who can say? Perhaps he was going to have it taken out, and then reset in a ring."
"You're an original cuss,—aren't you, Donald? Also pretty good at passing the buck. The Italian valet we examined first accused you of having stolen the Earl's precious heirlooms. Now, go and fight it out with him. Thorneycroft, you may bring in the butler."