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cally proved that thing non…existent。 Such was the simple creed of Keggs。
He accosted a passing fellow…servitor。
〃Seen young blighted Albert anywhere； Freddy？〃
It was in this shameful manner that that mastermind was habitually referred to below stairs。
〃Seen 'im going into the scullery not 'arf a minute ago；〃 replied Freddy。
〃Thanks。〃
〃So long；〃 said Freddy。
〃Be good！〃 returned Keggs； whose mode of speech among those of his own world differed substantially from that which he considered it became him to employ when conversing with the titled。
The fall of great men is but too often due to the failure of their miserable bodies to give the necessary support to their great brains。 There are some； for example； who say that Napoleon would have won the battle of Waterloo if he had not had dyspepsia。 Not otherwise was it with Albert on that present occasion。 The arrival of Keggs found him at a disadvantage。 He had been imprudent enough； on leaving George； to endeavour to smoke a cigar； purloined from the box which stood hospitably open on a table in the hall。 But for this； who knows with what cunning counter…attacks he might have foiled the butler's onslaught？ As it was； the battle was a walk…over for the enemy。
〃I've been looking for you； young blighted Albert！〃 said Keggs coldly。
Albert turned a green but defiant face to the foe。
〃Go and boil yer 'ead！〃 he advised。
〃Never mind about my 'ead。 If I was to do my duty to you； I'd give you a clip side of your 'ead； that's what I'd do。〃
〃And then bury it in the woods；〃 added Albert； wincing as the consequences of his rash act swept through his small form like some nauseous tidal wave。 He shut his eyes。 It upset him to see Keggs shimmering like that。 A shimmering butler is an awful sight。
Keggs laughed a hard laugh。 〃You and your cousins from America！〃
〃What about my cousins from America？〃
〃Yes； what about them？ That's just what Lord Belpher and me have been asking ourselves。〃
〃I don't know wot you're talking about。〃
〃You soon will； young blighted Albert！ Who sneaked that American fellow into the 'ouse to meet Lady Maud？〃
〃I never！〃
〃Think I didn't see through your little game？ Why； I knew from the first。〃
〃Yes； you did！ Then why did you let him into the place？〃
Keggs snorted triumphantly。 〃There！ You admit it！ It was that feller！〃
Too late Albert saw his false movea move which in a normal state of health； he would have scorned to make。 Just as Napoleon； minus a stomach…ache； would have scorned the blunder that sent his Cuirassiers plunging to destruction in the sunken road。
〃I don't know what you're torkin' about；〃 he said weakly。
〃Well；〃 said Keggs； 〃I haven't time to stand 'ere chatting with you。 I must be going back to 'is lordship； to tell 'im of the 'orrid trick you played on him。〃
A second spasm shook Albert to the core of his being。 The double assault was too much for him。 Betrayed by the body； the spirit yielded。
〃You wouldn't do that； Mr。 Keggs！〃
There was a white flag in every syllable。
〃I would if I did my duty。〃
〃But you don't care about that；〃 urged Albert ingratiatingly。
〃I'll have to think it over；〃 mused Keggs。 〃I don't want to be 'and on a young boy。〃 He struggled silently with himself。 〃Ruinin' 'is prospecks！〃
An inspiration seemed to e to him。
〃All right； young blighted Albert；〃 he said briskly。 〃I'll go against my better nature this once and chance it。 And now； young feller me lad； you just 'and over that ticket of yours！ You know what I'm alloodin' to！ That ticket you 'ad at the sweep； the one with 'Mr。 X' on it。〃
Albert's indomitable spirit triumphed for a moment over his stricken body。
〃That's likely； ain't it！〃
Keggs sighedthe sigh of a good man who has done his best to help a fellow…being and has been baffled by the other's perversity。
〃Just as you please；〃 he said sorrowfully。 〃But I did 'ope I shouldn't 'ave to go to 'is lordship and tell 'im 'ow you've deceived him。〃
Albert capitulated。 〃'Ere yer are！〃 A piece of paper changed hands。 〃It's men like you wot lead to 'arf the crime in the country！〃
〃Much obliged； me lad。〃
〃You'd walk a mile in the snow； you would；〃 continued Albert pursuing his train of thought； 〃to rob a starving beggar of a ha'penny。〃
〃Who's robbing anyone？ Don't you talk so quick； young man。 I'm doing the right thing by you。 You can 'ave my ticket； marked 'Reggie Byng'。 It's a fair exchange； and no one the worse！〃
〃Fat lot of good that is！〃
〃That's as it may be。 Anyhow； there it is。〃 Keggs prepared to withdraw。 〃You're too young to 'ave all that money； Albert。 You wouldn't know what to do with it。 It wouldn't make you 'appy。 There's other things in the world besides winning sweepstakes。 And； properly speaking； you ought never to have been allowed to draw at all； being so young。〃
Albert groaned hollowly。 〃When you've finished torkin'； I wish you'd kindly have the goodness to leave me alone。 I'm not meself。〃
〃That；〃 said Keggs cordially； 〃is a bit of luck for you； my boy。 Accept my 'eartiest felicitations！〃
Defeat is the test of the great man。 Your true general is not he who rides to triumph on the tide of an easy victory； but the one who； when crushed to earth； can bend himself to the task of planning methods of rising again。 Such a one was Albert； the page…boy。 Observe Albert in his attic bedroom scarcely more than an hour later。 His body has practically ceased to trouble him； and his soaring spirit has e into its own again。 With the exception of a now very occasional spasm； his physical anguish has passed； and he is thinking； thinking hard。 On the chest of drawers is a grubby envelope； addressed in an ill…formed hand to：
R。 Byng； Esq。
On a sheet of paper； soon to be placed in the envelope； are written in the same hand these words：
〃Do not dispare！ Remember！ Fante hart never won fair lady。 I shall watch your futur progres with considurable interest。 Your Well…Wisher。〃
The last sentence is not original。 Albert's Sunday…school teacher said it to Albert on the occasion of his taking up his duties at the castle； and it stuck in his memory。 Fortunately； for it expressed exactly what Albert wished to say。 From now on Reggie Byng's progress with Lady Maud Marsh was to be the thing nearest to Albert's heart。
And George meanwhile？ Little knowing how Fate has changed in a flash an ally into an opponent he is standing at the edge of the shrubbery near the castle gate。 The night is very beautiful； the banked spots on his hands and knees are hurting much less now； and he is full of long； sweet thoughts。 He has just discovered the extraordinary resemblance； which had not struck him as he was climbing up the knotted sheet； between his own position and that of the hero of Tennyson's Maud； a poem to which he has always been particularly addictedand never more so than during the days since he learned the name of the only possible girl。 When he has not been playing golf； Tennyson's Maud has been his constant panion。
〃Queen rose of the rosebud garden of girls e hither； the dances are done； In glass of satin and glimmer of pearls。 Queen lily and rose in one； Shine out； little head； sunning over with curls To the flowers； and be their sun。〃
The music from the ballroom flows out to him through the motionless air。 The smell of sweet earth and growing things is everywhere。
〃e into the garden； Maud； For the black bat； night； hath flown； e into the garden； Maud； I am here at the gate alone； And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad； And the musk of the rose is blown。〃
He draws a deep breath； misled young man。 The night is very beautiful。 It is near to the dawn now and in the bushes live things are beginning to stir and whisper。
〃Maud！〃
Surely she can hear him？
〃Maud！〃
The silver stars looked down dispassionately。 This sort of thing had no novelty for them。
CHAPTER 15。
Lord Belpher's twenty…first birthday dawned brightly； heralded in by much twittering of sparrows in the ivy outside his bedroom。 These Percy did not hear； for he was sound asleep and had had a late night。 The first sound that was able to penetrate his heavy slumber and rouse him to a realization that his birthday had arrived was the piercing cry of Reggie Byng on his way to the bath…room across the corridor。 It was Reggie's disturbing custom to urge himself on to a cold bath with encouraging yells； and the noise of this performance； followed by violent splashing and a series of sharp howls as the sponge played upon the Byng spine； made sleep an impossibility within a radius of many yards。 Percy sat up in bed； and cursed Reggie silently。 He discovered that he had a headache。
Presently the door flew open； and the vocalist entered in person； clad in a pink bathrobe and very tousled and rosy from the tub。
〃Many happy returns of the day； Boots； old thing！〃
Reggie burst rollickingly into song。
〃I'm twenty…one today！ Twenty…one today！ I've got the key of the door！ Never been twenty…one before！ And father says I can do what I like！ So shout Hip…hip…hooray！ I'm