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And the boom is a death…knell。 As it rings softly out on the pleasant spring air； another stout slug has made the Great Change。
It is peculiar； this gaiety。 It gives one to think。 Others have noticed it； his lordship's valet amongst them。
〃I give you my honest word； Mr。 Keggs；〃 says the valet； awed； 〃this very morning I 'eard the old devil a…singing in 'is barth！ Chirruping away like a blooming linnet！〃
〃Lor！〃 says Keggs； properly impressed。
〃And only last night 'e gave me 'arf a box of cigars and said I was a good； faithful feller！ I tell you； there's somethin' happened to the old busteryou mark my words！〃
CHAPTER 18。
Over this plex situation the mind of Keggs； the butler； played like a searchlight。 Keggs was a man of discernment and sagacity。 He had instinct and reasoning power。 Instinct told him that Maud； all unsuspecting the change that had taken place in Albert's attitude toward her romance； would have continued to use the boy as a link between herself and George： and reason； added to an intimate knowledge of Albert； enabled him to see that the latter must inevitably have betrayed her trust。 He was prepared to bet a hundred pounds that Albert had been given letters to deliver and had destroyed them。 So much was clear to Keggs。 It only remained to settle on some plan of action which would re…establish the broken connection。 Keggs did not conceal a tender heart beneath a rugged exterior： he did not mourn over the picture of two loving fellow human beings separated by a misunderstanding； but he did want to win that sweepstake。
His position； of course； was delicate。 He could not got to Maud and beg her to confide in him。 Maud would not understand his motives； and might leap to the not unjustifiable conclusion that he had been at the sherry。 No！ Men were easier to handle than women。 As soon as his duties would permitand in the present crowded condition of the house they were arduoushe set out for George's cottage。
〃I trust I do not disturb or interrupt you； sir；〃 he said； beaming in the doorway like a benevolent high priest。 He had doffed his professional manner of austere disapproval； as was his Custom in moments of leisure。
〃Not at all；〃 replied George； puzzled。 〃Was there anything 。 。 。？〃
〃There was； sir。〃
〃e along in and sit down。〃
〃I would not take the liberty； if it is all the same to you； sir。 I would prefer to remain standing。〃
There was a moment of unfortable silence。 Unfortable； that is to say； on the part of George； who was wondering if the butler remembered having engaged him as a waiter only a few nights back。 Keggs himself was at his ease。 Few things ruffled this man。
〃Fine day；〃 said George。
〃Extremely； sir； but for the rain。〃
〃Oh； is it raining？〃
〃Sharp downpour； sir。〃
〃Good for the crops；〃 said George。
〃So one would be disposed to imagine； sir。〃
Silence fell again。 The rain dripped from the eaves。
〃If I might speak freely； sir。。 。？〃 said Keggs。
〃Sure。 Shoot！〃
〃I beg your pardon； sir？〃
〃I mean； yes。 Go ahead！〃
The butler cleared his throat。
〃Might I begin by remarking that your little affair of the 'eart； if I may use the expression； is no secret in the Servants' 'All？ I 'ave no wish to seem to be taking a liberty or presuming； but I should like to intimate that the Servants' 'All is aware of the facts。〃
〃You don't have to tell me that；〃 said George coldly。 〃I know all about the sweepstake。〃
A flicker of embarrassment passed over the butler's large； smooth facepassed； and was gone。
〃I did not know that you 'ad been apprised of that little matter； sir。 But you will doubtless understand and appreciate our point of view。 A little sporting flutternothing moredesigned to halleviate the monotony of life in the country。〃
〃Oh； don't apologize；〃 said George； and was reminded of a point which had exercised him a little from time to time since his vigil on the balcony。 〃By the way； if it isn't giving away secrets； who drew Plummer？〃
〃Sir？〃
〃Which of you drew a man named Plummer in the sweep？〃
〃I rather fancy； sir；〃 Keggs' brow wrinkled in thought； 〃I rather fancy it was one of the visiting gentlemen's gentlemen。 I gave the point but slight attention at the time。 I did not fancy Mr。 Plummer's chances。 It seemed to me that Mr。 Plummer was a negligible quantity。〃
〃Your knowledge of form was sound。 Plummer's out！〃
〃Indeed； sir！ An amiable young gentleman； but lacking in many of the essential qualities。 Perhaps he struck you that way； sir？〃
〃I never met him。 Nearly； but not quite！〃
〃It entered my mind that you might possibly have encountered Mr。 Plummer on the night of the ball； sir。〃
〃Ah； I was wondering if you remembered me！〃
〃I remember you perfectly； sir； and it was the fact that we had already met in what one might almost term a social way that emboldened me to e 'ere today and offer you my services as a hintermediary； should you feel disposed to avail yourself of them。〃
George was puzzled。
〃Your services？〃
〃Precisely； sir。 I fancy I am in a position to lend you what might be termed an 'elping 'and。〃
〃But that's remarkably altruistic of you； isn't it？〃
〃Sir？〃
〃I say that is very generous of you。 Aren't you forgetting that you drew Mr。 Byng？〃
The butler smiled indulgently。
〃You are not quite abreast of the progress of events； sir。 Since the original drawing of names； there 'as been a trifling hadjustment。 The boy Albert now 'as Mr。 Byng and I 'ave you； sir。 A little amicable arrangement informally conducted in the scullery on the night of the ball。〃
〃Amicable？〃
〃On my part； entirely so。〃
George began to understand certain things that had been perplexing to him。
〃Then all this while。 。 。？〃
〃Precisely； sir。 All this while 'er ladyship； under the impression that the boy Albert was devoted to 'er cause； has no doubt been placing a misguided confidence in 'im 。 。 。 The little blighter！〃 said Keggs； abandoning for a moment his pany manners and permitting vehemence to take the place of polish。 〃I beg your pardon for the expression； sir；〃 he added gracefully。 〃It escaped me inadvertently。〃
〃You think that Lady Maud gave Albert a letter to give to me； and that he destroyed it？〃
〃Such； I should imagine； must undoubtedly have been the case。 The boy 'as no scruples； no scruples whatsoever。〃
〃Good Lord！〃
〃I appreciate your consternation； sir。〃
〃That must be exactly what has happened。〃
〃To my way of thinking there is no doubt of it。 It was for that reason that I ventured to e 'ere。 In the 'ope that I might be hinstrumental in arranging a meeting。〃
The strong distaste which George had had for plotting with this overfed menial began to wane。 It might be undignified； he told himself but it was undeniably practical。 And； after all； a man who has plotted with page…boys has little dignity to lose by plotting with butlers。 He brightened up。 If it meant seeing Maud again he was prepared to waive the decencies。
〃What do you suggest？〃 he said。
〃It being a rainy evening and everyone indoors playing games and what not；〃Keggs was amiably tolerant of the recreations of the aristocracy〃you would experience little chance of a hinterruption； were you to proceed to the lane outside the heast entrance of the castle grounds and wait there。 You will find in the field at the roadside a small disused barn only a short way from the gates； where you would be sheltered from the rain。 In the meantime； I would hinform 'er ladyship of your movements； and no doubt it would be possible for 'er to slip off。〃
〃It sounds all right。〃
〃It is all right； sir。 The chances of a hinterruption may be said to be reduced to a minimum。 Shall we say in one hour's time？〃
〃Very well。〃
〃Then I will wish you good evening； sir。 Thank you； sir。 I am glad to 'ave been of assistance。〃
He withdrew as he had e； with a large impressiveness。 The room seemed very empty without him。 George； with trembling fingers； began to put on a pair of thick boots。
For some minutes after he had set foot outside the door of the cottage； George was inclined to revile the weather for having played him false。 On this evening of all evenings； he felt； the elements should； so to speak； have rallied round and done their bit。 The air should have been soft and clear and scented： there should have been an afterglow of sunset in the sky to light him on his way。 Instead； the air was full of that peculiar smell of hopeless dampness which es at the end of a wet English day。 The sky was leaden。 The rain hissed down in a steady flow； whispering of mud and desolation； making a dreary morass of the lane through which he tramped。 A curious sense of foreboding came upon George。 It was as if some voice of the night had murmured maliciously in his ear a hint of troubles to e。 He felt oddly nervous； as he entered the barn。
The barn was both dark and dismal。 In one of the dark corners an intermittent dripping betrayed the presence of a gap in its ancient roof。 A rat scurried across the floor。 The dripping stopped and began again。 George struck a match and looked at his watch。 He was early。 Another ten minutes must elapse before he could hope for her arrival。 He sat down on a broken wagon which lay on its side against one of t