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e　and　order　him　from　the　room；　the　danger　would　be　past；　and　he　could　speak　freely。　His　light　blue　eyes　were　expressionless　as　they　met　Percy's；　but　inwardly　he　was　feeling　much　the　same　sensation　as　he　was　wont　to　experience　when　the　family　was　in　town　and　he　had　managed　to　slip　off　to　Kempton　Park　or　some　other　race…course　and　put　some　of　his　savings　on　a　horse。　　As　he　felt　when　the　racing　steeds　thundered　down　the　straight；　so　did　he　feel　now。
　Astonishment　showed　in　Lord　Belpher's　round　face。　Just　as　it　was　about　to　be　succeeded　by　indignation；　the　butler　spoke　again。
　〃I　am　aware；　your　lordship；　that　it　is　not　my　place　to　offer　suggestions　as　to　the　private　and　intimate　affairs　of　the　family　I　'ave　the　honour　to　serve；　but；　if　your　lordship　would　consent　to　overlook　the　liberty；　I　think　I　could　be　of　'elp　and　assistance　in　a　matter　which　is　causing　annoyance　and　unpleasantness　to　all。〃
　He　invigorated　himself　with　another　dip　into　the　waters　of　memory。　Yes。　The　young　man　before　him　might　be　Lord　Belpher；　son　of　his　employer　and　heir　to　all　these　great　estates；　but　once　he　had　seen　him　spanked。
　Perhaps　Percy　also　remembered　this。　Perhaps　he　merely　felt　that　Keggs　was　a　faithful　old　servant　and；　as　such；　entitled　to　thrust　himself　into　the　family　affairs。　Whatever　his　reasons；　he　now　definitely　lowered　the　barrier。
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　with　a　glance　at　the　door　to　make　sure　that　there　were　no　witnesses　to　an　act　of　which　the　aristocrat　in　him　disapproved；　〃go　on！〃
　Keggs　breathed　freely。　The　danger…point　was　past。
　〃'Aving　a　natural　interest；　your　lordship；〃　he　said；　〃we　of　the　Servants'　'All　generally　manage　to　bee　respectfully　aware　of　whatever　'appens　to　be　transpirin'　above　stairs。　May　I　say　that　I　became　acquainted　at　an　early　stage　with　the　trouble　which　your　lordship　is　unfortunately　'aving　with　a　certain　party？〃
　Lord　Belpher；　although　his　whole　being　revolted　against　what　practically　amounted　to　hobnobbing　with　a　butler；　perceived　that　he　had　mitted　himself　to　the　discussion。　It　revolted　him　to　think　that　these　delicate　family　secrets　were　the　subject　of　conversation　in　menial　circles；　but　it　was　too　late　to　do　anything　now。　　And　such　was　the　whole…heartedness　with　which　he　had　declared　war　upon　George　Bevan　that；　at　this　stage　in　the　proceedings；　his　chief　emotion　was　a　hope　that　Keggs　might　have　something　sensible　to　suggest。
　〃I　think；　begging　your　lordship's　pardon　for　making　the　remark；　that　you　are　acting　injudicious。　I　'ave　been　in　service　a　great　number　of　years；　startin'　as　steward's　room　boy　and　rising　to　my　present　position；　and　I　may　say　I　'ave　'ad　experience　during　those　years　of　several　cases　where　the　daughter　or　son　of　the　'ouse　contemplated　a　misalliance；　and　all　but　one　of　the　cases　ended　disastrously；　your　lordship；　on　account　of　the　family　trying　opposition。　It　is　my　experience　that　opposition　in　matters　of　the　'eart　is　useless；　feedin'；　as　it；　so　to　speak；　does　the　flame。　Young　people；　your　lordship；　if　I　may　be　pardoned　for　employing　the　expression　in　the　present　case；　are　naturally　romantic　and　if　you　keep　'em　away　from　a　thing　they　sit　and　pity　themselves　and　want　it　all　the　more。　And　in　the　end　you　may　be　sure　they　get　it。　　There's　no　way　of　stoppin'　them。　I　was　not　on　sufficiently　easy　terms　with　the　late　Lord　Worlingham　to　give　'im　the　benefit　of　my　experience　on　the　occasion　when　the　Honourable　Aubrey　Pershore　fell　in　love　with　the　young　person　at　the　Gaiety　Theatre。　　Otherwise　I　could　'ave　told　'im　he　was　not　acting　judicious。　　His　lordship　opposed　the　match　in　every　way；　and　the　young　couple　ran　off　and　got　married　at　a　registrar's。　It　was　the　same　when　a　young　man　who　was　tutor　to　'er　ladyship's　brother　attracted　Lady　Evelyn　Walls；　the　only　daughter　of　the　Earl　of　Ackleton。　In　fact；　your　lordship；　the　only　entanglement　of　the　kind　that　came　to　a　satisfactory　conclusion　in　the　whole　of　my　personal　experience　was　the　affair　of　Lady　Catherine　Duseby；　Lord　Bridgefield's　daughter；　who　injudiciously　became　infatuated　with　a　roller…skating　instructor。〃
　Lord　Belpher　had　ceased　to　feel　distantly　superior　to　his　panion。　The　butler's　powerful　personality　hypnotized　him。　　Long　ere　the　harangue　was　ended；　he　was　as　a　little　child　drinking　in　the　utterances　of　a　master。　He　bent　forward　eagerly。　Keggs　had　broken　off　his　remarks　at　the　most　interesting　point。
　〃What　happened？〃　inquired　Percy。
　〃The　young　man；〃　proceeded　Keggs；　〃was　a　young　man　of　considerable　personal　attractions；　'aving　large　brown　eyes　and　a　athletic　lissome　figure；　brought　about　by　roller…skating。　It　was　no　wonder；　in　the　opinion　of　the　Servants'　'All；　that　'er　ladyship　should　have　found　'erself　fascinated　by　him；　particularly　as　I　myself　'ad　'eard　her　observe　at　a　full　luncheon…table　that　roller…skating　was　in　her　opinion　the　only　thing　except　her　toy　Pomeranian　that　made　life　worth　living。　But　when　she　announced　that　she　had　bee　engaged　to　this　young　man；　there　was　the　greatest　consternation。　I　was　not；　of　course；　privileged　to　be　a　participant　at　the　many　councils　and　discussions　that　ensued　and　took　place；　but　I　was　aware　that　such　transpired　with　great　frequency。　Eventually　'is　lordship　took　the　shrewd　step　of　assuming　acquiescence　and　inviting　the　young　man　to　visit　us　in　Scotland。　And　within　ten　days　of　his　arrival；　your　lordship；　the　match　was　broken　off。　He　went　back　to　'is　roller…skating；　and　'er　ladyship　took　up　visiting　the　poor　and　eventually　contracted　an　altogether　suitable　alliance　by　marrying　Lord　Ronald　Spofforth；　the　second　son　of　his　Grace　the　Duke　of　Gorbals　and　Strathbungo。〃
　〃How　did　it　happen？〃
　〃Seein'　the　young　man　in　the　surroundings　of　'er　own　'ome；　'er　ladyship　soon　began　to　see　that　she　had　taken　too　romantic　a　view　of　'im　previous；　your　lordship。　'E　was　one　of　the　lower　middle　class；　what　is　sometimes　termed　the　bourjoisy；　and　'is　'abits　were　not　the　'abits　of　the　class　to　which　'er　ladyship　belonged。　'E　'ad　nothing　in　mon　with　the　rest　of　the　'ouse…party；　and　was　injudicious　in　'is　choice　of　forks。　The　very　first　night　at　dinner　'e　took　a　steel　knife　to　the　ontray；　and　I　see　'er　ladyship　look　at　him　very　sharp；　as　much　as　to　say　that　scales　had　fallen　from　'er　eyes。　It　didn't　take　'er　long　after　that　to　bee　convinced　that　'er　'eart　'ad　led　'er　astray。〃
　〃Then　you　think？〃
　〃It　is　not　for　me　to　presume　to　offer　anything　but　the　most　respectful　advice；　your　lordship；　but　I　should　most　certainly　advocate　a　similar　procedure　in　the　present　instance。〃
　Lord　Belpher　reflected。　Recent　events　had　brought　home　to　him　the　magnitude　of　the　task　he　had　assumed　when　he　had　appointed　himself　the　watcher　of　his　sister's　movements。　The　affair　of　the　curate　and　the　village　blacksmith　had　shaken　him　both　physically　and　spiritually。　His　feet　were　still　sore；　and　his　confidence　in　himself　had　waned　considerably。　The　thought　of　having　to　continue　his　espionage　indefinitely　was　not　a　pleasant　one。　How　much　simpler　and　more　effective　it　would　be　to　adopt　the　suggestion　which　had　been　offered　to　him。
　〃I'm　not　sure　you　aren't　right；　Keggs。〃
　〃Thank　you；　your　lordship。　I　feel　convinced　of　it。〃
　〃I　will　speak　to　my　father　tonight。〃
　〃Very　good；　your　lordship。　I　am　glad　to　have　been　of　service。〃
　〃Young　blighted　Albert；〃　said　Keggs　crisply；　shortly　after　breakfast　on　the　following　morning；　〃you're　to　take　this　note　to　Mr。　Bevan　at　the　cottage　down　by　Platt's　farm；　and　you're　to　deliver　it　without　playing　any　of　your　monkey…tricks；　and　you're　to　wait　for　an　answer；　and　you're　to　bring　that　answer　back　to　me；　too；　and　to　Lord　Marshmoreton。　And　I　may　tell　you；　to　save　you　the　trouble　of　opening　it　with　steam　from　the　kitchen　kettle；　that　I　'ave　already　done　so。　It's　an　invitation　to　dine　with　us　tonight。　So　now　you　know。　Look　slippy！〃
　Albert　capitulated。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　felt　humble。　He　perceived　how　misguided　he　had　been　ever　to　suppose　that　he　could　pit　his　pigmy　wits　against　this　smooth…faced　worker　of　wonders。　　〃Crikey！〃　he　ejaculated。
　It　was　all　that　he　could　say。
　〃And　there's　one　more　thing；　young　feller　me　lad；〃　added　Keggs　earnestly；　〃don't　you　ever　grow　up　to　be　such　a　fat'ead　as　our　friend　Percy。　Don't　forget　I　warned　you。〃
　
　CHAPTER　23。
　
　Life　is　like　some　crazy　machine　that　is　always　going　either　too　slow　or　too　fast。　From　the　cradle　to　the　grave　we　alternate　between　the　Sargasso　Sea　and　the　rapidsforever　either　becalmed　or　storm…tossed。　It　seemed　to　Maud；　as　she　looked　across　the　dinner…table　in　order　to　make　sure　for　the　twentieth　time　that　it　really　was　George　Bevan　who　sat　opposite　her；　that；　after　months　in　which　nothing　whatever　had　happened；　she　was　now　living　through　a　period　when　everything　was　happening　at　once。　Life；　from　being　a　broken…down　machine；　had　suddenly　begun　to　race。
　To　the　orderly　routine　that　stretched　back　to　the　time　when　she　had　been　hurried　home　in　disgrace　from　Wales　there　had　succeeded　a　mad　whirl　of　events；　to　which　the　miracle　of　tonight　had　e　as　a　fitting　climax。　She　had　not　begun　to　dress　for　dinner　till　somewhat　late；　and　had　consequently　entered　the　drawing…room　just　as　Keggs　was　announcing　that　the　meal　was　ready。　She　had　received　her　first　shock　when　the　love…sick　Plummer；　emerging　from　a　mixed　crowd　of　relative