CHAPTER VII

A LESSON IN TACT


Mr. Brewster's butler was surprised and annoyed. For the first
time in his official career he had unbent so far as to manifest a
personal interest in the welfare of his master. He was on the
verge of assuming a responsibility which makes any servant
intolerable. But after his interview he resolved that he would
never again overstep his position. He made sure that it should be
the last offense. The day following the dinner Rawles appeared
before young Mr. Brewster and indicated by his manner that the
call was an important one. Brewster was seated at his writing-
table, deep in thought. The exclamation that followed Rawles's
cough of announcement was so sharp and so unmistakably fierce that
all other evidence paled into insignificance. The butler's
interruption came at a moment when Monty's mental arithmetic was
pulling itself out of a very bad rut, and the cough drove it back
into chaos.

"What is it," he demanded, irritably. Rawles had upset his
calculations to the extent of seven or eight hundred dollars.

"I came to report h'an unfortunate condition h'among the servants,
sir," said Rawies, stiffening as his responsibility became more
and more weighty. He had relaxed temporarily upon entering the
room.