eon's master. All his advances, made with a mixture of
affability and _bonhommie_ which Mr. Deedes flattered himself was
irresistible with most people, were productive of little or no effect
upon the mulatto. He received them, not with suspicion, for he had
nothing of which to suspect harmless Mr. Deedes, but with a sort of
sulky indifference, as though he considered them rather a nuisance than
otherwise, and would have preferred their being offered to anyone else.
Did Mr. Deedes, in conversation with him and the landlord, venture to
bring the talk round to Bon Repos and M. Platzoff; did he hazard the
remark that since his arrival in Lakeland several people had spoken to
him of the strange character and eccentric mode of life of Mr. Cleon's
employer--he was met with a stony silence, which told him as plainly as
any words could have done that M. Platzoff and his affairs were matters
that in no wise concerned him. It was quite evident that neither the
Russian nor his dark-skinned valet was of any avail for the furtherance
of that scheme which had brought Mr. Deedes all the way to the wilds of
Westmoreland.

He began to despair, and was on the point of writing to Mirpah, thinking
that her shrewd woman's wit might be able to suggest some stratagem or
mode of attack other than that made use of by him, when suddenly a
prospect opened before him such as in his wildest dreams of success he
dared not have bodied forth. He was not slow to avail himself of it.

CHAPTER XXIV.

ENTER MADGIN JUNIOR.

"Beg your pardon, sir," said the landlord of The Jolly Fishers one
morning to his guest, Mr. Deedes, "but I think I have more than once
heard you say that you came from London?"

"I do come from London," answered Mr. Deedes; "_I_ am Cockney born and
bred. I came direct from London to Windermere. But why do you ask?"

"Simply, sir, because they are in want of a footman at Bon Repos, to
fill up the place of one who has gone away to get married. Mossoo
Platzoff don't like advertising for servants, and Mr. Cleon is at a loss
where to find a fellow that can wait at table and has some manners about
him. You see sir, the country louts about here are neither useful nor
ornamental in a gentleman's house. Now, sir, it struck me that among
your friends you might perhaps know some gentleman who would be glad to
recommend a respectable man for such a place. Must have a good character
from his last situation, and be able to wait at table