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.
"What's the trouble ?" "The trouble's h'ended, sir." "Then why bother me about it ?" "I thought it would be well for you to know, sir.