"Excellent, excellent!" ."IamafraidIdidnotgiveyoucreditforbeingthefar-sightedbusinessmanthatyouare." Heturnedandglancedoverthecollectionofpicturesabstractedly."Acleverthief, though, " heventured, "mightcutavaluablepainting, forinstancetheRubens, outoftheframe, rollitup, concealitunderhiscoat, andescape."
Kalelaughedpleasantlyandshookhishead.
.
"Jennings, " saidKaletotheliveriedservantthere, "' tdisturbed."
DeLessepsnoticedtheRubensleaningcarelesslyagainstsomeotherpictures, withtheholyfaceoftheMadonnatowardthem."Really, , " heprotested, ", !"
, andfinallythepicturewascarefullywrappedandplacedbeyondharm' sreach, whereupondeLessepsadjustedhimself, paper, easel, stool, andall, .
ThreedayslaterKalejusthappenedtodropin, andfoundtheartiststillathislabor.
"Ijustdroppedby, " heexplained, "? "
"Notatall, " saiddeLesseps; "? " HeturnedtheeaseltowardKale.
Themillionairegazedfromthattowardtheoriginalwhichstoodonachairnearby, andfrankadmirationfortheartist' seffortswasinhiseyes."Why, it' sfine!" heexclaimed."It' sjustasgoodastheotherone, andIbetyoudon' twantanyfivethousanddollarsforit—eh? "
, thendroppedintotheballroomwheretheartistwasjustgettinghisparaphernaliatogether, , looselyrolledup.
Oneweekpassed, , , chattingpleasantlywithKale, ; .
—' sofficeatpoliceheadquarters, ' sdeskandroaredathim."Itcostmefiftythousanddollars!" hedeclaredviolently."Whydon' tyoudosomething? Whatareyousittingtherestaringatmefor? "
