"HowwelldoyouknowMrdeLesseps?"heasked.
"I'?"
"Didhebringyoulettersofintroduction, ordidyoumeethimmerelycasually?"
Kaleregardedhimwithevidentdispleasure."Myownpersonalaffairshavenothingwhatevertodowiththismatter,"hesaidpointedly."MrdeLessepsisagentlemanofintegrity, andcertainlyheisthelastwhomIwouldsuspectofanyconnectionwiththedisappearanceofthepicture."
"Thatisusuallythecase,"."JusthowgoodacopywasthathemadeoftheWhistlerpicture?"heasked.
"Ihaveneverseentheoriginal,"Hatchreplied,"'tobjecttousseeing-"
"Oh, ofcoursenot,"saidKaleresignedly."Comein, it'sinthegallery."
Hatchsubmittedthepicturetoacarefulscrutiny."Ishouldsaythatthecopyiswellnighperfect,"washisverdict."Ofcourse, initsabsence, Icouldn'tsayexactly;butitiscertainlyasuperbwork."
Thecurtainsofawidedooralmostinfrontofthemwerethrownasidesuddenly, , .
"Ah, professor, wemeetoften;don'twe?"hesaid.
"ThisreporterhereandhisfriendseemtobetryingtodragdeLessepsintothisaffairsomehow,"Kalecomplainedtothedetective."Idon'."
TheThinkingMachineglaredathimunwaveringly, straightintheeyeforaninstant, thenextendedhishandtowardMallory."Wheredidyoufindit?"heasked.
"Sorrytodisappointyou, professor,"saidthedetectivesarcastically,"butthisisthetimewhenyouwerealittlelate,"andheproducedtheobjectwhichheheldbehindhim."Hereisyourpicture, MrKale."
Kalegaspedalittleinreliefandastonishment, andheldupthecanvaswithbothhandstoexamineit."Fine!"hetoldthedetective."I'llseethatyoudon', thatthingcostmefiftythousanddollars!"Kaledidn'tseemabletogetoverthat.
