奇书网

第2章 名画失窃案2（第2页）

"Ithinkitisperfederful！"repliedtheFreically。"Itistheesseive，ofmodernwork。Iwowouldbepossible，"aofaceKale，"formetomakeacopyofthat？Ihavesomeslightskillinpaintingmyself，anddaresayIakeafairlycreditablecopyofit。"

&tered。Hewasmoreandmoreimpressedeaentwiththepicture。"Why，ly，"hereplied。"Iwillhaveitsentuptothehotel，andyou-"

"No，no，no！"ieddeLessepsquickly。"Iwouldn'tcaretoaccepttheresponsibilityofhaviureinmycharge。Thereisalwaysadangeroffire。Butifyouwouldgivemepermissiohisreandairyandlight，aisquiet-"

"Justasyoulike，"saidKalemagnanimously。&quhttheotherwaywouldbemosttforyou。"

DeLessepsdrewnear，andlaidonehandonthemillionaire'sarm。"Mydearfriend，"hesaidearly，"ifthesepicturesweremypictures，Ishouldn'ttrytoaodateaheywereed。Idaresaytheasitstandscostyou-"

"Sixhundreday-seventhousanddollars，"volunteeredKaleproudly。

"Aheymustbewellprotectedhereinyourhyourabse;

"Thereareabouttwesinthehousewhilethewthealterations，"saidKale，"ahemdon'tdoanythingbutwat。Nooneoroutexceptbythedoorweehersarelodbarred-andthenonlywithmypermission，orawrittenorderfromme。No，sir，nobodygetawaywithanythinginthisroom。"

"Ext，ext！"saiddeLessepsadmiringly。Hesmiledalittlebit。"IamafraidIdidnotgiveyoucreditfthefar-sightedbusihatyouare。&qulaheofpicturesabstractedly。"Acleverthief，though，"heve;mightcutavaluablepainting，foriheRubens，outoftheframe，rollitup，derhisdescape。"

Kalelaughedpleasantlyandshookhishead。

ItleofdayslateratthehotelthatdeLessepsbroughtupthesubjectofgtheWhistler。Herofuseinhisthankswheeeredtoatothemansionaheprelimihework。Theypausedattheballroomdoor。

"Jennings，"saidKaletotheliveriedservahisisMrdeLesseps。Heistoeandgoashelikes。Heisgoingtodosomeworkintheballroomhere。Seethatheisn'tdisturbed。"

&icedtheRubensleaningcarelesslyagaiherpictures，withtheholyfaadonnatowardthem。"Really，MrKale，"heprotested，"thatpictureistoovaluabletobeleftaboutlikethat。Ifyouwillletyourservantsbringmesomevas，Ishalllaceitupoablehereoffthefloor。Supposethereweremicehere！"

&hahenecessaryiven，andfiurewascarefullyla'sreach，whereupoedhimself，paper，easel，stool，andall，andbeganhisworkofg。ThereKalelefthim。

&erKalejusthappeodropin，andfoustillathislabor。

"Ijustdroppedby，"heexplaioseehowtheworkinthegallerywasgettingalong。Itwillbefiherweek。IhopeIamnyou？"

"Notatall，"saiddeLesseps，"Ihavenearlyfinished。SeehowIamgettingalong？"Heturo>

Themilliazedfromthattowardtheinalwhichstoodonaearby，andfrankadmiratio'seffortswasi;Why，it'sfi;heexclaimed。"It'sjustasgoodastheotherone，ayoudon'twantahousanddollarsforit-eh？"

Thatwasallthatwassaidaboutitatthetime。Kalewahehouseforanhourorso，theheballroomwheretheartistwasjustgettinghisparapherher，andtheywalkedbacktothehotel。TheartistderonearmhiscopyoftheWhistler，looselyrolledup。

Oneweekpassed，andtheworkmenwhohadbeenengagedinrefinishiingthegalleryhadgone。DeLessepsvoluoassistinthewthepidKalegladlyturerovertohim。ItwasiernoohiswanthatdeLesseps，gpleasantlyedloosethevaswhishroudedthepreciousRubens。Thehaionofdismay。Thepicturewasgoheframewhichhadhelditty。Athinstripofvasaroundtheihatasharppenknifehadbeeoutthepainting。

AllofthesefactscametotheattentionofPrustusS。F。X。VahinkihiswasadayorsoafterKalehadrushediiveMallory'sofficeatpoliceheadquarters，withthestatementthathisRubeolen。Hebangedhisfistdowive'sdeskahim。"Itefiftythousanddollars！"hedeclaredviolently。"Whydon'tyoudosomething？Whatareyousittiaringatmefor？"

"Doeyourself，MrKale，"thedetectiveadvised。"Iwillputmymenatwhthe-the-WhatisaRubens，anyway？"

"It'sapicture！"bellowedMrKale。"Apievaswithsomepaintonit，anditefiftythousanddollars-don'tyetthat！"

Sothepolierywassetinmotiohepainting。AerfelluchfuleyeofHutHatch，reporter。Helearspregthedisappearaure，andthendeLesseps。Hefouiementbonhysteria；anintimatioeroftheobjectofhisvisitcauseddeLessepstoburstintowords。

"Moiseous！"heexclaimed。"WhatIdo？Iwastheoheroomforseveraldays。Iwastheoooksustoprotectthepidnowitisgohelossisirreparable。WhatIdo？"