The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-06-04

labor, and prefer making money throug
their brains. ! had some knowledge Of
man of this race who earned an excellen
living as an expert in the value Of pictures
l looked him up to see whether he eoul
throw out hint to guide me. Finding hin
at home, opened the conversation by say
ing
"Where can The picture have got 10 ?"
perhaps it is nearer than you imagine,
was the answer.
"What do you mean p I said lookinl
round, expecting to see it in some corner O
his room.
"Not here,' he replied, laughing, "but il
London"
ain the possession Of whom-the theft"
"oh, no In the custody of its natura
guardian-the purchaser"
al do not understand you. II Mr.. Med
win has the picture, why all this bother ?"
"Mr. Medwin knows what pays, anC
wants big advertisement. Some day Tn,
picture will turn up-found in America, 10
instance-and il will sell at greatly en-
hanced value. And look at the immens
number of engravings of the work Mr. Med
win is disposng of weekly all through thi
notorety. He has not much to learn, ha
Mr.. Mcdwin."
81 must differ from you. In my opinion
Mr.. Medwin is quite in the dark, and thu
the picture was really stolen"
awe shall see. Keep in mind my words
What chance would a thief have Of sellinJ
such well-known work ?"
Next morning went to reside close to th,
country seat of the Burkes.
The house was show place, and admis
sion could therefore be easily procured.
availed myself of this permission, and pass
ed myself Off as an amateur painter, ,desrou
of studying certain landscapes In the gal
lery.
There .laere some cabinets containint
rare engravings in the library, should lik,
to have SEEM" said to the librarian.
"But the old man shook his head, anC
said
"His lordship always carried the key
with him, AID never showed the contents t
anyone"
"Does he not even intrust you with tht
keys?" I asked.
"He used TO do go, but not of late"
"The collection of Rembrant's is very com
plete, believer"
This learned from the local guide book
"The best in England"
"Well, look here, there would be no harm
in my having peep, and if you can man.
age it l will richly compensate you for The
trouble"
al am afraid ii cannot be done. How
long are you gong to remain in the neigh.
borhood 2"
"a day or two--it don't matter"
"Well," snid the avaricious old humbug,
al will see what can be done, but you mus
be prepared to come up here at moment'l
notice. Give me your address, and / will
write when chance occurs"
So far well and good. I hoped soon tc
prove whether my theory was correct, that
Lord Burke, not being able to part with
this particular work, had surreptitiously
taken it. 1t was strange thing for a nar
to do.
On my second visit to the London gallery
the man In charge was more communica.
tive, and / learned that his lorship had
been alone with the pictures for about five
minutes. Thele was plenty of time to dc
the decd; and nothing so easy as to place
the canvas fat on your person, aud button
your top-coat over it.
The librarian did not keep me waiting
long. On receipt Of his note did not los,
any time in joining him in the library. H,
produced the keys. How he got them
don't know and his lordship had gone tc
the quarter sessions.
There were three cabinets altogether, ant
two of them were drawn blank. The en
cravings appeared to admire greatly, bu
was anxious to see the contents of the las
cabinet
On unlocking number three, the librarian
looked as if he had just seen ghost. In
drawer all to itself, carefully arranged, wa
the well-known picture about which th,
world had been so recently talking. Th,
old man was terrified, and locked the cabi
net hastily, saying it contained private pa
pers which could not be shown to any one
did not pretend to have noticed the pic
ture, and having given the old man hand
some gratuity, ! returned to London.
Mr.. Medwin was astonished at what
told him. A man does not usually rul
away with his own property.
at was very delicate matter" he said
"and required great consideration"
Mr.. Medwn had not parted with an,
money for the work, which made it all th
more difficult to take any steps.
A few days afterwards Mr. Medwin sen
for me.
al want to settle with you. Every thin
is arranged"
"Then you Eave got back the picture"
said.
"No; but it is all right. His lordshiI
and | understand each other. He canno
imagine how discovered the secret"
at is the real picture2"
ayes, decidedly. His lordship told me
but it must be kept in the greatest secrecy
that he found it impossible to separate from
that picture, that he cut it out himself an,
that am to have il at his death for tn
price ! offered at the sale, less the two thou
sand pounds have TO pay you"
Not bad fortnight's work.-London De
tectius Stories
why Wear PIasters1
They may relieve, but they can't cur