The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-11


~. nov CAN on Elder Dehn.tt."
said Kent
That worthy was about closing up
shop when they entered.
.sbon't your lamp work right yet.
Profssor E:ner ne inquired.
I'VE haye come 10 sse you on another
matter, Nr. Sedgwick and I"
First, Let me thank you." said
sedgwiok, ssfOr the curious work Of
art which you left At my place"
'Hay-ee7" inquired the Elder. with
a rising infection.
IT," put in Kent Just show us the
original Of the drawing which you
traced 80 handiiy."
The town gossip shifted uneasily
from foot to foot. How'd you know
got the picture?'' he giggled. 81
didn't find It myself till / got back
from the auction"
Never mind the process. Have
you the original. here?"
Eyes," said Elder bennett: and,
going to his deAle. he brought hack a
square Of heavy BLUSH paper. slightly
discolored at the edges.
That's very good bit of draw
ing" said Sedgwick as he and Kent
bent over the paper.
ion. Now, Mr.. bennett, whom do
you suppose this to be?'
why. the lady that stopped to talk
with Mr.. Eedgwick, and was killed in
Lonesome Cove"
Then why did you leave out this
earring In copying the ptcture?''
some confusion, "she didn't have no
earrings on when / seen her And It
looks a lot moro like without it."
Your bent for gratuitous mischief
amounts to q passion" retorted the
scientist. Some day 1t will get you
into deserved trouble. / trust"
Il guess there amt no law to pre-
vent my givin' away a picture. IL I
like" sulked the Elder.
Perhaps you'd like to give away
another one"
Yankee shrewdness sparkled in the
eye Of Mr.. bennett. "Mr. Sedgwick
| said that was q good drawin', and I
guess he knows. / guess it's worth
money"
How much money would you
guess?"
Five dollars" replied the other in
| q bold expulsion OF breath.
At this moment Sedgwick, who had
been studying the picture in the light,
which did not escape Kent
Five dollars IL a big price for a
rough pencil sketch" said the scien-
tist. IT'D have to know more Of the
picture to pay that for It. Where did
you nnd it7''
I'm this book. I bought the book
at Dimmock's rummage auction" He
edition Of the Massachusetts, Agricul-
tural Reports. 1.-THE picture was
stuck in between the leaves"
mo name in the book" said Kent
The fiy-ieaf - gone. But here's the
date OF publication: 1890"
That would be just about right"
said sedgwick with lively interest.
Right for what?" demanded Dem
nett
Before there was time for reply,
Kent had pressed a five-dollar bill into
his hand. with the words:
You've made a trade
Wait" protested the Elder. But
the sketch was already in Sedgwick's
TITS an Elliott" said that gentle
man. I'm sure of It, I've seen his
sketches before-though they're very
rare-and there's an uhmistakable
touch about his pencil work.
I'm that case" said Kent sauvely.
Mr. bennett will b sratified to know
article worth nifty times that"
They left him, groAning at his door
and went to look up Dimmock. the
rummage man. But he was wholly
unable to throw any light on the
former owner Of the reports, in which
the drawing had been tucked away.
There the investigation seemed to be
up against . blank wall.
isn't 1t astounding!" said Sedg-
wick. Here's q portrait antedating
1890 OF q woman who has Just died
young. What was the woman I saw;
a revenant In the fiesh?''
IT you ask me- said Kent slowly,
Il should say rather an imitation"
Further he would not say, but in
sisted on returning to the Nook. AS
they arrived. the telephone bell was
ringing with the weary persistence
Of the long-unanswered. To Kent's
query. Lawyer Bain's voice an
I've been trying to get you for
Sorry" said Kent. els 1t about the
newspapers?"
Yes" said the lawyer. 'I've got
the Information" And he stated that
four newspapers went regularly to
Hedgerow House-The New York Star
to Alexander Blair. and The Boston
Free Press to Wufrid Blair.
Over this information Kent whistled
In such melancholy tones that his host
was moved to protest.
You're on the track Of something,
and you're keeping It dark from mel"
I'm not travelling the most bril-
liantly Illuminated paths myself, my
young friend" replied Kent, and
lapsed into silence.
The artist set the Elliott sketch
beside the copy ana compared them
for = time. Then he fell to wander
ing desolately about the studio. Sud
denly he turned. walked over to his
friend. and laid hand on hts shout
der.
Kent. for the love OF heaven. can't
you do something for me?"
You mean about the girl?"
Sedgwick nodded. II can't get my
mind to stay on anything else. Even
this internal puzzle OF the pictures
doesn't interest me for more than the
minute. The longing for her Is eat
ing the heart out OF me-"
MY dear Frank" said the other
quietly, III they were anything could
do. don't you think I'd be doing 1t
It's very dark tangle. And first Of
all have to clear your"
Never mind me! What do care
what people think?"