The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-15
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 TT suppose you are wondering what brings me here, ' he said as we started toward the entrance to the loggia, his arm through mine "I do not forget a promise, MT. Smart. You may re member that agreed to fetch a man from Munchen to look over your fine old frescoes and to give you an esti- mate. We'll he is here, theSvery best man in Europe"
 sI am sure I am greatly indebted to you, count I said, "but after think ing it over I've'-
 Don't say that you. have already engaged some one to do the work, z he cried in horror. My dear fellow, don't tell me that. You are certain to make a dreadful mistake if you listen to any one but Schwartzmu1ler He is the last word in restoratfons He is''-
 I checked him. T have virtually de- cided to let the whole matter go over until next spring. However, shall be happy to have Mr. Schwartzmuller opinion. We may be able to plan ahead.''
 A look of disappointment fitted across his face. The suggestion of hard old age Scrept into his features for a second and then disappeared.
 Delays are dangerous, he said. My judgment is that those gorgeous paintings will disintegrate more dur ing the coming winter than in all the years gone by. They are at the critical stage. If not preserved now-weII, I cannot bear to think of the conse- Quences. An, here is Herr Schwartz muller
 Just inside the door, we came upon . pompous yet lservile German who could not by any means have been mis- taken for anything but the last word in restoration.
 For ten minutes allowed them to e1patiate on the perils of procrasti- nation in the treatment of rare old canvases and pigments, and then, hay ing formulated my plans, b1andly tn- quired what the cost would be.
 q should say not more than 150O0O marks, perhaps less.' said the expert, rolling his calculative eye upward and running it along the vast dome of the hall as if to figure 1t out in yards and inches.
 The count was watching me with an eager light in his eyes. He looked away as shot quick glance at his face The whole matter became as clear as day to me- He was to receive a handsome commission if the contract was awarded.
 Nearly $40. GOO, in other. words, : said redectively.
 .eThey are worth ten times that amount, sir" said the expert gravely.
 I smiled skeptically.
 ttHohendah1 was once offered $250,- GOO, MT. smart he said.
 trWhy didn't he accept ft7" I asked bluntIy ssHe sold the whole place to me, contents included. for less than half that amount"
 Tt was years ago, before he was in such dire straits" he explained quickly
 A terrible suspicion entered my head. I felt myself turn cold. If the fires coes were genuine they were worth all that SchwartzmulIer declared; that being the case, why should Hohendahl have let them come to me for practical Iy nothing when there were dozens of collectors who would have paid him the full price?
 &As a matter of fact, Count Tarnow- sy.'' said. resorfing to unworthy means, ssI have every reason to believe that Hohendahl sold the originals some time ago and had them replaced on the ceilings by clever limitations They are not worth the canvas they are painted on.''
 He started. 'sImpossibleP' he cried sharply.
 t4By no means impossible I said calmly, now sure of my ground. ''Tc be perfectly frank with you, I've known from the beginning that they are fakes. Count Hohendahl confessed to me at the time our transaction took place that the frescoes were very re cent productions The originals, think, are in London or New York, I saw guilt in the face of Herr SchwartzmuI1er. I looked straight into the Germans eyes and said, 'tNow that I come to think of it, I am sure he mentioned the name of Schwartzmul- Ter in connection with the''-
 ssIt is not true! It is not truer' roar, ed the expert without waiting for me to finish "He lied to youi We-the great firm of Zumpe & Schwartzmullel we could not be tempted with mil lions to do such thing"
 I went a step farther in my de6uc tions. Somehow I had grasped the truth-this pair deliberately hoped tc swindle me out of $4oO0o. They knew the frescoes were limitations, and vel they were urging me to spend a huge sum of money in restoring canyases that bad been purposely made to lool old and dimsy in order to deceive s more cautious purchaser than I.
 Moreover Count Tarnowsy, you ara fully aware of all this.''
 My dear fellow