The evening world., 1920-10-02

he painted only a few. And
next, the Goya"---
.. Wood heavensl where 10 the
E1Eonard ? cried Dick. hn eyes
oalglns behind ns pinre -neE.
surely Il was hore''---
-, 90, surely yesi" painted his wifo.
N'as never anywhere else
~ an instant they we're atrichsn
INTO Silence both staring al a blank
epaoe on the black velvet tnol,-
ground whore twenty nine miniAhiroa
hunE. There vas no doubt aboat Il
when they had reviewed the rows OF
htue PAINTED faces. The FraEonard
was gone.
Seton.
"Unloss one of You or some ser-
want you trust with the key. h a
eolnnambuligt." aiid Knight Il
don't see how Il would pay a thief
70 steal such a thing n muat b
too wei known. He couldn't dispose
o. it-that - u he weren't a collector
himself; and even then he could
never show n. But---by Jovei''
what n n7 What haVe von
Soonff' Annesley seton. asked
sharply.
Knight pointed. without touehlnr
the cabinet lie had never come near
enough 10 do that. IT looks To me a.
n square bit OF glass had been cut
out Of the side where the lost minia-
ture must have hung" he said. Il
can't be sure, from who're stand be-
cause the cabinet n too close 10 the
wall OF the recess"
Dick Annesley- Seton thrust hla arm
Into the space between green brocade
nnd glass. then slipped his hand
A.
enough TO admit ita passage. with
hts hand IN the square hole he could
reach the spot where the miniature
had hung. and could have taken u on
the hook had II been there. But hook.
a. well a. miniature. wua missing.
THAT settles IT, he exclaimed. 1T
% a theft. and n clever onei strange
we should ind II out whom 7 was
demonstrating 70 you how much
wished II would happen Hurrahl
That miniature alone is insured
against burglary for seven or eight
hundred pounds Nothing 10 what It's
worth. hut a lot 10 pay q premium on
with the rest OF the things besides. I
wish now ! hadn't been 30 cheese
parting. Youth he witnesses. you two,
OF our discovery. I'm glad Connie
and I weren't alone when We found Il
out Something nasty might have
been said"
Well back you UP with pleasure. {"
knight replied. what was the min
iRture like I wonder n we saw n
when we were here the other day
Anita7 I remember these. but can't
recall any other"
Neither can l." returned Annesley
Tut l am stupid about such things
We saw 80 maryland passed 90
quickly"
Il wonder II Paul Van Wreck was
here in disguise among the tourists7"
said Dick. beginning 10 LAUGH. 1T
would have been the one he'd have
chosen " he couldn't grab the lot"
"Oii, surely no one In tho crowd
could have cut piece OF glass out OF
a cabinet and stolen miniature
without being scent" Annealey cried.
"Dick 10 half In Joke" Constance
explained. 1T would have been n
miracle, yet the servants are above
suspicion Those horrid trustees never
let me choose a new ono without Their
Interference. And OF course Dick
didn't mean what he said about Mr..
Van Wreck"
''Of course not understood that. Z"
Anneslcy excused herself. blushing
lest she had appeared obtuse.
"All tho same. 20 carry on the Joke.
let's go into the Octagon room and SET
n the alleged Fragonard pictures have
gone too" said Annesley seton. He
led the way. turning on more light
In the adjoining room as he went:
and. understanding the others. they
heard him stammer. Good Lordi"
before they were near enough 70 see
Whist he saw.
They aren't gomez" shriskod his
wife hurFVing after him
zone OF them is"
In an instant the three had grouped
behind him. where he stood staine
at an empty frame. btween two others
Of the same pattern and slze. charm
INK old frames twelve or fourteen
inches square, within whose bound
aries Of carved and g'ided wood
nymnhs held hands and dance
"Are We dreaming this7" Rasped
Constance.
Thank Heaven we'ro mott" the
husband answered The two paint
lngs are on wood you see. SO was
me missing one Some one has sluu'v
unfaFtened n from the frnme. and
trusted % this hcing n dark out-of-
the way corner. not 10 have the theh
noticed for hours ur maybe days Rv
all that's wonderful. here's another
Insurance haul for me! What about
the Jade Buddha In the Chinese
ROOM"
They rushed back into tho Frren
drawing room. ard 20 Ca I've heouflfui
Chinese room hDvprd with ita price
lcsa lncuuer tables a0d cahlnets In
ono ~ the latter collection ~ ex-
quisite iRde was gathered torothn~
Ard the Bnd1hn which Paul Van
Vrcrk had eovnftT u-as rsnpat