Evening star., 1923-02-25

traced a far as it has been. Uh-hur.
There was Bates who was quite a
chap in Cromwelrs time-one Of the
prominent Roundheads, in fact. That's
him, over in the corner, with the
leather jacket and funny hat on. And
next comes Lady Ann, with the high
lace collar. Rather a lively old girl.
she was, in her day"
She looks the part" says |.
= x X
s'TELI. me, Preston" puts in G.
i Hanson, how did you happen
to start this collection? And where'd
you dig up so much about your family"
We'll, it was rather funny" says
Preston. 1T all started when | sent
that painting of the old squire. my
great-gra ndfather. to have the frame
regilded. Seems that an expert in
that line-one of these geuealogists
saw it in the shop and spotted II as
a mate to one he'd picked up himself
in England. He trots around to see
me, says he believes his painting Is
young man. and blamed il it don't
turn out to be SO. We found Painted
for A. Bates scratched on the back
of the stretcher. with the date and
all
Then he went on TO tell US how this
expert, who was an Englishman by
the name of Totten. had suggested
that he might be able to find more
curio shops. And it seems Preston
would stake him to a scouting tour
through the London galleries and
curio shops. And it seems Preston
fell for the scheme, after Totten had
doped out an impressive looking fam
lily chart for him and had furnished
him with an honest st-to-goodness coat
of arms.
and he found all these" | asked,
elancing around the library walls.
"Oh. yes" says Preston. Clever of
him, eh?''
very" says l. picked them up
cheap ! suppose"
'FWel-l-l, not all of EN-" says Pres
ton. draggy. Some Of those English
dealers stung him rather hard when
they suspected he was buying for an
American But they're going to be
worth all we paid, for as a family
collection this Is already one of the
most complete in this country. You
see some of these paintings were
done BY the best artists, old boys
whose work brings fancy prices and
is getting scarcer and more valuable
all the time. That's the way with all
antique stuff of that kind. It's a good
buy. better than stocks or bonds"
in staring
hard at Bates. who fed you that
yarn
"why. Totten," says he. He knows
Of paintings which have been sold for
ten times what they cost, after just
few years. Showed me newspaper
clippings to prove it. And he had
line on some old masters which could
be bought right. That's how I came
to go into the business"
Then this isn't alp says I. You
you're investing heavy in art, are
you?"
well, I'm planning to-" admits
Preston.
"On the say-so of this fellow Tot
ten?" demands G. Hanson.
Not altogether says Preston.
pinking up in the ears bit. Tit
may sound sort of foolish to you. but
I'm being coached by-by some one in
the Beyond"
"Wha-a-at?" gasps G. Hanson,
leaning forward in his chair.
by Squire Ashabel," says Preston.
what do you mean ] asked.
spirit rappings?'
mo" says Preston. TITS spooky
enough, though. But Totten can tell
by the look in his eyes-the portrait,
YOU know. See him, up there? Seems
as if he was looking straight at you,
don't he? And it's the same. no mat
ter what part Of the room you're in.
Those eyes of his are following you.
Try it,
X X X X
yTUST to humor him, I did. And it
81 was so. You couldn't get away
from those stern, shrewd old eyes
But how can you tell what the old
boy means?" asked. He always
looks the same.
"Ah, but he doesn't" says Preston.
"Totten discovered that one night
when we were talking of buying a
portrait that he was doubtful about
He had the picture here, and the first
thing I knew he called out to me:
Good God, Bates, look at the squire's
eyes!'
Well, how did they look - I asked.