The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-05-18
CHAPTER VI-Continued

In emulation of ner cheerful indus
pot began to bubble merrily, and three
minutes later-the correct time, | be-
lieye, for tea to draw-Captain Ash.
land was drinking the brew which,
with the crown, unites the British
empire. The two other gentlemen did
not have to be coaxed long to Join
him. so my judgment in laying in plen-
~ of tea proved correct The cap
tain sat happily In a big oak arm
chair, Mr.. Roberts accommodated mis-
length of limb TO the radiator, and
Mr.. Case leaned gracefully on a filing
cabinet all chatting cOzily of this and
that, while the rain descended and
the wind blew. and Nancy contributed
a one-act educational sketch, cabaret
fashion, with a partner in the person
of a messenger boy who came in with
a package for DarreIl's on Fifth ave-
nue..
Isn't this ripping" cried the cap
tain, radiantly. "Of course know it's
not manners to ask, but mayn't l have
another cup?"
AS he leaned forward to pass his
teacup, his glance fell casually on the
worn caIfskin binding of Clarihew's
''NOtes," still on cop of the desk. He
picked the book up deliberately.
opened the cover, and again gazed
with interest at the laboratory inte-
rior giving on the distant sea. 81
fancy Miss Fuller thinks I'm never
happy unless I'm stopping some one
elSe's work and doing none myself"
he observed. This time she was all
ready to soak off this bookplate, when
j did what you call horned in, and
asked for another American tea.
party"
Mr.. Case smiled politely.
Yes, we're to sell the book and
bookplate separately, | hear"
Zone often does. better that way"
observed Captain Ashland. 81 don't
know about prices here 1 under
stand the book was expensive-fve
hundred and ten dollars, wasn't it?
What would this curious bookplate
likely fetch?"
Horror and amaZement filed nv
soul and that of Mr.. Roberts, whose
glance intercepted mine as the cap
tain thus calmly added. to the list
of disasters he had witnessed at Oar.
rows in less than four days, the fact
that be was Informed of the worst
fluke in buying that had befallen the
house for years. Who had told him
Not |, nor Mr.. Roberts. not Peter, as
suredly; yet all OF US might have
sooner than the uncle who so desired.
for some mysterious reason, to i'm
press him favorably. Mr.. Case was
esual to the situation, however, choos
ing, as he did, to answer the first of
the two questions.
81 hadn't heard what was paid for
the book" he said.
I'm especially interested In this
bookplate," went OF the captain
finally accepting his teacup, because
when | saw ii here at Miss Fuller's
desk the other day, when | was study
ing your index, noted directly how
closely II resembled the work of one
OF our most famous eHSrdVerS, f1uSD
Colfax. though it was. Enthusiastically. a
counterfeit"
How did you observe that?" In.
quired Mr. Roberts. "Yes, will take
another cup. II you please, Miss Full
Ter. And may look al the print. cap
tain. If you have finished with tt?"
But it's not print you see." said
the captain, passing over the book.
"It's really a drawing, an awfully
clever imitation of q fine line engrav-
ing. I'm hardly ashamed TO say !
didn't detect the forgery until | had
looked at the plate hard Many col;
iector has been fooled by limitations
inferior to this one. Still, there are
suspicious things about 1t: for in
stance. the paper Colfax always ia.
gored q peculiar shade of brown"
This is brown" said Mr.. Roberts.
yellow brown" corrected Captain
Ashland. "and no doubt the best that
could he got; but COlfax used spe-
-ciaI buff tinted paper which be col.