In Friendship's Guise

to which Victor Nevill referred was he

e was a keen and discriminating patron of art, a lover of both the ancient and the modern, and his vast wealth permitted him to indulge freely in his hobby. His collection was well known by repute throughout the civilized world. But the trustees of the estate seem to have committed a grave blunder-which will undoubtedly cause much complaint-in waiting until almost the last moment to announce

n print escaped Stephen Foster's li

ttom of it-British cunning against Dutch stupidity! I seldom miss anything in the paper

thought the paragraph would interest you. The sale

h full value. But ￡2,400 for the Rembrandt! Why, it's worth five times as much if it's worth a penny! There's a profit for you, Nevill.

nce when I read of the sale. But I had another reason-o

rently did not hear

superior to his 'Gilder,' which is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. It represented a Pole or a Russian, with a face of intense ferocity. His rank was shown by his rich cloak, the decorations on his furred hat, and by the gold-beaded mace held in

his Rembrandt, or any other painting of value and renown, should be

llector who was willing to buy it and hide it away. But in the course of a few years, when the affair had blo

our safe, you would regard it as a sound and su

of thing done-the ordinary burglar doesn't understand the game," he went on, carelessly. "And a good thing for the dealers

ly. Would you like to make ￡10,000

thing," Stephen Foster replied, laughingly. "Nevill, wha

ent, and I'

ly, and turned the key noiselessly in the lock. H

e story," he said. "It will int

one in which he spoke. Stephen Foster listened with a blank expression that gradually changed to a look of amazement and satisfaction

ple enough," said Stephen Foste

ted. "If I went, it might lead to a

. But I'll take a night to think it over, and give

es off all right, I want ￡

Stephen Foster, as he rose. "Come in to-morrow afternoo

sixty

ocketed it with a nod. He put on hi

-awfully good," he said. "Miss Foster might like to

t care for theatres. And, as you k

own there by the river. And the fresh air does a fellow a lot of good. I feel like a new m

Stephen Foster, in a voice th

ou," Nevill repli

walking thoughtfully