d for a
painting? I mean one of what he swears at as his `pretty pictures'?"

"I believe about two thousand dollars."

That was part of the information necessary to Larry's plan.

"Miss Sherwood, I'm going to ask another favor of you. In connection
with a bet I made with Mr. Hunt. I want to talk with a picture
dealer--the best one there is. I can't very well go to him. Can you
manage to have him come here?"

"Easily. I know the man best for your purpose. I'll telephone, and if
he's in New York he'll come to see you this afternoon."

"Thank you."

She started out, then turned. "Better finish your business with him
to-day if you can. We go to the country to-morrow or the day after. I've
just had word that the workmen are finally out of the house; though the
grounds, of course, are in bad shape, and will probably remain so. With
this labor situation, it's practically impossible to get men."

Larry remembered something else. "Miss Sherwood, you recall my once
speaking about a man I got to be friends with in prison--Joe Ellison?"

"Yes."

"I've written him, under an assumed name, of course, and have had an
answer. He'll be out in a very few days now. He's through with his old
ways. I know he'd like nothing better than a quiet place to work, off to
himself somewhere. I'm sure you can trust him."

"We'll arrange to have him come out to Cedar Crest. Oh, don't think I'm
being generous or sentimental," she interrupted smilingly as he started
to thank her. "I'd be glad to put two or three more ex-convicts to work
on our place if I could get them. And so would my friends; they can't
get workmen of any kind."

That afternoon the picture dealer came. Miss Sherwood introduced Larry
to him as Mr. Brandon, her cousin, and then left the two men together.
Larry appraised Mr. Graham as a shrewd man who knew his business and who
would like to score a triumph in his own particular field. He decided
that the dealer had to be handled with a great deal of frankness, and
with some stiff bluffing which must appear equally frank. The secret
of Larry's earlier success had been to establish confidence and even
enthusiasm in something which had little or no value. In selling an
honest thing at an honest price, the first and fundamental procedure was
the same, to establish confidence and, if possible, enthusiasm.

From the moment of introduction Larry quietly assumed the manner of an
art collector who was very sure of himself; which mann