and help me find him out! I
know he has an immortal picture somewhere here! He wants to spring it
upon you and me along with the herd, by and by. But we wish to be
partakers in the pleasure of preparation, do we not, Mr. Devant?"

The musical voice had a ring in it not altogether lovely. "Stand aside,
Mr. Devant! See, he must have brought his work out after we left
yesterday. It was orderly enough then; but look at it now! Let us
examine this upon the easel. But first, open the door. I smell stale
wine. The untidy fellow has not washed the glasses!"

Mr. Devant opened the door and said with a half laugh, "I'm not quite
sure how Dick will like this, Katharine. But while the cat's away--"

"Ah!" The word came sharply. "Mr. Devant, look here!" The two were
standing before the easel.

"Good Lord!" cried the man. "The Pimpernel! Katharine, this Dick of ours
has prepared a surprise for us sure enough!"

"He evidently had reasons for holding us at bay, Mr. Devant." A thinly
veiled sneer was in the low, even voice. "He has been using that wild,
odd, young creature of yours as a model! And he has never told you? I
greatly fear our sly Dick has been--well, deceitful!"

"Oh! my dear girl!" Devant reassured her, "you do not understand. Dick
has probably had to procure such a model upon terms of secrecy, not on
his own account, but hers! You do not know these people. They are not
above taking money, but they make their own terms."

"Terms?" Again the scornful tone.

"Yes, my dear! Why, what do you think would happen if I called my cook
Eliza instead of Mrs. Smith? Starvation, my dear, actual starvation! And
I carry my own laundry to Mrs. Abner Snow's,--carry it and fetch it.
This girl now might be willing to pose, and you must admit that she is a
raving beauty, but she would hold Dick to a cast-iron vow never to let
any one know. What's more, I can take my oath, knowing these people as I
do, that the girl never sets her foot in Dick's shop without a body
guard of at least one captain, perhaps three or four!"

"Let us see if he has any more secrets!" There was relaxation in the
clear voice. "Let us hurry; Dick may be here at any moment, and I do so
want to get ahead of him just to punish him for his underhand methods!"

Janet heard the two turn; she knew they were coming directly to the
platform.

"Once,"--the slow, fine voice had regained its smoothness,--"once in New
York I dropped in at Dick's studio when he did not e