pity that it has been so badly relined," he said presently, to
Douglas, pointing to it.

"You think so? Its condition is generally thought to be excellent. My
father was offered eight thousand for it last year by the
Berlin Museum."

Douglas was now apparently quite at his ease. With his thumbs in the
armholes of his white waistcoat, he strolled along beside the two
buyers, holding his own with both of them, thanks to his careful study
of the materials for the history of the collection possessed by his
father. The elder man, a Bremen ship-owner,--one Wilhelm Schwarz--who
had lately made a rapid and enormous fortune out of the Argentine trade,
and whose chief personal ambition it now was to beat the New York and
Paris collectors, in the great picture game, whatever it might cost, was
presently forced to take some notice of the handsome curly-headed youth
in the perfectly fitting blue serge suit, whose appearance as the
vendor, or the vendor's agent, had seemed to him, at first, merely one
more instance of English aristocratic stupidity.

As a matter of fact, Herr Schwarz was simply dazzled by the contents of
Flood Castle. He had never dreamt that such virgin treasures still
existed in this old England, till Miklos, instructed by the Falloden
lawyer, had brought the list of the pictures to his hotel, a few days
before this visit. And now he found it extremely difficult to conceal
his excitement and delight, or to preserve, in the presence of this very
sharp-eyed young heir, the proper "don't care" attitude of the buyer. He
presently left the "running down" business almost entirely to Miklos,
being occupied in silent and feverish speculations as to how much he
could afford to spend, and a passion of covetous fear lest somehow
A----, or Z----, or K----, the leading collectors of the moment, should
even yet forestall him, early and "exclusive" as Miklos assured him
their information had been.

They passed along through the drawing-rooms, and the whole wonderful
series of family portraits, Reynolds', Lawrences, Gainsboroughs,
Romneys, Hoppners, looked down, unconscious of their doom, upon the
invaders, and on the son of the house, so apparently unconcerned. But
Douglas was very far from unconcerned. He had no artistic gift, and he
had never felt or pretended any special interest in the pictures. They
were part of Flood, and Flood was the inseparable adjunct of the
Falloden race. When his father had first mooted the sale o