xed" sale of antiques, and
Eleanor said: "That is why everything brought such awfully high prices.
The articles must have had a set price on them to begin with, and when
Mr. Van Styne offered a thing, the dealer was there to run it to a figure
beyond the given price on the books. I am surprised that the old
auctioneer would do such a thing."

"I don't believe he knew the sale was what we call 'padded'; for he seems
too conscientious a man to lend himself to such a deception," remarked
Mrs. Fabian.

"If he was just hired to sell the stuff, regardless of how it got out to
Parsippany, and told to follow book-orders, he had no choice, had he?"
asked Polly.

"He looks such an honest old fellow, I don't believe he even knew the
goods came from a New York dealer. Just because he _is_ so honest, is one
reason why people who knew him will listen to his advice and for the same
reason a clever New York dealer would hire him. I wouldn't be surprised,
if you girls hear from him, some day, to the effect that he is shocked to
learn that this sale was not on the level as far as the yarn went," said
Jack.

"Well, I'd feel better if he did. I really feel hurt, now, to think he
might be as tricky as that other dealer," said Polly.

"But it would not be called 'tricky,' Polly, in clever business circles,"
said Mrs. Fabian.

"Maybe not, but to me it looks a lot like selling goods under false
representations. I'd rather not sell anything than have to sell that
way."

"When you come right down to 'brass tacks' and study out the whole scheme
of things, Polly, we might be accused of tricky works, too," remarked
Eleanor.

"What do you mean?" demanded Polly, astonished.

"Well, when you think of how we got that pair of old candle-sticks in
exchange for a brass lamp! We had no lamp to exchange, but Mrs. Fabian
rushed off to a store and got one. Then there were those old pictures at
Van Styne's. We were afraid he'd suspect them of being valuable, so we
dusted them well again, as they had been originally, and placed them with
two others to make a 'job lot' of them, to hide the facts about them."

"But," remonstrated Polly, "the lady who had no use for the candle-sticks
_did_ want a brass lamp the worst way. And Sally Dolan, who never
appreciated the pictures when she had them, _did_ appreciate the money we
paid for them--while we appreciated the old things other folks failed to
value."

"Polly is right, there, Nolla," added Mrs. Fabia