estion was continually poked at Tiffles. He changed his business
so often.

"At the panorama of Africa, to be sure," said Tiffles. "It is a great
idea, and I am constant to it, although several capital schemes have
occurred to me since I first thought of it. But Africa deserves, and
shall have the precedence."

"Oh! yes--I remember. And how far have you got along with this great
work?"

"It's almost finished, thank you. Patching is the artist. You know
Patching, of course--one of the most promising painters of the modern
school. There were several Patchings very much praised by the Sunday
papers, at the last National Academy Exhibition, though the hanging
committee put them either among the dirt or the cobwebs. This conspiracy
against Patching is far-reaching. It would seem as if his rivals of the
Academy actually went about town calling upon people, and cautioning
them _not_ to buy Patchings. Indeed, to such an extent has this
outrageous attempt to put down a fellow artist been carried, that I know
of but one Patching to be publicly seen in the city. It is an attic
interior--a sweet thing, quite equal to Frere, and hangs behind a bar
near Spring street. Perhaps you would like to examine it?"

"Hem! Not to-day. Some other time," answered Marcus, who, strangely
enough, interpreted the question as an invitation to drink at his
(Marcus's) expense.

"I did not mean to-day," said Wesley Tiffles. "Any time will do. Well, I
have engaged this brilliant but neglected creature to paint my panorama.
At first he refused--as I expected. He said that it would hurt his
reputation. I argued to him, that, the larger the picture, the more the
reputation; and said that I would put his name on the bills in type
second only to my own. But he could not bring himself to see the matter
as I did, and consented to paint it only on condition of profound
secrecy. Price, one hundred dollars. You will therefore understand
(Tiffles lowered his voice) that what I am saying to you is strictly
confidential--as, indeed, all is that I say about my panorama. Secrecy
alone gives value to these grand, original ideas."

Wesley Tiffles was always unbosoming himself to the world, and informing
each individual hearer that his disclosure was strictly confidential.

"I give you my word," said Marcus. He wondered where Tiffles raised the
money to pay the artist, but did not like to ask him.

"Now I have caught you, you must come and see how we get along. T