But he had promised to buy a
picture, and Marjorie had hoped that Robert would like one of them well
enough to----

"Oh, if that's all," puts in Mr. Robert, "then tell him I'll take one,
too."

"But you can't buy pictures without seeing them," protests Marjorie.
"Brooks is too sensitive. He wants appreciation, encouragement, you
see."

"A lot I could give him," says Mr. Robert. "Why, I know no more about
that sort of thing than--well, than----" And just here his eye lights
on me. "Oh, I say, though," he goes on, "it would be all right,
wouldn't it, if I sent a--er--a commissioner?"

"I suppose that would do," says Marjorie.

"Good!" says Mr. Robert. "Torchy, go with Marjorie and look at that
lot. If they're any good, buy one for me."

"Wha-a-at!" says I. "Me buy a picture?"

"Full power," says he, startin' back towards the meetin'. "Pick out
the best, and tell Bladen to send me the bill."

And there we're left, Marjorie and me, lookin' foolish at each other.

"Well, he's done a duck," says I.

"If you mean he's got himself out of buying a picture, you're
mistaken," says she. "Come along."

She insists on callin' the bluff, too. Course, I tries to show her,
all the way up in the limousine, how punk a performer I'd be at a game
like that, and how they'd spot me for a bush leaguer the first stab I
made.

"Not at all," says Marjorie, "if you do as I tell you."

With that she proceeds to coach me in the art critic business. The
lines wa'n't hard to get, anyway.

"For some of them," she goes on, "you merely go 'Um-m-m!' under your
breath, you know, or 'Ah-h-h-h!' to yourself. Then when I give you a
nudge you may exclaim, 'Fine feeling!' or 'Very daring!' or 'Wonderful
technic, wonderful!'"

"Yes; but when must I say which?" says I.

"It doesn't matter in the least," says Marjorie.

"And you think just them few remarks," says I, "will pull me through."

"Enough for an entire exhibit at the National Academy," says she. "And
when you decide which you like best, just point it out to Mr. Bladen."

"Gee!" says I. "Suppose I pick a lemon?"

"Robert won't know the difference," says she, "and it will serve him
right. Besides, poor Brooks needs the encouragement."

"Kind of a dub beginner with no backing is he?" says I.

Marjorie describes him different. Accordin' to her, he's a classy
comer in the art line, with all kinds of talent up his sleeve and Fame
busy just around the corner on a l