r sticks and umbrellas, and whips and
hunting-crops were ranged on hooks beneath a 12-bore and a rook rifle.

A pert maid-servant took Furneaux's card, blanched when she read it, and
forgot to close the door of the dining-room. Hence, the detective heard
Elkin's gruff comments:

"What? _That_ chap? Wants to see me? Not more than I want to see him.
Show him in."

Furneaux, looking very meek and mild, entered an apartment of the
carpet-bag upholstery period. A set of six exceedingly good and rare
sporting prints caught his eye.

"Good day," he said, finding Elkin drinking tea, and eating a boiled
egg. "You're feeling better, I'm glad to see."

Now, no matter how ungracious a man may be, a courteous solicitude as to
his health demands a certain note of civility in return.

"Yes," he said. "Sit down. Will you join me?"

"I'll have a cup of tea, with pleasure," said Furneaux.

"Right-o! Just touch that bell, will you?"

The other obeyed, and took a closer look at one of the prints. Yes, the
date was right, 1841, and the stippling admirable.

"Nice lot of pictures, those," he said cheerfully, when the frightened
maid, much to her relief, had been told to bring another cup and a fresh
supply of toast.

"Are they?" Elkin had taken them and some kitchen furniture for a bad
debt.

"Yes. Will you sell them?"

"Well, I haven't thought about it. What'll you give?"

Furneaux hesitated.

"I can't resist anything in the art line that takes my fancy," he said,
after a pause of indecision. "What do you say to ten bob each?"

Elkin valued the lot at that figure, but Furneaux was a fool, and should
be treated as such.

"Oh, come now!" he cried roguishly. "They're worth more than that."

Furneaux reflected again.

"Three pounds is a good deal for six prints," he murmured, "but, to get
it off my mind, I'll spring to guineas."

"Make it three-ten and they're yours."

"Three guineas is my absolute limit," said Furneaux.

"Done!" cried Elkin. The original debt was under two pounds, so he had
cleared more than fifty per cent. on the transaction, and was plus a
number of chairs and a table.

Furneaux counted out the money, wrote a receipt on a leaf torn from his
pocket-book, and stamped it.

"Sign that," he said, "pocket the cash, send the set to the Hare and
Hounds for me in a dog-cart now, and the deal is through."

Leaving the table, he went and lifted down each picture carefully.
Somewhat wonderingly, Elkin ra