d you
get it?"

"Spoken like a gentleman and a man of honor, and this time you tell the
truth. It's just what you say--marvellous. I swapped a twenty by thirty
for it. Will you take it?"

Felix shook his head, a smile playing about his lips.

"I would if I wanted to be unfair. Here, take your bronze and leave the
picture. I will find a frame for it, and have one of the men give it a
coat of varnish."

"And you'll write the note?"

"Is that necessary?"

"Of COURSE, it's necessary. You don't know Sam. He's as cunning as a
weasel and can get away before you know it. Got to fool him. I always
do. Told him more lies in one minute this morning than a horse can trot.
Will you write the note?"

Felix laughed. "Yes, just as soon as you go."

"And you won't hold on to the bronze?"

"No, I won't hold on to the bronze."

"And you can get fifty dollars for this unexampled work of art? That, of
course, is the ASKING price. Ten would do a whole lot of good."

"I cannot say positively, but I will try."

"All right. And now where's that darling child?"

A laugh rang out from the top of the stairs, the laugh of a child
overjoyed at meeting some one she loves, followed by "do you mean me?"

"Of course, I mean you, Toddlekins. Come down here and let me give you
a big hug. And I've got a message for you from that dried-up old fellow
with the shaggy head. He sent you his love--every bit of it, he said.
And he's found some more gewgaws he's going to bring up some day. Told
me that, too."

Masie had reached the floor and was running toward him with her hands
extended, Fudge springing in front.

The old painter caught her up in his arms, lifting her off her little
feet, and as quickly setting her down, his eyes snapping, his whole face
aglow. The joy bottled up in the child seemed to have swept through him
like an electric current.

"And wasn't it a beautiful party?" she burst out when she found her
breath. "And wasn't Uncle Felix good to make it all for me?" She had
moved to O'Day's side and had slipped her hand in his.

"Yes, of course, it was," roared Ganger. "Why, old Sam Dogger was so
excited when he went to bed, he didn't sleep a wink all night. He's
thought of nothing else but parties ever since. He's getting up one for
you. Told me so this morning."

The child's eyes dilated.

"What sort of a party?"

"Oh, a dandy party, but it's not going to be at night. It's going to be
in the daytime. All out in the bless