第51章名画失窃案（2）
"Ext，ext!"saiddeLessepsadmiringly。Hesmiledalittlebit。"IamafraidIdidnotgiveyoucreditfthefar-sightedbusihatyouare。&qulaheofpicturesabstractedly。"Acleverthief，though，"heve;mightcutavaluablepainting，foriheRubens，outoftheframe，rollitup，derhisdescape。"
Kalelaughedpleasantlyandshookhishead。
ItleofdayslateratthehotelthatdeLessepsbroughtupthesubjectofgtheWhistler。Herofuseinhisthankswheeeredtoatothemansionaheprelimihework。Theypausedattheballroomdoor。
"Jennings，"saidKaletotheliveriedservahisisMr。deLesseps。Heistoeandgoashelikes。Heisgoingtodosomeworkintheballroomhere。Seethatheisn'tdisturbed。"
&icedtheRubensleaningcarelesslyagaiherpictures，withtheholyfaadonnatowardthem。"Really，Mr。Kale，"heprotested，"thatpictureistoovaluabletobeleftaboutlikethat。Ifyouwillletyourservantsbringmesomevas，Ishalllaceitupoablehereoffthefloor。Supposethereweremicehere!"
&hahenecessaryiven，andfiurewascarefullyla'sreach，whereupoedhimself，paper，easel，stool，andall，andbeganhisworkofg。ThereKalelefthim。
&erKalejusthappeodropin，andfoustillathislabor。
"Ijustdroppedby，"heexplai;toseehowtheworkinthegallerywasgettingalong。Itwillbefiherweek。IhopeIamnyou?"
"Notatall，"saiddeLesseps;"Ihavenearlyfinished。SeehowIamgettingalong?"Heturo>
Themilliazedfromthattowardtheinalwhichstoodonaearby，andfrankadmiratio'seffortswasi;Why，it'sfi;heexclaimed。"It'sjustasgoodastheotherone，ayoudon'twantahousanddollarsforit—eh?"
Thatwasallthatwassaidaboutitatthetime。Kalewahehouseforanhourorso，theheballroomwheretheartistwasjustgettinghisparapherher，andtheywalkedbacktothehotel。TheartistderonearmhiscopyoftheWhistler，looselyrolledup。
Oneweekpassed，andtheworkmenwhohadbeenengagedinrefinishiingthegalleryhadgone。DeLessepsvoluoassistinthewthepidKalegladlyturerovertohim。ItwasiernoohiswanthatdeLesseps，gpleasantlyedloosethevaswhishroudedthepreciousRubens。Thehaionofdismay。Thepicturewasgoheframewhichhadhelditty。Athinstripofvasaroundtheihatasharppenknifehadbeeoutthepainting。
AllofthesefactscametotheattentionofPrustusS。F。X。VahinkihiswasadayorsoafterKalehadrushediiveMallory'sofficeatpoliceheadquarters，withthestatementthathisRubeolen。Hebangedhisfistdowive'sdeskahim。"Itefiftythousanddollars!"hedeclaredviolently。"Whydon'tyoudosomething?Whatareyousittiaringatmefor?"
"Don'texr。Kale，"thedetectiveadvised。"Iwillputmymenatwhthe—the—WhatisaRubens，anyway?"
"It'sapicture!"bellowedMr。Kale。"Apievaswithsomepaintonit，anditefiftythousanddollars—don'tyetthat!"
Sothepolierywassetinmotiohepainting。AerfelluchfuleyeofHutHatch，reporter。Helearspregthedisappearaure，andthendeLesseps。Hefouiementbonhysteria;anintimatioeroftheobjectofhisvisitcauseddeLessepstoburstintowords。
"Moiseous!"heexclaimed。"WhatIdo?Iwastheoheroomforseveraldays。Iwastheoooksustoprotectthepidnowitisgohelossisirreparable。WhatIdo?"
Hat'thaveaeideaastojustwhathecoulddo，sohelethimgoon。"AsIu，Mr。deLesseps，"hei，"nooheroom，exr。Kale，allthetimeyouwerethere?"
";
"AndIthinkMr。Kalesaidthatyaouswatercolor;weren'tyou?"
"Yes，aThamesse，byWhistler，"ly。"Thatisit，hahema;
Hatcedatthepictureadmiringly。Itwasaedshowedthedefttouanwhowashimselfanartistofgreatability。
DeLessepsreadtheadmirationi;Itisnotbad，"hesaidmodestly。"IstudiedwithCarolusDuran。"