第3章名画失窃案（3）
Hat'thaveaeideaastojustwhathecoulddo，sohelethimgoon。"AsIu，MrdeLesseps，"hei，"nooheroom，exrKale，allthetimeyouwerethere?"
";
"AndIthihatyaouswatercolor，weren'tyou?"
"Yes，aThamesse，byWhistler，"ly。"Thatisit，hahema;
Hatcedatthepictureadmiringly。Itwasaedshowedthedefttouanwhowashimselfanartistofgreatability。
DeLessepsreadtheadmirationiisnotbad，"hesaidmodestly。"IstudiedwithCarolusDuran。"
Withallelsethatwasknown，andthislittleadditionalinformation，whichseemedofnoparticularvaluetothereporter，theeerwaslaidbeforeTheThinkidistinguishedmanlistenedfrombegihoutent。
"Whohada?"heaskedfinally。
"Thatisonnoly。"Thereareacoupleofdozesinthehouse，andIsuppose，inspiteofKale&#idorders，therewasalaxityintheire;
"Ofcoursethatmakesitmoredifficult，"saidTheThinkiheperpetuallyirritatedvoicewhichwassodistinctlyapartofhimself。"PerhapsitwouldbebestfotoMrKale'shomeandpersoe。"
Kalereceivedthemwiththereservewhichallrishowinthepreseivesofthepress。Hestaredfranklyacuriouslyatthediminutivefigureofthestist，whoexplaioftheirvisit。
"Iguessyoufellows'tdoanythingwiththis，"themillionaireassuredthem。"I'vegulardeteit。"
"IsMrMalloryherenow?"asked"TheThinki;curtly。
"Yes，heisupstairsis'quarters。"
"Mayweseetheroomfromwhichthepicturewastaken?"ihestist，withasuaveintonationwhichHatewwell。
&edthepermissionwithawaveofthehand，ahemintotheballroom，wherethepictureshadbeeherelativeterofthisroomTheThinkingMaesurveyeditall。Theerehigh。Halfadoutintothehallways，totheservatory，anooksofthemansionofferedinnumerablepossibilitiesofaccess。Afterthisonelongprehe，TheThinkioveraheframefromwhichtheRube。Ftimeheexami。Kale'simpatienceai。Fiistturohim。
"HowwelldoyouknowMrdeLesseps?"heasked。
"I'veknownhimforonlyamonthorso。Why?"
"Didhebriersofintrodu，ordidyoumeethimmerelycasually?"
Kaleregardedhimwithevidentdispleasure。"Myownpersonalaffairshavenothiodowiththismatter，"hesaidpoi;MrdeLessepsisagentlemay，aaihelastwhomIwouldsuspeywiththedisappearaure。"
"ThatisusuallythearkedTheThinkily。Heturch。"JusthoywasthathemadeoftheWhistlerpicture?"heasked。
"Ihaveheinal，"Hatchreplied，"buttheerb。PerhapsMrKalewouldn'tobjecttousseeing-"
"Oh，ofot，"saidKaleresig;ein，it'sinthegallery。"
Hatchsubmittedthepicturetoacarefulsy。"Ishouldsaythatthecopyiswell;washisverdict。"Ofitsabsence，I'tsayexactly;butitislyasuperbwork。"
&ainsofawidedooralmostinfrohrownasidesuddenly，aiveMalloryentered。Heethinginhishand，butatthesightofthemcealeditbehindhim。Uriumphwasinhisface。
"Ah，professor，wemeetoften;don'twe?"hesaid。
"ThisreporterhereandhisfrieryingtdeLessepsintothisaffairsomeholaiive。"Idon'twantanythiohappen。Heisliabletogooutandprintanything。Theyalwaysdo。"
&hinkingMaeglaredathimunwaveringly，straightintheeyeforaninstaendedhishandtowardMallory。"Wheredidyoufindit?"heasked。
"Sorrytodisappointyou，professor，"saidthedetectivesarcastically，"butthisisthetimewhelelate，"andheproducedtheobjectwhichheheldbehindhim。"Hereisyourpicture，MrKale。"
Kalegaspedalittleio，ahevaswithbothha。"Fi;hetoldthedetective。"I'llseethatyoudon'tloseanythingbythis。Why，thatthihousanddollars!"Kaledidn'tseemabletogetoverthat。
&hinkingMaedforwardtosquintattheupperrighthahevas。"Wheredidyoufindit?"heaskedagain。
"Rolleduptight，ahebottomofatrunkintheroomofos，"explainedMallory。"Theservant'snameisJennings。Heis。"
"Jennings!"exclaimedKale。"Why，hehasbeenwithmeforyears。"
"Didhefess?"askedthestistimperturbably。