And he never sold an item from it
as long as I was with him. Indeed, I think if anybody had offered to
buy, he would have come to blows with him."
Ashton-Kirk bent forward. For the first time since entering the room,
he spoke.
"And what was the nature of that collection?" he inquired eagerly.
"Portraits," answered Isidore Brolatsky. "Prints, lithographs,
mezzo-tints, engravings, paintings, it made no difference. And all of
the same person. He had hundreds, I guess, and every one of them was
of General Wayne."
Ashton-Kirk leaned back in his chair with a faint breath of triumph.
"When a portrait of General Wayne was offered him," continued
Brolatsky, "he never haggled over it. He paid the price asked and
seemed quite delighted to get it. It was a standing joke in the trade
that if you wanted to get even with Mr. Hume for driving a hard
bargain with you, all you had to do was to offer him a portrait of
General Wayne. I never saw him refuse one. Even if he had dozens of
duplicates, which often happened; still he'd buy."
A look of great acuteness had settled upon the face of the young
coroner.
"There is a painting at one side of the show room," said he. "It is
under a large green curtain. Is that of General Wayne?"
"It is," replied the clerk.
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