Ethel Watts Mumford

“ It is a shame that his collection should be so misattributed, so badly arranged. And yet, one does not approach the greatest buyer in the world and tell him that, unless one is the recognized authority.”
“You underestimate your fame, my dear boy,” Moldino assured him genially, as he again approached the panel and lightly touched its surface with a reverent finger. “But you are right, perhaps, to wait until your pamphlets are published before you go to this 'milliard' countryman of yours, The 'Pupil of Raphael' is, indeed, a world find.” ”

“ Now I know I am of no use—no use—a hand to the plow, that is all!”
“Oh, no!” said Vincent gently. “Oh, no; don't say that! Why, you saved them—saved them from destruction, every one. Where now would be all their beauty if you had not built the barrier? If you had not defended them? It was for that the love of color and line was put into your soul, You have been a faithful acolyte in the great temple. Why, if you did nothing else as long as you lived, yet have you done enough.” ”

“ With hasty thanks, the collector was again upon the trail. Palpitating with anticipation, he entered the joyous square of the market place, with its frescoed houses and gay-striped awnings, its carved wooden balconies dripping flowers, and its nooks of deep-blue shadow, revealing narrow streets where all sorts of odds and ends not announced by the raucous bawling of the market women were to be found. ”

“ Vincent Lake gulped.
“I'm sure I'm very grateful to the pupil of Raphael for bringing me to your notice. I may have found him, but he's certainly put me on the map.”
“Oh, yes, of course, I may want 'em. I'll look 'em over later. Naturally I want an expert, but the woods are full of them, you see. I've got to have an honest man. I've been bunked enough. What got me was the way you owned up and paid up, and the decent way you treated that faker.” ”

“ While horses were being backed into an ancient vehicle for their service, Vincent permitted Giovanni to scald himself with an overhot cup of coffee. For his part, he could eat nothing. Once more they were in motion. They crossed the river by the Roman bridge and drove straight into the hill country. The early sunlight was gilding the distant towers of the city when they paused before a dilapidated farmhouse. The carriage stopped.
“Quickly, quickly!” begged Lake,
Giovanni, welcomed by a half dozen mongrel dogs, ran ahead leading the way. ”

“ Yet you have found them in three different cities, Ravenna, Florence, Verona. It is amazing that in all these years no one but you should happen upon them. It can only be that their hiding place has been recently discovered, and it falls to your lot! This one, of course, you will have photographed as appendix to your pamphlet.”
“Of course, it is of the utmost importance—the utmost,” Vincent Lake admitted proudly. “The 'Pupil of Raphael' is, without a doubt, the most important discovery of the last twenty years. ”

“ She was smiling, her hand was stretched out to him.
“Silly!” she cried in her sweet, tender accents. “What made you leave Rome so suddenly? I meant to surprise you. Bad one, not to let me know of your return, to let me find it out from the papers.”
Wordlessly he took her hand, while his heart turned heart springs in his breast.
“And I've brought some one to see the panels,” she whispered. She turned from him to a giant of a man, who stood silent, hat in hand, in the doorway. “This is Mr. Lake, my friend. This is your whole, and my half compatriot, Mr. Wilmath.” ”

“ Moldino nodded agreement.
“It is most curious that you, who give this great gift to Italian art, should be an American. One thinks of Americans as mere purchasers of antiquities, not as connoisseurs.” ”

“ Ferro occupied the whole of the first and second floors, and proved to be a replica of the redoubtable Don Quixote, belied by the shrewdness of his eyes.
He welcomed his fellow collector with cordiality.
The panel? Ah, yes, a little gem! For some time he had been trying to buy it, but he happened to be on ill terms with the owners, who were, in fact, tenants of his, and he had been forced to employ the services of a go-between. But it had been worth while. The gentleman should judge for himself. ”

“ The eighth panel! I am going now; my bag is packed, my conveyance is ordered.”
“Let me not detain you.” The little man nervously began gathering his gloves, hat, and walking stick. “Do you have special stars of fortune in your sky? Eight panels! Mother of Heaven! Believe me, my boy, all my good wishes go with you. Why, soon you will be a millionaire yourself; fifty thousand lire from Barbaroni for the 'St. Luke;' thirty thousand for the 'St. Stephen.' This 'St. Agnes' should surely go to one of the great collections. What fame and what fortune! ”

“ Moldino sat down on a Savonarola chair so hard that it creaked ominously, and he rose again hastily in deference to age.
“Yes,” Lake continued, his eager face flushing with excitement, “in Verona, I am not sure, of course, but from the very slight description of the subject, the number of figures, the architectural background, I have a hope. Think of it! ”