Samuel Hopkins Adams

“ If I’m wrong—well, it’s about the finis of my career.”
“See here, Chet!” broke out his friend. “Do you think I’m going to let you take that kind of a chance for me?”
“It isn’t for you,” declared the other with irritation. “It’s for myself. Can’t you understand that this is my case? You’re only an incident in it. I’m betting my career against—well, against the devil of mischance, that I’m right. ”

“ You’re right,” said he. “It’s been transferred through tracing-paper, and touched up afterward. Rather roughly, too. You can see where the copyist has borne down too hard on the lead.”
“What’s your opinion of the likeness—if it is the likeness which you suppose?” inquired Kent.
“Why, as I remember the woman, this picture is a good deal idealized. The hair and the eyes are much the same. But the lines of the face in the picture are finer. The chin and mouth are more delicate, and the whole effect softer and of a higher type.” ”

“ Turning to the store-keeper Kent asked: “Do you happen to know how Mr. Dennett spent the early part of this afternoon?”
“I surely do. He was up to Dimmock’s rummage auction, an’ he got something there that tickled him like a feather. But he wouldn’t let on what it was.”
“The original!” said Sedgwick.
“What does Dimmock deal in?”
“All kinds of odds and ends. He scrapes the country for bankrupt sales, an’ has a big auction once a year. Everybody goes. You can find anything from a plough-handle to a second-hand marriage certificate at his place.”
“We now call on Elder Dennett,” said Kent. ”

“ That worthy was about closing up shop when they entered.
“Don’t your lamp work right, yet, Professor Kent?” he inquired.
“Perfectly,” responded the scientist. “We have come to see you on another matter, Mr. Sedgwick and I.”
“First, let me thank you,” said Sedgwick, “for the curious work of art which you left at my place.”
“Hay-ee?” inquired the Elder, with a rising inflection.
“Don’t take the trouble to lie about it,” put in Kent. “Just show us the original of the drawing which you traced so handily.”
The town gossip shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “How’d you know I got the picture?” ”

“ It would only get on your nerves and unfit you for the job.”
Again Sedgwick fell into thought.
“When I come to tackle it,” continued Kent, “I may find that one man could do it alone. But—”
“Wait. You’re going into it, are you?” ”