honest values for honest returnsand that was not Charity at all。
The project of reforming the shiftless character of the Sherwood properties； and of relieving even in a small degree New York's housing congestion； appealed at once to her imagination and her sensible idealism。
〃A splendid plan！〃 she exclaimed； regarding Larry with those wise； humorous eyes of hers； which were now very serious and penetrating。 〃You have been working much harder than I had thought。 And if you will pardon my saying it； you have more of the soundly humane vision which big business enterprise should have than I had thought。〃
〃Thank you！〃 said Larry。
〃That's a splendid dream；〃 she continued； 〃but it will take hard work to translate that dream into a reality。 We shall need architects； builders； a heavy initial expense； timeand a more modern and alert management。〃
〃Yes； Miss Sherwood。〃
She did not speak for a moment。 Her penetrating eyes； which had been fixed on him in close thought； were yet more penetrating。 Finally she said：
〃That's a big thing； a useful thing。 The present agents wish to be relieved of our affairs as soon as I can make arrangementsand I'd like nothing better than for Dick to drop what he's doing and get into something constructive and useful like this。 But Dick cannot do it alone； he's too unsettled； and too inexperienced to cope with some of the sharper business practices。〃
She paused again； still regarding him with those keen eyes； which seemed to be weighing him。 Finally she said； almost abruptly：
〃Will you take charge of this with Dick？ He likes you and respects your judgment； I'm sure you'd help steady him down。 Of course you lack practical experience； but you can take in a practical man who will supply this element。 Practical experience is one of the commonest articles on the market； vision and initiative are among the rarest and you have them。 What do you say？〃
Larry could not say anything at once。 The suddenness of her offer； the largeness of his opportunity； bewildered him for the moment。 And his bewilderment was added to by his swift realization of quite another element involved in her frank proposition。 He was now engaged in the enterprise of foisting a bogus article； Maggie； upon this woman who was offering him her complete confidencean enterprise of most questionable ethics and very dubious issue。 If he accepted her offer； and the result of this enterprise were disaster； what would Miss Sherwood then think of him？
He took refuge in evasion。 〃I'm not going to try to tell you how much I appreciate your proposition； Miss Sherwood。 But do you mind if I hold back my answer for the present and think it over？ Anyhow； to do all that is required I must be able to work in the openand I can't do that until I get free of my entanglements with the police and my old acquaintances。〃
Thus it was agreed upon。 Miss Sherwood turned to another subject。 The pre…public show of Hunt's pictures had opened the previous day。
〃When you were in the city yesterday； did you get in to see Mr。 Hunt's exhibition？〃
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃Although I wanted to。 But you know I've already seen all of Mr。 Hunt's pictures that Mr。 Graham has in his gallery。 How was the opening？〃
〃Crowded with guests。 And since they had been told that the pictures were unusual and good； of course the people were enthusiastic。〃
〃What kind of prices was Mr。 Graham quoting？〃
〃He wasn't quoting any。 He told me he wasn't going to sell a picture； or even mention a price； until the public exhibition。 He's very enthusiastic。 He thinks Mr。 Hunt is already madeand in a big way。〃
And then she added； her level gaze very steady on Larry：
〃Of course Mr。 Hunt is really a great painter。 But he needed a jolt to make him go out and really paint his own kind of stuff。 And he needed some one like you to put him across in a business way。〃
When she left； she left Larry thinking： thinking of her saying that Hunt 〃needed a jolt to make him go out and really paint his own kind of stuff。〃 Hidden behind that remark somewhere could there be the explanation for the break between these two？ Larry began to see a glimmer of light。 It was entirely possible that Miss Sherwood； in so finished and adroit a manner that Hunt had not discerned her purpose； had herself given him this jolt or at least contributed to its force。 It might all have been diplomacy on her part； applied shrewdly to the man she understood and loved。 Yes； that might be the explanation。 Yes； perhaps she had been doing in a less trying way just what he was seeking to do under more stressful circumstances with Maggie： to arouse him to his best by indirectly working at definite psychological reactions。
That afternoon Hunt appeared at Cedar Crest； and while there dropped in on Larry。 The big painter； in his full…blooded； boyish fashion； fairly gasconaded over the success of his exhibit。 Larry smiled at the other's exuberant enthusiasm。 Hunt was one man who could boast without ever being offensively egotistical； for Hunt； added to his other gifts； had the divine gift of being able to laugh at himself。
Larry saw here an opportunity to forward that other ambition of his： the bringing of Hunt and Miss Sherwood together。 And at this instant it flashed upon him that Miss Sherwood's seemingly casual remarks about Hunt had not been casual at all。 Perhaps they had been carefully thought out and spoken with a definite purpose。 Perhaps Miss Sherwood had been very subtly appointing him her ambassador。 She was clever enough for that。
〃Stop declaiming those self…written press notices of your unapproachable superiority；〃 Larry interrupted。 〃If you use your breath up like that you'll drown on dry land。 Besides； I just heard something better than this mere articulated air of yours。 Better because from a person in her senses。〃
〃Heard it from whom？〃
〃Miss Sherwood。〃
〃Miss Sherwood！ What did she say？〃
〃That you were a really great painter。〃
〃Huh！〃 snorted Hunt。 〃Why shouldn't she say that？ I've proved it！〃
〃Hunt；〃 said Larry evenly； 〃you are the greatest painter I ever met； but you also have the distinction of being the greatest of all damned fools。〃
〃What's that； young fellow？〃
〃You love Miss Sherwood； don't you？ At least you've the same as told me that in words； and you've told me that in loud…voiced actions every time you've seen her。〃
〃Wellwhat if I do？〃
〃If you had the clearness of vision that is in the glassy eye of a cold boiled lobster you would see that she feels the same way about you。〃
〃See here； Larry〃all the boisterous quality had gone from Hunt's voice； and it was low…pitched and a bit unsteady〃I don't mind your joshing me about myself or my painting； but don't fool with me about anything that's really important。〃
〃I'm not fooling you。 I'm sure Miss Sherwood feels that way。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I've got a pair of eyes that don't belong to a cold boiled lobster。 And when I see a thing； I know I see it。〃
〃You're all wrong； Larry。 If you'd heard what she said to me less than a year ago〃
〃You make me tired！〃 interrupted Larry。 〃You two were made for each other。 She's waiting for you to step up and talk man's talk to her and instead you sulk in your tent and mumble about something you think she might have thought or said a year ago！ You're too sensitive； you're too proud； you've got too few brains。 It's a million dollars to one that in your handsome； well…bred way you've fallen out with her over something that probably never existed and certainly doesn't exist now。 Forget it all； and walk right up and ask her！〃
〃Larry； if I thought there was a chance that you are right〃
〃A single question will prove whether I'm right！〃
Hunt did not speak for a moment。 〃I guess I've never seen my part of it all in the way you put it； Larry。〃 He stood up； his whole being subdued yet tense。 〃I'm going to slide back into town and think it all over。〃
Larry followed him an hour later； bent on routine business of the Sherwood estate。 Toward seven o'clock he was studying the present decrepitude and future possibilities of a row of Sherwood apartment houses on the West Side； when； as he came out of one building and started into another； a firm hand fell upon his shoulder and a voice remarked：
〃So； Larry； you're in New York？〃
Larry whirled about。 For the moment he felt all the life go out of him。 Beside him stood Detective Casey； whom he had last seen on the night of his wild flight when Casey had feigned a knockout in order to aid Larry's escape from Gavegan。 Any other man affiliated with his enemies Larry would have struck down and tried to break away from。 But not Casey。
〃Hello； Casey。 Well； I suppose you're going to invite me to go along with you？〃
〃Where were you going？〃
〃Into this house。〃
〃Then I'll invite myself to go along with you。〃
He quickly pushed Larry before him into the hallway； which was empty since all the tenants were at their dinner。 Larry remembered the scene down in Deputy Police Commissioner Barlow's office； when the Chief of Detectives had demanded that he become a stool…pigeon working under Gavegan and Casey； and the grilling and the threats； more than fulfilled； which had followed。
〃Going to give me a little private quiz firs