Ho! ho! You'd like Abbie; she's got lots of common sense." He chuckled at the reminiscence and rubbed his knee.

His niece made no reply.

Captain Elisha glanced at the Corot once more and asked another question.
"I presume likely," he said, "that that picture cost consider'ble more than fifteen, hey ?" "Father paid twenty-two thousand dollars for it," was the crushing answer.
The captain looked at her, opened his mouth to speak, shut it again, and, rising, walked across the room.

Adjusting his glasses, he inspected the Corot in silence for a few minutes.

Then he drew a long breath.
"Well!" he sighed.