And he was not surprised when, finding herself alone with him a few minutes later, she said, in her pretty, pleading way: "Mr.Rickaby, if you are an expert, don't undeceive him.

I could not let you go to see the collection without first telling you.

It is full of bogus things, full of frauds and shams that unscrupulous dealers have palmed off on him.

But don't let him know.

He takes such pride in them, and--and he's breaking down--God pity me, his health is breaking down every day, Mr.Rickaby, and I want to spare him every pang, if I can, even so little a pang as the discovery that the things he prizes are not real." "Set your mind at rest, Mrs.Bawdrey," promised Cleek.