SOMETHING ABOUT MINIATURES
"Miniatures?" came from all of Ben Basswood's listeners in a chorus.
"Do you mean those little paintings that are sometimes so valuable?"
continued Laura.
"That's it," answered Ben. "I don't know much about miniatures myself,
but as soon as mother and I heard about this queer fortune of ours she
asked the minister. You know he is quite interested in art, and he
told her that most of these little miniatures, which are about the
size of a silver dollar or a small saucer, are usually painted on
ivory. Of course, some of them are not so valuable, but others,
especially those painted by celebrated artists, are worth thousands of
dollars."
"And how many of these miniatures are there, Ben?" asked Roger, with
increased curiosity.
"Father didn't know exactly, but said they would number at least
fifty, and maybe seventy-five."
"I suppose they are paintings of celebrated individuals--kings,
queens, and like that?" was Dave's comment.
"No, these miniatures, so father stated, are made up almost
entirely of the great fighters of the world--army and navy men,
lieutenant-generals, admirals, and officers like that."
"Well, where in the world did this Mr. Enos get money enough to buy
such things?" asked Jessie, who had followed Laura into the room.
"That's the queer part of it," answered the real-estate dealer's son.
"It seems, after Mr. Enos and my father gave up business and
separated, Enos went South--first to Texas and then into Mexico. There
he joined some men who were opening up a gold mine. These men struck
it rich, and almost before he knew it Mr. Enos was worth quite a lot
of money. He had never been very much of a business man--being wrapped
up almost entirely in art--and so he did not know how to handle his
money. He had always had a liking for miniatures, so my father stated,
and he went in to gather this collection. He didn't want any kings or
queens or noted society women, or anything like that, but he did want
every miniature ever painted of an army or a navy fighter. Of course,
my father doesn't know all the particulars yet, but he has learned
that Mr. Enos put himself out a great deal to get hold of certain
miniatures, hunting for them all over Europe and also in this
country. He even went down to South America to get miniatures of some
of their heroes, and also picked up several in Mexico, and one or two
in Texas."
"His hobby must certainly have had a strong hold on him," was Dave's
comment. "But still, that sort of thing isn't unusual. I heard once of
a postage-stamp collector who went all over the world collecting
stamps, and finally gave up his last dollar for a rare stamp when he
actually hadn't enough to eat. Of course, he was a monomaniac on the
subject of stamp collecting."
"Well, my father has an idea that Mr. Enos must have been a little
queer over his miniature collecting," returned Ben. "But even so, the
fact remains that he left his collection of miniatures behind him, and
that they are now the property of my father."
"And what is your father going to do with them?" questioned Roger.
"He doesn't know yet. You see, the settling of the estate is in a very
mixed-up condition. He is going to stay in Chicago for a week or so,
and then he'll probably bring the miniatures East with him and have
some art expert place a valuation on them. After that I suppose he'll
offer the miniatures for sale to art galleries and rich collectors."
This was about all Ben could tell concerning the fortune left to his
parent. The young folks talked the matter over for quite a while, and
were presently joined by the older people, including Caspar Potts.
"Miniatures, eh?" said the genial old professor, beaming mildly on
Ben. "Very curious! Very curious indeed! But some of them are
wonderful works of art, and bring very good prices. I remember, when a
young man, attending a sale of art works, and a miniature of one of
the English nobility was knocked down for a very large sum, several
thousand dollars if I remember rightly."
"Well, it's very fine to get hold of a fortune, no matter in what
shape it is," observed Mr. Wadsworth. "Just the same, Ben, I think
your father would prefer to have it in good stocks and bonds," and he
smiled faintly.
"No doubt of that, sir," was the prompt answer. "But, as you say,
miniatures are much better than nothing. In fact, I'd rather take a
fortune in soft soap than not get it at all," and at this remark there
was a general laugh.
"Oh, my gracious, Ben! what would you do with a hundred thousand
dollars' worth of soft soap?" queried Laura, slyly.
"Oh, I'd go around and smooth down all my friends and enemies with
it," the boy returned, and this caused another laugh.
Several more days passed, and during that time Dave and Roger
continued to devote themselves to their studies. Mr. Ramsdell, the old
civil engineer, was on hand to tutor the two youths, and he declared
that they were making satisfactory progress, and that he thought they
would pass the coming examinations without much trouble.
"I wish I felt as confident about it as Mr. Ramsdell does," observed
our hero to his chum one day.
"The same here, Dave," returned Roger. "Every time I think of that
examination I fairly shake in my shoes. Passing at Oak Hall wasn't a
patch to passing as a civil engineer."
There had been another fall of snow, and now sleighing was even better
than before. Jessie and Laura went out in company with their uncle,
and on their return both showed some excitement.
"Oh, Dave--Roger--what do you think!" cried Laura. "I've got a letter
from Belle Endicott, and she is coming on from Star Ranch to spend
several weeks with me, and she is going to bring along one of her old
school chums, Cora Dartmore. What do you think of that? Won't it be
fine?"
"It certainly will be, Laura," answered her brother. "When do you
expect them to arrive?"
"They are coming on immediately; so I suppose they'll be here in a day
or two if they are following this letter." Laura looked inquiringly at
Dave. "What a pity Phil Lawrence isn't here," she half whispered.
Both of them knew that during the visit of the young folks to the
Endicott ranch the shipowner's son and Belle Endicott had become
exceedingly friendly.
"Well, I've invited Phil to come here," answered Dave. "I guess all
I've got to do is to mention Belle to him and he'll be on the way
without delay."
"Then, by all means, send him word," returned the sister. "Then we can
make up a fine little party, for we can pair Cora Dartmore off with
Ben."
A letter from Dave to Phil Lawrence was dispatched that evening, and
the next day came a telegram from the shipowner's son stating that he
would come on that night.
"I knew the mention of Belle would fetch Phil," remarked Dave to
Roger, when they were alone. "Phil certainly has got an eye on that
girl."
"Well, you can't blame him, Dave. Belle Endicott is a splendid girl
and comes from a splendid family. I'll never forget how royally they
treated us when we were at Star Ranch."
"Yes, we certainly did have one grand time, in spite of what Link
Merwell did to annoy us."
"Oh, drop Link Merwell!" Roger paused for a moment and then went on:
"Isn't it queer, Dave, how just as soon as you get rid of one bad egg
like Merwell another bobs up like this Ward Porton?"
"It is queer, Roger." Dave heaved a deep sigh. "I wish I could get on
the track of that rascal."
"Haven't heard a thing, have you?"
"No."
"Well, you can be thankful that he hasn't been around buying more
goods in your name."
"Oh, I think I scared him pretty well when I met him in the woods.
He'll probably lay low for a while--at least until he thinks the field
is clear again. But I'd give a good deal if I never saw or heard of
him again," and Dave heaved another sigh.
The next day the local paper came out with a big article on the front
page speaking about the Basswood fortune. Mr. Basswood had returned to
town, and had been interviewed by a reporter, and the sheet gave many
of the particulars regarding the wonderful miniatures left by Mr.
Enos. According to the paper they numbered sixty-eight all told, and
were worth from a hundred dollars to five thousand dollars apiece. It
was said that they had been placed in a safe deposit vault, being
packed in several plush-lined cases.
The paper went on to state that Mr. Basswood thought something of
bringing them to Crumville, where they might be judged by a committee
of experts in order to ascertain their real value. The real-estate
dealer was spoken of as a man well-known in the community, and the
article concluded by stating that all the good people of Crumville and
vicinity would undoubtedly congratulate him on his good fortune.
"They certainly piled it on a little thick," was Dave's comment, after
he and Roger had read the article. "Just the same, I agree with the
paper--the Basswoods richly deserve the fortune that has come to
them." Dave had not forgotten those days, now long gone by, when he
had been a boy just out of the poorhouse living with Caspar Potts, and
how Ben Basswood had been his one young friend during those trying
times.
As luck would have it, all the young visitors bound for the
Wadsworth mansion reached Crumville on the same train. Of course,
the others went down to the depot to meet them, and there was a
grand jollification lasting several minutes.
"My, Belle, how you have grown!" declared Laura, after the numerous
kisses and handshakes had come to an end. "Isn't she growing tall,
Dave?"
"She certainly is," returned the brother. And what they said was
true--Belle Endicott was now tall and willowy, and exceedingly pretty
to look at,--so much so in fact, that Phil Lawrence could hardly take
his eyes from her.
"It was mighty good of your folks to invite me down," said the
shipowner's son, when the whole crowd was making its way over to where
the Wadsworth automobile and sleigh were standing. "I appreciate it, I
assure you."
"Oh, my! you don't suppose we could leave you out, Phil, with Belle
here," returned Dave, as he gave his chum a nudge in the ribs.
"Good for you, Dave!" Phil blushed a little, and then winked one eye.
"How are matters going between you and Jessie?"
"Very well."
"Glad to hear it. And I suppose Roger has that same old eagle eye of
his on your sister Laura?"
"Well, you don't find him talking very much to anybody else when Laura
is around," was Dave's dry comment.
"Oh, we had a perfectly splendid journey!" cried Belle Endicott. "And
wasn't it the strangest thing that we should run into Phil at the
junction where we had to change cars to get here?"
"Must be some sort of mutual attraction," cried Laura, mischievously.
And then to hide any possible confusion she added quickly to Cora
Dartmore: "I hope you enjoyed the trip also."
"Yes, I had a splendid time," answered the newcomer, a girl not quite
so tall as Belle but almost equally good-looking. "You see, this is my
first trip to the East. Oh, I know I am going to have a perfectly
lovely time!" she added enthusiastically.
The young folks piled into the sleigh and automobile, and in a very
short time arrived at the Wadsworth mansion. Here Mrs. Wadsworth was
ready to receive the visitors, and her gracious manner made them feel
at home immediately.
Phil, as was his custom, insisted on rooming with Roger and Dave,
while Belle Endicott and her chum were made comfortable in a room next
to those occupied by Jessie and Laura.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with you boys," said Mrs.
Wadsworth, laughingly. "You always bunk in as thick as fleas."
"We got used to that at Oak Hall," returned Dave. "Besides that, the
room is a large one with two single beds in it, and we can easily put
in a cot;" and so it was settled.
"My, but I'm mighty glad to be with you two fellows again!" declared
the shipowner's son, when the youths were left to themselves. "It
seems like a touch of old times."
"So it does," returned Roger, smiling broadly.
"From now on I suppose we won't be able to get together as much as we
used to," said Dave; "so while we are together let us make the most of
it."
"So say we all of us!" cried Phil and Roger, gaily.