Page:The Van Roon (IA thevanroon00snaiiala).pdf/115

 "Twenty pounds would buy it," she was informed.

"Curse and all?"

"Curse and all, madam." William had a nice sense of humour, which June had discovered before she had known him an hour, but in this big moment he did not relax a muscle.

For about a quarter of a minute the Super-girl looked again at the Hoodoo. And then with the air of one who takes a great decision, she gave the ugly chin a playful tap and said: "I believe the long gallery at Homefield is the very place for you, my friend. You may not be a thing of beauty, but at the far end I am sure you would be a joy for ever!" She made then such fine play with her stick-eyeglass, that Miss Banks was put off the map altogether. "And a real live curse given in, I think you said?"

William bowed a grave affirmative.

It was clear that Miss Blue Blood was intrigued. She folded, unfolded, refolded her stick-eyeglass; she looked the Hoodoo up, she looked the Hoodoo down, standing three paces back in order to do so. "Before I really decide"—addressing the monster in a voice of warm caresses—"I must get my father to come and look at you, my dear. He's wiser than I in these matters. You might kill all the pictures in the long gallery."

At this point William bowed again with exceeding deference. But here was not the end. The stick-eyeglass lit on the bowl of Lowestoft, which the Sawney who was turning out to be not quite such a sawney as he seemed, had picked up in his recent travels in Suffolk.

"I like that. What a charming piece!"