“That also may mean something,” remarked Kent thoughtfully. “Now, if you’ll find out about that newspaper matter, I’ll go on over to Sedgwick’s. You can get me there by telephone.”
In the studio Kent found Sedgwick walking up and down with his hands behind his back and his head forward.
“Why the caged lion effect?” inquired the scientist.
“Some one has been having a little fun with me,” growled Sedgwick.
“Apparently it was one-sided. What’s this on the easel?”
“What would you take it to be?”
“Let’s have a closer look.”
Walking across the room Kent planted himself in front of the drawing-board, upon which had been fixed, by means of thumb-tacks, a square of rather soft white paper, exhibiting evidence of having been crumpled up and subsequently smoothed out. On the paper was a three-quarter drawing of a woman’s head, the delicate face beneath waves of short curly hair, turned a little from the left shoulder, which was barely indicated. Setting his useful monocle in his eye, Kent examined the work carefully.
“I should take it,” he pronounced at length, “to be a sort of a second-hand attempt at a portrait.”
“You recognize it, though?”