Reporter. A-a-ah! Valuable picture. He hasn't taken anything that wasn't best of its class. Remarkable chap. Must be the same one that rifled the Pierpont collection of illuminated manuscripts. Culled the finest pieces without a mistake.
Thief [interested]. He made one big mistake. He—[stops short].
Reporter. Know the Pierponts?
Thief. Er—ye-es. I've been in their house. [Retires from the conversation. Clara smiles.]
Reporter. Well, believe me, if he's taken anything, your reputation as collectors is made. Picture, eh? Old master, I suppose?
Clara. A family portrait. We treasured it for that. Associations, you know.
Reporter. Must have been valuable, all right. Depend on him to know. He doesn't run away with any junk. Who was the artist?
Clara. We don't know—definitely.
Reporter. Never heard it attributed to anybody?
Clara. We don't care to make any point of such things. But there have been people who have thought—it was not—a—a Gilbert Stuart.