“They have been pounding your stocks today on the Street，Pierpont？”asks Klein，smiling.
“Stocks！No！”roars Mr.Morgan.“It's that picture I sent an agent to Europe to buy.I just thought about it.He cabledme today that it ain't to be found in all Italy.I'd pay$50，000 tomorrow for that picture—yes，$75，000.I give the agent a la carte in purchasing it.I cannot understand why the art galleries will allow a de Vinchy to—”
“Why，Mr.Morgan，”says klein；“I thought you owned all of the de Vinchy paintings.”
“What is the picture like，Mr.Morgan？”asks Silver.“It must be as big as the side of the Flatiron Building.”
“I'm afraid your art education is on the bum，Mr.Silver，”says Morgan.“The picture is 27 inches by 42；and it is called‘love's Idle Hour.'It represents a number of cloak models doing the two-step on the bank of a purple river.The cablegram said it might have been brought to this country.My collection will never be complete without that picture.Well，so long，gents；us fnanciers must keep early hours.”
Mr.Morgan and Klein went away together in a cab.Me and Silver talked about how simple and unsuspecting great people was；and Silver said what a shame it would be to try to rob a man like Mr.Morgan；and I said I thought it would be rather imprudent，myself.Klein proposes a stroll after dinner；and me and him and Silver walks down toward Seventh avenue to see the sights.Klein sees a pair of cuff links that instigate his admiration in a pawnshop window，and we all go in while he buys'em.
after we got back to the hotel and Klein had gone，Silver jumps at me and waves his hands.
“did you see it？”says he.“did you see it，Billy？”
“What？”I asks.
“Why，that picture that Morgan wants.It's hanging in that pawnshop，behind the desk.I didn't say anything because Klein was there.It's the article sure as you live.The girlsare as natural as paint can make them，all measuring 36 and 25 and 42 skirts，if they had any skirts，and they're doing a buck-and-wing on the bank of a river with the blues.What did Mr.Morgan say he'd give for it？oh，don’t make me tell you.They can’t know what it is in that pawnshop.”
When the pawnshop opened the next morning me and Silver was standing there as anxious as if we wanted to soak our Sunday suit to buy a drink.We sauntered inside，and began to look at watch-chains.
“That's a violent specimen of a chromo you've got up there，”remarked Silver，casual，to the pawnbroker.“But I kind of enthuse over the girl with the shoulder-blades and red bunting.Would an offer of$2.25 for it cause you to knock over any fragile articles of your stock in hurrying it off the nail？”
The pawnbroker smiles and goes on showing us plate watch-chains.
“That picture，”says he，“was pledged a year ago by an Italian gentleman.I loaned him$500 on it.It is called‘love's Idle Hour，'and it is by leonardo de Vinchy.Two days ago the legal time expired，and it became an unredeemed pledge.Here is a style of chain that is worn a great deal now.”
at the end of half an hour me and Silver paid the pawnbroker$2，000 and walked out with the picture.Silver got into a cab with it and started for Morgan's offce.I goes to the hotel and waits for him.In two hours Silver comes back.
“did you see Mr.Morgan？”I asks.“How much did he pay you for it？”
Silver sits down and fools with a tassel on the table cover.
“I never exactly saw Mr.Morgan，”he says，“because Mr.＆nbsp；Morgan's been in Europe for a month.But what's worrying me，Billy，is this：The department stores have all got that same picture on sale，framed，for$3.48.and they charge$3.50 for the frame alone—that's what I can't understand.”