Right, let's have a look.'
Peabody said: 'I'm sure yours is the more interesting item, Earl. Mine can wait until I've seen that.'
'Oh, come along, my dear chap. I've been spouting off about my stuff ever since you got here. Time you entertained me, for a change.'
'Well, say you look at mine while I look at yours?'
'As you wish.'
They exchanged cases. Simultaneously both cases were opened. Then simultaneously two pairs of eyes bulged, two jaws dropped, and two ejaculations burst forth.
'Good gad!'
'Holy mackerel!'
For inside the two cases lay two identical guns.
They were large, automatic-shaped pistols, ten inches long, with an ammunition clip in the form of an oblong metal box fitted in front of the trigger guard. Both were in superb condition. They were elaborately engraved, with ivory butts, and on the side of each were some letters, and the small figure of a double-headed eagle, carved in relief.
The two men's eyes met. Peabody whispered: 'You've got the other one. I was sure it was lost for good.'
'So was I. I thought I'd got hold of something unique.'
'Where the heck did you get yours?'
'From a little dealer I've known for years. Always found him honest. He came all the way from London just to show me it a month ago. Couldn't - or wouldn't - tell me its provenance, but assured me he had title to it. Naturally, I snapped it up on the spot. You're the first person to see it, outside the family. What about yours?'
'Little guy came to the hotel in Rome. Said he'd heard I was in town and thought I might be interested in something rather special. Rather special! I nearly passed out when I saw it. He wouldn't say where he got it, but he produced documents that seemed to prove he was the legal owner.'
Lord Burford said: 'Remarkable. May I?' Peabody handed hack the Earl's pistol, and Lord Burford took one of them in each hand, balancing and comparing them. 'Seems they belong together, what?' He handed both guns to Peabody.
'Sure does. I guess I don't need to say you can name your own price for yours?'
'No, I, er, guess not. Sorry - no deal. Obviously no use offering you money, old man; but you're welcome to choose any comparable weapon from my collection in exchange for yours.'
'No, sir. I'm not about to part with this baby.'
'Looks as if they're destined to stay apart, doesn't it?'
'Unless we can reach a compromise.'
'Such as?'
'Well, for a start, would you consider lending me yours for a few weeks? There's the big exhibition in New York City this fall. All the leading collectors in the States are sending exhibits. I cabled, entering this.' He held up his pistol. 'It would sure give me a big thrill to exhibit the pair. I'd lend you mine in return, later.'
Lord Burford scratched his chin. 'Like to oblige, old man. But frankly I funk letting it out of my possession. Know you'd treasure it and all that. But you've got these gangster johnnies over there, haven't you? Suppose Capone or someone took a fancy to it?'
'He's in jail.'
'Plenty more like him, I hear. And then again the New York exhibition'll be reported over here, the catalogue will be available; even if you lend me yours afterwards, I couldn't exhibit the pair as my own, as you had. But I'll tell you what. There is one fellow in England who's by way of being a rival of mine - a General Trimble Greene. I'd give anything to fool him into believin' I owned this pair. He's a kind of explorer and he's out of the country at present. But he'll be back in September, just for a couple of weeks, before going off to some expedition to South America. If I could hang onto the pair just long enough to make him drool a bit, there'd be a good chance he'd never see the New York exhibition catalogue, and mightn't find out for years, if ever, that I didn't own 'em both.'
'Sorry, Earl, but the exhibition opens September 24th.'
'That's all right: I'll be seeing Trimble Greene by the 15th. I'll send off yours so it'll reach America in time.'
Peabody shook his head.
Peabody said: 'I'm sure yours is the more interesting item, Earl. Mine can wait until I've seen that.'
'Oh, come along, my dear chap. I've been spouting off about my stuff ever since you got here. Time you entertained me, for a change.'
'Well, say you look at mine while I look at yours?'
'As you wish.'
They exchanged cases. Simultaneously both cases were opened. Then simultaneously two pairs of eyes bulged, two jaws dropped, and two ejaculations burst forth.
'Good gad!'
'Holy mackerel!'
For inside the two cases lay two identical guns.
They were large, automatic-shaped pistols, ten inches long, with an ammunition clip in the form of an oblong metal box fitted in front of the trigger guard. Both were in superb condition. They were elaborately engraved, with ivory butts, and on the side of each were some letters, and the small figure of a double-headed eagle, carved in relief.
The two men's eyes met. Peabody whispered: 'You've got the other one. I was sure it was lost for good.'
'So was I. I thought I'd got hold of something unique.'
'Where the heck did you get yours?'
'From a little dealer I've known for years. Always found him honest. He came all the way from London just to show me it a month ago. Couldn't - or wouldn't - tell me its provenance, but assured me he had title to it. Naturally, I snapped it up on the spot. You're the first person to see it, outside the family. What about yours?'
'Little guy came to the hotel in Rome. Said he'd heard I was in town and thought I might be interested in something rather special. Rather special! I nearly passed out when I saw it. He wouldn't say where he got it, but he produced documents that seemed to prove he was the legal owner.'
Lord Burford said: 'Remarkable. May I?' Peabody handed hack the Earl's pistol, and Lord Burford took one of them in each hand, balancing and comparing them. 'Seems they belong together, what?' He handed both guns to Peabody.
'Sure does. I guess I don't need to say you can name your own price for yours?'
'No, I, er, guess not. Sorry - no deal. Obviously no use offering you money, old man; but you're welcome to choose any comparable weapon from my collection in exchange for yours.'
'No, sir. I'm not about to part with this baby.'
'Looks as if they're destined to stay apart, doesn't it?'
'Unless we can reach a compromise.'
'Such as?'
'Well, for a start, would you consider lending me yours for a few weeks? There's the big exhibition in New York City this fall. All the leading collectors in the States are sending exhibits. I cabled, entering this.' He held up his pistol. 'It would sure give me a big thrill to exhibit the pair. I'd lend you mine in return, later.'
Lord Burford scratched his chin. 'Like to oblige, old man. But frankly I funk letting it out of my possession. Know you'd treasure it and all that. But you've got these gangster johnnies over there, haven't you? Suppose Capone or someone took a fancy to it?'
'He's in jail.'
'Plenty more like him, I hear. And then again the New York exhibition'll be reported over here, the catalogue will be available; even if you lend me yours afterwards, I couldn't exhibit the pair as my own, as you had. But I'll tell you what. There is one fellow in England who's by way of being a rival of mine - a General Trimble Greene. I'd give anything to fool him into believin' I owned this pair. He's a kind of explorer and he's out of the country at present. But he'll be back in September, just for a couple of weeks, before going off to some expedition to South America. If I could hang onto the pair just long enough to make him drool a bit, there'd be a good chance he'd never see the New York exhibition catalogue, and mightn't find out for years, if ever, that I didn't own 'em both.'
'Sorry, Earl, but the exhibition opens September 24th.'
'That's all right: I'll be seeing Trimble Greene by the 15th. I'll send off yours so it'll reach America in time.'
Peabody shook his head.
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