But the right plan still refused to take
form in his brain. However, one important detail occurred to him which
required immediate attention. If his procedure in regard to Hunt's
pictures succeeded in drawing the painter from his hermitage, nothing
was more likely than that Hunt unexpectedly would happen upon Maggie
in the company of Dick Sherwood. That might be a catastrophe to
Larry's unformed plan; it had to be forestalled if possible. Such a
matter could not be handled in a letter, with the police opening all
mail coming to the Duchess's house. So once more he decided upon a
secret visit to the Duchess's house. He figured that such a visit
would be comparatively without risk, since the police and Barney
Palmer and the gangsters Barney had put upon his trail all still
believed him somewhere in the West.
Accordingly, a few nights after they had settled at Cedar Crest, he
motored into New York in a roadster Miss Sherwood had placed at his
disposal, and after the necessary precautions he entered Hunt's
studio. The room was dismantled, and Hunt sat among his packed
belongings smoking his pipe.
"Well, young fellow," growled Hunt after they had shaken hands, "you
see you've driven me from my happy home."
"Then Mr. Graham has been to see you?"
"Yes.
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