“I want to make you a present of some books I own,” said Ulmer Montgomery.  “Perhaps you’ll like to read them.  They are historical works.”

“Thank you, Mr. Montgomery, you are very kind.”

“I used to be a book agent, but I gave that up as it didn’t pay me as well as some other things.”

“And you had these books left over?”

“Yes.  The firm I worked for wouldn’t take them back so I had to keep them.”

“And now you are selling curiosities.”

At this Ulmer Montgomery smiled blandly.

“Not exactly, Joe—­I only sell curiosities, or antiquities, when I am hard up.  On other occasions I do like other folks, work for a living.”

“I don’t quite understand.”

“I dropped into selling curiosities when I was in the South and hard up for cash.  I wanted money the worst way, and I—­well, I set to work to raise it.  Maybe you’d like to hear my story.”

“I would.”

“Mind you, I don’t pose as a model of goodness and I shouldn’t advise you to follow in my footsteps.  But I wanted money and wanted in badly.  So I put on my thinking cap, and I soon learned of a very zealous antiquary living about five miles from where I was stopping.  He was wealthy and a bachelor, and spent no inconsiderable portion of his income on curiosities.”

“And you went to him?” said Joe, becoming interested.

“I at once determined to take advantage of this gentleman’s antiquarian zeal.  I will own that I had some qualms of conscience—­about imposing upon the old gentleman, but I didn’t know of any other way to procure the money I absolutely needed.

“Having made all of my preparations, I set off for Mr. Leland’s house.  To disguise myself I put on a pair of big goggles and an old-fashioned collar and tie.

“’I understand, Mr. Leland, that you are in the habit of collecting curiosities,’ I said.

“‘Quite right, sir,’ said he.  ‘I have got together some few,’ and he gazed with an air of pride at the nondescript medley which surrounded him.

“‘I have in my possession,’ I proceeded, ’two or three of great value, which I had hoped to retain, but, well, I need money, and so I must part with them, much as I wish to call them mine.  But I wish to see that they get into the proper hands, and I have been told that you are a great antiquarian, understanding the true value of such things, and so—­’

“‘Pray, show them to me at once!’ cried the old man, eagerly.

“‘I have traveled a good deal, and been a pilgrim in many climes,’ I went on.  ’I have wandered along the banks of the Euphrates and dipped my feet in the currents of the Nile.  I have gazed upon ruined cities—­’

“‘Yes! yes! show me what you have!’ he cried, eagerly.

“‘Here is a curiosity of the highest order’, I said, opening a paper and showing a bit of salt about the size of a walnut.  ’This is a portion of the statue of salt into which Lot’s wife was turned.’