an Alken and gave me far more than I would have thought of asking for
it, or for the original one.

About a week after selling it I received this wire from the Gallery:--

Please return painting sent in error. Very valuable Alken. Have
customer.

FERNDALE.

"Diamond cut diamond," I said to myself. And I replied thus:--

DEAR SIRS,--I received your wire, but regret that I cannot comply
with your request. Firstly, because I have already accepted the
picture which you regarded as mine or its equivalent, in place of
the one that was mine and is now yours; and, secondly, because my
friend the feoffee has already bought it, the one that was yours
and is now mine, or rather his (you know what I mean, don't you?),
and I haven't the heart to ask him to return it.

Perhaps yours (the one that is now yours and was mine before),
being the equivalent of the one that was yours and is now mine (or
rather the feoffee's), would suit your client. I can only suggest
your having another look for it; the matter so far as I am
concerned is at an end. Yours faithfully,

THEOPHILUS B. PIPER-CARY.

P.S.--You'll know it when you find it. There's a red cow in the
background.