Tom Tomlin was one of the very few who saw the Chippendale settee after James had restored it. Within a few days he attempted to lure the young man from Soho Square, but James refused an offer of a larger salary, and elected to stay with Quinney. Possibly he mistrusted Tomlin, whose general appearance was far from prepossessing. Tomlin, however, was not easily baffled. He seized an early opportunity of speaking privately to Quinney. "Joe," he said, "this young feller is the goods. He can do the trick." "Do what trick?" Tomlin winked. "Any trick, I take it, known to our trade. The very finest faker of old furniture I ever came across. Now, as between man and man, are you going to make a right and proper use of him?" "What d’ye mean, Tom?" "Tchah! You know well enough what I mean. Why beat about the bush with an old friend? Are you going to turn this young man loose amongst that old stuff you’ve collected?" Quinney laughed, shaking his head. "Am I going to let James Miggott fake up all that old stuff? No, by Gum! No!" "But, damn it! Why not?" "Several reasons. One’ll do. I’ve sworn solemn not to sell fakes unless they’re labelled as such." "Of all the silly rot——" "There it is." Tomlin went away, but he returned next day, and asked for a glass of brown sherry. Quinney had one, too. "I’ve a proposition to make," said Tomlin. "You’ve got a small gold mine in this Miggott, but you don’t mean to work him properly. Well, let me do it." "How?" "Suppose I send you ’cripples’ to be mended. Any objections to that?" "None." "This young Miggott mends ’em, and puts in his best licks on ’em too. Then you send ’em back to me." "That all?" Tomlin winked. "Do you want to know any more? Is it your business to inquire what becomes of the stuff after you’ve doctored it? And, mind you, I shall pay high for the doctorin’. You leave that to me. You won’t be disappointed with my cheques." Let it be remembered, although we hold no brief for Quinney, that this subtle temptation assailed him shortly after his bludgeonings, when he was tingling with impatience to "get even" with the Londoners who had "downed" him. In fine, he accepted Tomlin’s offer.