While studying art and architecture at the University of Wisconsin during the Great Depression, Karl Nelson wanted to make some extra money by joining the Reserve Officer Training Corps. But he got more than he bargained for when his unit was called to active duty in the Army. Then the Army Secret Services saw his art training as a springboard for his studying in Sweden as a cover for his spying on art being looted by the Nazis. There he enlisted a Swedish woman art student to join him as a spy. After the war, these Art Sleuths continued to investigate ownerhip of art, to the dismay of varied possessors of art with questionable provenance. Along the way, the publicity about their sleuthing generated considerable demand for art produced by the Sleuths.