CHAPTER 4




When Franks was gone, Warburton took up _The Art World_, which his
friend had left, and glanced again at the photogravure of
"Sanctuary." He knew, as he had declared, nothing about art, and
judged pictures as he judged books, emotionally. His bent was to
what is called the realistic point of view, and "Sanctuary" made him
smile. But very good-naturedly; for he liked Norbert Franks, and
believed he would do better things than this. Unless--?

The thought broke off with an uneasy interrogative.

He turned to the few lines of text devoted to the painter. Norbert
Franks, he read, was still a very young man; "Sanctuary," now on
exhibition at Birmingham, was his first important picture; hitherto
he had been chiefly occupied with work in black and white. There
followed a few critical comments, and prophecy of achievements to
come.

Yes. But again the uneasy interrogative.

Their acquaintance dated from the year after Warburton's return from
St. Kitts. Will had just established himself in his flat near
Chelsea Bridge, delighted to be a Londoner, and was spending most of
his leisure in exploration of London's vastness. He looked upon all