apprehensions had familiarized his conscience.

"No," he said, with one of those wayward scruples to which the blackest
criminals are sometimes susceptible,--"no. I have promised Helen to
regard this as a loan to her, which she is to repay me when of age. What
you may advance me is for the pictures. I have a right to do as I please
with what is bought by my own labour. And the subjects of the pictures,
what shall they be?"

"For one picture try and recall Helen's aspect and attitude when you came
to us in the garden, and entitle your subject: 'The Foreboding.'"

"Hem!" said Varney, hesitatingly. "And the other subject?"

"Wait for that till the joy-bells at Laughton have welcomed a bride, and
then--and then, Varney," added Percival, with something of his natural
joyous smile, "you must take the expression as you find it. Once under
my care, and, please Heaven, the one picture shall laughingly upbraid the
other!"

As this was said, the cabriolet stopped at Percival's door. Varney dined
with him that day; and if the conversation flagged, it did not revert to
the subject which had so darkened the bright spirits of the host, and so
tried the hypocrisy of the guest. When Varney left, which he did as soon
as the dinner was concluded, Percival silently put a check into his
hands, to a greater amount than Varney had anticipated even from his
generosity.

"This is for four pictures, not two," he said, shaking his head; and
then, with his characteristic conceit, he added: "Well, some years hence