onel Verner looked at his watch.

"I can spare half an hour," he observed to himself; and he proceeded to
Mr. Verner's room.

The old study that you have seen before. And there sat Mr. Verner in the
same arm-chair, cushioned and padded more than it had used to be. What a
change there was in him! Shrunken, wasted, drawn: surely there would be
no place very long in this world for Mr. Verner.

He was leaning forward in his chair, his back bowed, his hands resting
on his stick, which was stretched out before him. He lifted his head
when Lionel entered, and an expression, partly of displeasure, partly of
pain, passed over his countenance.

"Where's Frederick?"

"Frederick has an appointment out, sir. I will read to you."

"I thought you were going down to your mother's," rejoined Mr. Verner,
his accent not softening in the least.

"I need not go for this half hour yet," replied Lionel, taking up the
_Times_, which lay on a table near Mr. Verner. "Have you looked at the
headings of the news, sir; or shall I go over them for you, and then you
can tell me what you wish read?"

"I don't want anything read by you," said Mr. Verner. "Put the paper
down."

Lionel did not immediately obey. A shade of mortification had crossed
his face.

"Do you hear me, Lionel? Put the paper down. You know how it fidgets me
to hear those papers ruffled, when I am not in a mood for reading."

Lionel rose, and stood before Mr. Verner. "Uncle, I _wish_ you would let
me do something for you. Better send me out of the house altogether,
than treat me with this estrangement. Will it be of any use my asking
you, for the hundredth time, what I did to displease you?"

"I tell you I don't want the paper read," said Mr. Verner. "And if you'd
leave me alone I should be glad. Perhaps I shall get a wink of sleep.
All night, all night, and my eyes were never closed! It's time I was
gone."

The concluding sentences were spoken as in soliloquy; not to Lionel.
Lionel, who knew his uncle's every mood, quitted the room. As he closed
the door, a heavy groan, born of displeasure mingled with pain, as the
greeting look had been, was sent after him by Mr. Verner. Very
emphatically did it express his state of feeling with regard to Lionel;
and Lionel felt it keenly.

Lionel Verner had remained in Paris six months, when summoned thither by
the accident to his brother. The accident need not have detained him
half that period of time; but the seductions of the