Oh, I'll paint her divinely, one of these days." The soft humming of a gong summoned them to another room, where lunch was ready.

Never had Warburton showed such lack of genial humour at his friend's table.

He ate mechanically, and spoke hardly at all.

Little by little, Franks felt the depressing effect of this companionship.

When they returned to the studio, to smoke by the fireside, only a casual word broke the cheerless silence.
"I oughtn't to have come to-day," said Will, at length, half apologetically.