Over its white brow hang long yellow ringlets--the eyes dance and play--the ripe, ruddy lips, resembling cherries, are wreathed with the careless laughter of infancy.

The child wears a little blue frock which permits two round, fat arms to be seen; and one of the hands grasps a doll, drawn to the life.

There is so much freshness and reality about the picture, that Verty exclaims a second time, "What a lovely little girl!" Thus absorbed in the picture, he does not hear a growling voice in the adjoining room--is not conscious of the heavy step advancing toward the room he occupies--does not even hear the door open as the new comer enters.
"Who can she be!" murmurs the young man; "not Mr.Rushton's little daughter--I never heard that he was married, or had any children.
Pretty little thing!" And Verty smiled.
Suddenly a heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder, and a gruff, stern voice said: "What are you doing, sir ?" Verty turned quickly; Mr.Rushton stood before him--gloomy, forbidding, with a heavy frown upon his brow.
"What are you prying into ?" repeated the lawyer, angrily; "are you not aware, sir, that this is my private apartment?
What has induced you to presume in such a manner ?" Verty was almost terrified by the sternness of these cold words, and looked down.

Then conscious of the innocence of his action, raised his eyes, and said: "I came in to give you the copy of the deed, sir,--and saw the curtain--and thought I would--" "Pry into my secrets," said Mr.Rushton; "very well, sir!" "I did not mean to pry," said Verty, proudly; "I did not think there was any harm in such a little thing.

I hope, sir, you will not think I meant anything wrong," added Verty--"indeed I did not; and I only thought this was some common picture, with a curtain over it to keep off the dust." But the lawyer, with a sudden change of manner, had turned his eyes to the portrait; and did not seem to hear the exclamation.
"I hope you will not think hard of me, Mr.Rushton," said Verty; "you have been very good to me, and I would not do anything to offend you or give you pain." No answer was vouchsafed to this speech either.