“Will you trust the painting to me for a few days?” he asked. “You shall not regret it.” Mrs. Elliott, convinced that her husband would not recover in time to finish it, assented without difficulty. She never thought of distrusting one who had been of such essential service. “Thank you,” said the visitor. “As you have reposed this confidence in me, I must acquaint you with my name and address, that you may know whom you have trusted.” He handed her a card containing the following direction: “F. Sedley, 7, Covent Place.” “I will send for it this afternoon,” said he, as he withdrew, “and will call in upon you again to-day or to-morrow. I shall be anxious to learn how your husband gets on.” The delirium which attended the early stages of Mr. Elliott’s indisposition continued for some days. At length, consciousness returned. “How long have I been sick?” he inquired. He was told. “And what day is it now?” “Wednesday, the fourteenth.” “And to-morrow the exhibition will take place. Oh that I could have held out but two days longer! I would have asked for no more. In that time I should have completed my painting, and it would have been entered in competition. Fate seems to be against me.” He groaned, and covered his face with his hands. “But,” said his wife, soothingly, “remember, dear Arthur, that, if Fate seems against us, God is always with us. He orders every thing in infinite wisdom.” “But,” was the hardly reconciled answer, “his ways are very difficult of comprehension. The wisdom is hidden. I cannot see it.” “Yet,” said his wife, full of hopeful confidence, “if we trust in him, we shall not be deceived.” “But,” said Arthur, after a pause, “how shall we live in the mean time? I can do nothing now for our support; and much of your time is taken up in attendance upon me.” “I am richer than you think,” said Mary, opening her purse, and displaying the sum she had received from her visitor, much of which was still untouched. To his inquiries how she obtained it, she replied by unfolding the whole story, and indulged in the warmest encomiums on the generosity and kindness of Mr. Sedley, whose providential interposition had saved her from being imposed upon by the avaricious pawnbroker. Arthur was interested in the recital, and expressed a wish to become acquainted with him. After a pause, he inquired for the painting. “Let me look upon it once more,” said he. “Perhaps I shall be better able to judge of its merits after a lapse of time.” Mary looked embarrassed. “Excuse me,” said she to her husband; “but Mr. Sedley expressed a wish to carry it home with him for a few days, and I could not refuse. Doubtless he wished to exhibit it to some of his friends; and in that way it may find a purchaser.” Arthur acquiesced in this conclusion, and approved of the course which Mary had adopted. IV.