as a very
great difficulty, almost an insurmountable difficulty. We have already
more than a hundred such names upon our lists, and if you think it
worth while our adding yours, I dare say that in the course of some
years we may possibly be able to find you some opening which----"

He paused on account of a knock at the door. It was a clerk with a note.
Mr. Lumsden broke the seal and read it.

"Why, Mr. Weld," said he, "this is really rather an interesting
coincidence. I understand you to say that Latin and English are your
subjects, and that you would prefer for a time to accept a place in an
elementary establishment, where you would have time for private study?"

"Quite so."

"This note contains a request from an old client of ours, Dr. Phelps
McCarthy, of Willow Lea House Academy, West Hampstead, that I should at
once send him a young man who should be qualified to teach Latin and
English to a small class of boys under fourteen years of age. His
vacancy appears to be the very one which you are looking for. The terms
are not munificent--sixty pounds, board, lodging, and washing--but the
work is not onerous, and you would have the evenings to yourself."

"That would do," I cried, with all the eagerness of the man who sees
work at last after weary months of seeking.

"I don't know that it is quite fair to these gentlemen whose names have
been so long upon our list," said Mr. Lumsden, glancing down at his open
ledger. "But the coincidence is so striking that I feel we must really
give you the refusal of it."

"Then I accept it, sir, and I am much obliged to you."

"There is one small provision in Dr. McCarthy's letter. He stipulates
that the applicant must be a man with an imperturbable good temper."

"I am the very man," said I, with conviction.

"Well," said Mr. Lumsden, with some hesitation, "I hope that your temper
is really as good as you say, for I rather fancy that you may need it."

"I presume that every elementary school-master does."

"Yes, sir, but it is only fair to you to warn you that there may be some
especially trying circumstances in this particular situation. Dr. Phelps
McCarthy does not make such a condition without some very good and
pressing reason."

There was a certain solemnity in his speech which struck a chill in the
delight with which I had welcomed this providential vacancy.

"May I ask the nature of these circumstances?" I asked.

"We endeavour to hold the balance equally bet