e, let me!--I have made my possible; I can no more!"

Waymark alone feared neither Mrs. Tootle nor her hopeful son, and, in
turn, was held in some little awe by both of them. The lady had at
first tried the effect of interfering in his classes, as she did in
those of the other masters, but the result was not encouraging.

"Don't you think, Mr. Waymark," she had said one day, as she walked
through the school-room and paused to listen to our friend's
explanation of some rule in English grammar; "don't you think it would
be better to confine yourself to the terms of the doctor's little
compendium? The boys are used to it."

"In this case," replied Waymark calmly, "I think the terms of the
compendium are rather too technical for the fourth class."

"Still, it is customary in this school to use the compendium, and it
has never yet been found unsatisfactory. Whilst you are discoursing at
such length, I observe your class gets very disorderly."

Waymark looked at her, but kept silence. Mrs. Tootle stood still.

"What are you waiting for, Mr. Waymark?" she asked sharply.

"Till your presence has ceased to distract the boys' attention, Mrs.
Tootle," was the straightforward reply.

The woman was disconcerted, and, as Waymark preserved his calm silence,
she had no alternative but to withdraw, after giving him a look not
easily forgotten.

But there was another person whose sufferings under the tyranny of
mother and children were perhaps keenest of all. Waymark had frequent
opportunities of observing Miss Enderby under persecution, and learned
to recognise in her the signs of acutest misery. Many times he left the
room, rather than add to her pain by his presence; very often it was as
much as he could do to refrain from taking her part, and defending her
against Mrs. Tootle. He had never been formally introduced to Miss
Enderby, and during several weeks held no kind of communication with
her beyond a "good morning" when he entered the room and found her
there. The first quarter of a year was drawing to a close when there
occurred the first conversation between them. Waymark had been giving
some of the children their drawing-lesson, whilst the governess taught
the two youngest. The class-time being over, the youngsters all
scampered off. For a wonder, Mrs. Tootle was not present, anti Waymark
seized the opportunity to exchange a word with the young lady.

"I fear your pupils give you dreadful trouble," he said, as he stood