ink of something terribly
severe to say to him? Tell him you are to have nothing more to do with
him."

Gertrude shook her head and laughed.

"I am very well content with my teacher," she said.

"And as a general thing, I have been very well content with my pupil,"
said Mr Sherwood, looking grave. "I should like nothing better than to
teach her still."

"Charles, is it decided? Are you going away?" asked Mrs Seaton.

"Yes, I am going; and the sooner the better, I suppose."

"If one could really be sure that it is best for you to go," said Mrs
Seaton, with a sigh. "But it is sad that you should go alone, perhaps
to be ill among strangers."

"By no means. I have no thought of being ill," said Mr Sherwood,
cheerfully. "My going is not altogether, nor chiefly, on account of my
health. This is the best season for my long-talked-of Southern trip,
and I dare say the milder climate will suit me better than the bitter
Canadian winds."

There was a great deal more said about his going which need not be
repeated. Gertrude listened to all, sadly enough.

"I know how it will end," she said to herself; "I shall have to go to
school after all."

She thought at first this was her only cause of regret. But it was not.
Mr Sherwood and she had become much better friends within the last few
months than they used to be. As a general thing, the lessons had been a
source of pleasure to both, and of great profit to Gertrude. In his
capacity of teacher, Mr Sherwood never teased and bantered her as he
had been apt to do at other times. Indeed, he had almost given up that
now; and Gertrude thought it much more pleasant to be talked to
rationally, or even to be overlooked altogether, than to be trilled
with. Besides, though he put a cheerful face on the matter of leaving,
he was ill, and sometimes despondent; and it seemed to her very sad
indeed that he should go away among strangers alone.

"Will you answer my letters if I write to you? Or will you care to hear
from me?" asked Mr Sherwood, as he bade her good-bye.

"Oh, yes, indeed! I should care very much. But I am afraid you would
think my letters very uninteresting--such letters as I write to the
girls at home. You would not care for them?"

"I shall care very much for them. Promise me that you will tell me
everything--about your reading, and your visits, and about your little
brothers, and their nurse even. I think I shall wish to hear about
everything here