"It is natural that you should feel disappointed," replied the
doctor. "I would myself earnestly advise you to try the effect of
placing him at some other--" The doctor stopped. The lady's face had
lit up with a wonderful smile, and she had raised her hand with a
bewitching gesture of protest.

"Oh, no, Dr. Moncrief," she said. "I am not disappointed with YOU;
but I am all the more angry with Cashel, because I know that if he
makes no progress with you it must be his own fault. As to taking
him away, that is out of the question. I should not have a moment's
peace if he were out of your care. I will speak to him very
seriously about his conduct before I leave to-day. You will give him
another trial, will you not?"

"Certainly. With the greatest pleasure," exclaimed the doctor,
confusing himself by an inept attempt at gallantry. "He shall stay
as long as you please. But"--here the doctor became grave
again--"you cannot too strongly urge upon him the importance of hard
work at the present time, which may be said to be the turning-point
of his career as a student. He is now nearly seventeen; and he has
so little inclination for study that I doubt whether he could pass
the examination necessary to entering one of the universities. You
probably wish him to take a degree before he chooses a profession."

"Yes, of course," said the lady, vaguely, evidently assenting to the
doctor's remark rather than expressing a conviction of her own.
"What profession would you advise for him? You know so much better
than I."