Four Gates by Amy Le Feuvre

"He who has the truth at his heart need never fear the want of persuasion on his tongue. "-RUSKIN.

"THE doctor wishes to see Miss Hume in his study at four o'clock this afternoon."

That was the message given to Audrey one morning, just a month after she had arrived at Horsborough College. She was looking a very different girl now from what she did when she left London.

Colour was in her cheeks, brightness in her eyes, and vigour and energy in every movement. With her characteristic thoroughness, she had thrown herself wholeheartedly into her work, and was adored by all the small boys, as well as by some of the big ones. Of Dr. Vernon she saw little, and if by chance she came across him, she had very few words to say to him. She found Miss Vernon's speech very true about the boys' world in which she would have to live. And she also found, if her outlook was very broad in some ways, it was very narrow in others. She grew a little impatient of hearing the doctor's praises sung. The two young married women vied with one another in entertaining him, and their pride when he dined or walked and talked with them seemed very small and childish to the independent Audrey.

Mrs. Ross was a pretty little gushing creature, who expected and received much admiration from her friends. Audrey and she did not take to each other from the first. Mrs. Tate, whose husband was the senior master, was stiff in her manner, and a little given to patronising Audrey, who, of course, resented such treatment, and kept away from her in consequence. Miss Vernon and Mrs. Bonar were her great friends, and she wanted no others.

Yet, before she had been there a fortnight, she was beset by much attention from two or three of the younger masters, especially one in particular-a young fellow from Oxford, who was the master in literature and a very able man. He would saunter up to her in the playground, accompany her sometimes when she was walking out with the boys, and hold long conversations with her in the library, of which he was custodian.

At first, Audrey had been very grateful to him for recommending her various books to read. She had enjoyed talking over with him English literature in general, and had thankfully learnt a great deal from him on several subjects. But she grew rather tired of him before long, and was more anxious than he was to cut short their interview.

A chance word from Mrs. Ross had brought the hot blood to her cheeks. They were looking on at a football match, and Mr. Oates had just left her side to obey a summons from the doctor. Mrs. Ross turned to one of the other masters with a little laugh.

"That effort will fail; it is like separating a needle from a magnet. If I were the doctor, I would not show my hand so soon, for I am sure it will die a natural death. Mr. Oates is such a very impressionable youth."

Audrey had moved away, controlling her indignation. Now, as she was crossing the square to the doctor's house, she wondered if she was to be rebuked for her intimacy with him.

Her lip curled in scorn at it.

"Life in a boys' school is petty," she said to herself.

And it was in this frame of mind that she greeted the doctor.

As he drew forward a chair for her close to the fire, she seemed to see herself in that same chair on the occasion of her first interview with him; the remembrance of her humiliation then brought an aggressive note into her tone.

"I was told you wished to see me," she said.

Dr. Vernon smiled as he seated himself opposite to her.

"I assure you it is not an unusual thing for me to wish to see any one of my staff. As a matter-of-fact, I always like the heads of the houses to come and report themselves once a month; it gives us an opportunity of talking over any difficulties that may have occurred. My sister tells me she did mention this to you."

"I believe she did," said Audrey, a little ashamed of herself. "But really, I have nothing to say. I have had no difficulties. Life seems almost too easy for me now."

He glanced at her, and could hardly believe that this bright, radiant girl was the same who had stood looking like a white wraith as she defied him in that shabby little back parlour in London.

"That was one of the things I wished to ask you," Dr. Vernon said, "whether you like your work and are happy with us. You were to give it a trial, you know."