Chapter Thirty Three.
I Have Another Lesson in Love.
I felt rather nervous about asking for leave, but summoning up courage the next day, I knocked at the principal’s door, and Mr Ruddle’s voice bade me come in.
“Well, Grace,” he said, nodding to me pleasantly, “I wanted to see you.”
I looked at him wonderingly.
“Only to say how glad I was to hear such a good account of you from Mr Rowle.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“But Mr Grimstone doesn’t give you much praise,” he continued, with rather a droll look in his eyes; “so I’m afraid you are a very ordinary sort of boy after all. Well, what do you want?”
“I had a note from Miss Carr, sir, saying she would like to see me to-day. Can I be spared?”
“Oh yes, certainly—certainly,” said the old gentleman. “And look here, my man, you’ve made a good friend in that lady. Try and deserve it—deserve it.”