Page 40 (1/1)

'Really?'

'Oh yes; there's no doubt about it

'The oddest thing ever I heard of!' said Mr Swancourt, starting with astonishment 'That the pupil of such a land!' cried Stephen enthusiastically

'That the pupil of such a man should pronounce Latin in the way you pronounce it beats all I ever heard How long did he instruct you?'

'Four years'

'Four years!'

'It is not so strange when I explain,' Stephen hastened to say 'It was done in this way--by letter I sent hi twice a week, and twice a week he sent theinal notes of instruction That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek, such as it is He is not responsible forHe has never heard ular instance of patience!' cried the vicar

'On his part, not on ht is one in a thousand! I re to me on this very subject of pronunciation He says that,when every ue as seeht none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away, to e'

Both Elfride and her father had waited attentively to hear Stephen go on to ould have been thepart of the story, namely, what circumstances could have necessitated such an unusual method of education But no further explanation was volunteered; and they saw, by the younghimself upon the chess-board, that he was anxious to drop the subject

The gaht It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so h to do in her coa herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average aive checka, was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move

Stephen looked up suspiciously His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers, which itself had quickened when she seriously set to work on this last occasion Mr Swancourt had left the roo with'You did not play your best in the first two games?'