He blushed and stammered.
"How do you do?
I, in fact--I have come to say good-bye," he blurted out.
"So soon ?" said Mrs.Goddard calmly.

"Pray sit down." "Are you really going away, Mr.Short ?" asked Nellie.

"We are so sorry to lose you." The child had caught the phrase from a book she had been reading, and thought it very appropriate.

Her mother smiled.
"Yes--as Nellie says--we are sorry to lose you," she said.

"I thought you were to stay until Monday ?" "So I was--but--very urgent business--not exactly business of course, but work--calls me away sooner." Having delivered himself of this masterpiece of explanation John looked nervously at Nellie and then at his hat and then, with an imploring glance, at Mrs.Goddard.
"But we shall hear of you, Mr.Short--after the examinations, shall we not ?" "Oh yes," said John eagerly.