Now, I'm not going to threaten you, but what should you say if I were to call at the office and fetch you every day ?" I nearly jumped out of my chair.
"Oh, don't, please don't, Miss Steele!" said I.

"I'll be here to the second, in future, I promise." "All right," said she, with a smile, and the subject dropped.
This dreadful threat kept me up to the mark for the next few weeks, but even it lost its terrors in time, and my preceptress had to apply the spur in other ways as the time went on.
Once, after I had been particularly slack, and had, moreover, been so rude to her that she ended the lesson abruptly, I thought it was all up.
For, when I presented myself next day, I was informed by the servant that Miss Steele was busy, and had no time to see me.
I was locked out! My dismay knew no bounds.

Suppose she had "chucked" me altogether, what would become of my chance of getting into Low Heath?
I retired home in great perturbation, and confided the state of the case to my mother, who advised me there and then to sit down and write an apology.
I had never done such a thing in my life.

Once I had verbally begged Tempest's pardon for some error; but to commit myself in writing to a girl! "My dear Miss Steele," I wrote,--"I'm sorry.

Yours truly, T.