Now, though Irene St. Clive was delighted, and would have been quite content for Ralph to have stayed as her companion, her father did not look at matters in that way; and he had a serious talk with Ralph, having first quietly questioned him in order to ascertain his acquirements. "You see, Ralph," he said, "what a man needs in England is quite different from what he may need abroad. You can ride, shoot, and round up cattle; but that is no good here. Your father has given you a general education, so that you are not a dunce; but it is nothing like what you will need as a gentleman here. Knowledge is power and your desire to clear up the matter of your father's disappearance demands that you should acquire all the power obtainable. My advice--I have no right to insist, remember--but my advice is that you should spend a couple of years at a first-class school--we have a splendid one here--and if you work honestly during that time, with your intellect you ought to have made a good headway. What do you say?" The boy knit his brows. To one who had passed his days in a wild, free life, such a prospect did not hold out many charms; but then Ralph was fond of learning, and had sometimes sighed that he could not learn more. Besides, his one object in life was to solve the matter of his father's disappearance, and clear his name from any foul charge. In his heart, Ralph had resolved ever to live under honour's flag. He looked up, and answered frankly-- "I will be guided entirely by you, sir, unless my father comes back; then, of course, I should do whatever he directed." "My feeling is, that had your father elected to remain in England he would certainly have sent you to school. Now, Ralph, I am going to be frank with you. We have, as I have said, a splendid school near here; but amongst its pupils is Horace Elgert. I fear that he takes after his father somewhat; and if Lord Elgert has said anything, or does say anything to him when he knows you are there, young Horace may try to make it unpleasant for you. Do you understand?" "Perfectly, sir," replied Ralph. "And will you go there?" Ralph looked Mr. St. Clive in the face, and he answered firmly: "Yes, sir. The boy's being there is nothing to me. I will go." "Good!" replied Mr. St. Clive, with a nod of appreciation. "We will go over and see the Headmaster to-morrow." CHAPTER IV RALPH'S FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL "He is a fine young fellow, but his past life has been spent amidst very different scenes, and he is far from having a fitting education. But he is very intellectual and will acquire knowledge quickly. His father must have been a gentleman, and he has taught his son to be one also." It was Mr. St. Clive who spoke, and his words were addressed to Dr. Beverly, the principal of Marlthorpe College--the best school in all the county.