k after my little girls during
the day, and teach them. At present they know absolutely nothing, and I
have not been willing to send them out of the house to school. What I
have been thinking is, of securing some one who would live in the house,
and take the care of the children off my hands. I am an invalid, as you
see, and sometimes their noise absolutely distracts me."

Miss Manning was struck with pity, as she noticed the pale, nervous face
of the invalid.

"Then the children need to go out and take a walk every day; but I have
no one to send with them. You wouldn't object to that, would you?"

"No, I should like it."

"Could you come soon?"

"I could come to-morrow, if you desire it," said Miss Manning, promptly.

"I wish you would. I have a nervous headache which will last me some
days, I suppose, and the children can't keep still. I suppose it is
their nature to be noisy."

"I can take them out for an hour now, if you like it, Mrs. Colman. It
would give me a chance to get acquainted."

"Would you? It would be quite a relief to me, and to them too. Oh, there
is one thing we must speak of. What compensation will satisfy you?"

"I don't know how much I ought to ask. I am willing to leave that matter
to you."

"You would want your little girl to live with you, I suppose."

"Yes, she needs me to look after her."

"Very well. Then I will pay Mrs. Clayton for the board of both of you,
and if two dollars a week would satisfy you--"

Would satisfy her? Miss Manning's breath was quite taken away at the
magnificent prospect that opened before her. She could hardly conceive
it possible that her services were worth a home in so nice a house and
two dollars a week besides. Why, toiling early and late at her needle,
she had barely earned hitherto, thirty-seven cents a day, and out of
that all her expenses had to be paid. Now she would still be able to sew
while the children were learning their lessons. She would no longer be
the occupant of a miserable tenement house, but would live in a nice
quarter of the city. She felt devoutly thankful for the change: but, on
the whole, considered that perhaps it was not best to let Mrs. Colman
see just how glad she was. So she simply expressed herself as entirely
satisfied with the terms that were offered. Mrs. Colman seemed glad that
this matter had been so easily arranged.

"Mrs. Clayton will show you the room you are to occupy," she said. "I
have not been into it, but I