"This—this is a boarder! Now, don't——" Norval could not catch the rest, but it was a warning to Jo not to put her price too high.
"A boarder?" Jo got upon her feet, plainly affected. She took life pretty much as it came, but this unexpected appearance of her secret desire almost stunned her.
"Where did you get him, Donelle?"
Then the girl told her story while her yellow eyes danced with childish amusement.
"He's just like an answer to prayer, isn't he, Mamsey?"
"And I'm quite prayerful in my attitude," Norval put in. "Anything in the way of a bite and a bed will be gratefully received. Name your price, Mam'selle."
Now that the hour had come Jo's conscience and her sense of justice rose in arms against each other.
"He looks as if he could pay," she mused.
"But see how tired he looks—and interesting!" Conscience and inclination pushed Jo to the wall. However, she was hard-headed.
"How about five dollars a week?" she ejaculated.