"Thank you," said Mr. Bowman. "I am inclined to think that I shall be glad to avail myself of your services. Should you be willing to engage for three months at first, to see how we are mutually pleased with each other? The pupil I have to offer you is a little addicted to mischief, and I don't know how you may like her."
"I am quite willing to enter into such an arrangement," said Mrs. Codman; "and in reference to the last point, I am quite sure I shall like my pupil. I begin to like her already."
"Do you?" said Bert, with much satisfaction, rising from the ottoman, and unceremoniously dropping the black kitten, who turned a somerset, and ran off shaking her head.
In answer, Mrs. Codman held out her hand with a smile.
Bert hurried across the room, and placed her own in it confidingly.
"I am so glad you do," said she. "You won't make me study my eyes out, will you?"
"That would, indeed, be a pity," said Mrs. Codman, looking at Bert's bright eyes, sparkling with fun and mischief.
Mr. Bowman observed these signs of agreement between Bert and her new governess with pleasure, and hastened to say, "In regard to business arrangements we will speak by and by. I think I can promise that they will be satisfactory to you."
It may be mentioned here, that Mr. Bowman, who was by no means disposed to deal parsimoniously with those in his employ, fixed Mrs. Codman's salary at six hundred dollars a year, which was four times as much as she had ever been able to gain by her needle.