"If you will sit down in the other room, and give me a translation into French of this letter, I can at once determine whether you would be of any service to us. If you are, we will pay you very liberally; but most of our work of this kind is translating French into English."
"I will try, sir," replied Maggie.
"I will stay here with your father while you do it."
Maggie went into the rear room; and in less than half an hour she produced a translation of the letter handed to her.
"That is excellently well done, miss," said Mr. Checkynshaw, when he had glanced at the translation. "You write a beautiful hand. It is even better than my daughter's."
"You are very kind, sir."
"I will keep this as a specimen of your work. Here are two dollars for the job," added Mr. Checkynshaw, as he gave her the money.
"Indeed, sir, you are too kind. I don't ask any money for that."
"Take it, Maggie; I always pay people that work for me, especially when they do their work as well as you have done this. Take it, miss, or I shall be offended."
It was not safe to offend such a munificent patron, and Maggie took the money, blushing as she did so.