At last another step came nearer and nearer, and the door was opened by a lady, pale and careworn, the curate's wife herself, who led the way without asking any questions into the front room, where a baby was crawling on the hearth-rug, and two or three little ones were standing about watching Kittie with curiosity. The curate's wife took up the baby, and bade Kittie be seated. She supposed she had come on account of some sick relative, and patiently waited to hear the story. But when Kittie had explained why she came the lady looked surprised and pleased. "And you think you could help me at odd times?" she asked at last, "and would not get tired of the children? because, you know, I could not have them slapped even if they were tiresome." Kittie promised that this should never happen, privately remembering that it was a thing her mother never allowed, though she recalled with compunction, that now and then--but still she felt different now from what she used to do, and she must ask for help from the Lord Jesus. All that passed through her mind as she made the promise, but the curate's wife could not tell that. She only thought that this little girl seemed very straightforward. "So you would be able to come before breakfast, and light the kitchen fire?" she asked. "Oh, yes, ma'am." "But does not your mother want you, as you have such a large family at home?" "No, ma'am, 'cause mother's obliged to stay at home with the little 'uns, and she says as we didn't ought both of us to be at home." "But I am afraid I shall not be able to pay you as much as I should like, Kittie; I have very little to spend; and yet--" She sighed. "I _am_ so tired, and it would be such a comfort to have you if you were a good girl." "I'd try to be, ma'am," answered Kittie; "but--mother says I'm very tiresome sometimes." The curate's wife smiled kindly. "We all are," she said gently; "but if we know it, and try to be better, so as to please our Lord and Master, we are sure to improve." Kittie's eyes gave a flash; nobody talked to her quite like that. She should like to serve this pretty lady very much. "Then you will come in the evenings too, and wash up our dishes for us, and help me put the children to bed, or anything I may want?" Kitty promised, and went home, about the happiest little girl in London. Of course her difficulties were yet to come. Two whole shillings a week! It seemed a fortune to her. Cherry and Miss Hobson were as pleased as she could wish, and then she ran down and burst in with her news to her mother. "Oh, Kittie!" exclaimed Mrs. Blunt, "won't you just have to be good to them dear little children! and to the lady too. I never did see such a wonderful thing, never. But it's like my Lord, that it is!" * * * * * When, after a fortnight's work at the Hall, Jem went back to London, he left Meg and Dickie to get two more weeks of fresh air and country milk.