It was while musing one day upon her fate that Gertrude’s eye was struck with an advertisement.

“Wanted a governess; must possess a knowledge of French, Italian, Russian, and Roumanian, Music, and Mining Engineering.  Salary 1 pound, 4 shillings and 4 pence halfpenny per annum.  Apply between half-past eleven and twenty-five minutes to twelve at No. 41 A Decimal Six, Belgravia Terrace.  The Countess of Nosh.”

Gertrude was a girl of great natural quickness of apprehension, and she had not pondered over this announcement more than half an hour before she was struck with the extraordinary coincidence between the list of items desired and the things that she herself knew.

She duly presented herself at Belgravia Terrace before the Countess, who advanced to meet her with a charm which at once placed the girl at her ease.

“You are proficient in French,” she asked.

"Oh, oui," said Gertrude modestly.

“And Italian,” continued the Countess.

"Oh, si," said Gertrude.

“And German,” said the Countess in delight.

"Ah, ja," said Gertrude.

“And Russian?”

"Yaw."

“And Roumanian?”

"Jep."

Amazed at the girl’s extraordinary proficiency in modern languages, the Countess looked at her narrowly.  Where had she seen those lineaments before?  She passed her hand over her brow in thought, and spit upon the floor, but no, the face baffled her.

“Enough,” she said, “I engage you on the spot; to-morrow you go down to Nosham Taws and begin teaching the children.  I must add that in addition you will be expected to aid the Earl with his Russian correspondence.  He has large mining interests at Tschminsk.”

Tschminsk! why did the simple word reverberate upon Gertrude’s ears?  Why?  Because it was the name written in her father’s hand on the title page of his book on mining.  What mystery was here?

It was on the following day that Gertrude had driven up the avenue.

She descended from the dogcart, passed through a phalanx of liveried servants drawn up seven-deep, to each of whom she gave a sovereign as she passed and entered Nosham Taws.

“Welcome,” said the Countess, as she aided Gertrude to carry her trunk upstairs.

The girl presently descended and was ushered into the library, where she was presented to the Earl.  As soon as the Earl’s eye fell upon the face of the new governess he started visibly.  Where had he seen those lineaments?  Where was it?  At the races, or the theatre—­on a bus—­no.  Some subtler thread of memory was stirring in his mind.  He strode hastily to the sideboard, drained a dipper and a half of brandy, and became again the perfect English gentleman.

While Gertrude has gone to the nursery to make the acquaintance of the two tiny golden-haired children who are to be her charges, let us say something here of the Earl and his son.