o fall on the floor.

"I know what it means," she exclaimed, speaking with sudden fire and
passion; "the same thing has been said to me by two different people
already to-day. Mr. Danesfield said it after his fashion, Miss
Martineau after hers, and now Mrs. Ellsworthy repeats the words. Oh,
yes, I know what it means--separation--I will _never_ consent to it!"

Jasmine had been kneeling on the floor and picking up the scattered
sheets of Mrs. Ellsworthy's letter; she now raised her eyes in utter
astonishment to her elder sister's face. Primrose was not accustomed
to giving utterance to strong feelings. Primrose's words were wont to
be calm and somewhat measured. Jasmine knew that she herself flew into
tempests of grief, or anger, or excitement--she was always being
chided for not restraining her feelings--she was always being gently
lectured for using too strong expressions. What did Primrose mean by
throwing down this kind though somewhat mysterious, letter, and by
making use of so ghastly a word as "separation?" Who was going to
divide them? Certainly not kind Mrs. Ellsworthy.

"Had we not better hear what she says, even though you don't seem
quite to like her, Primrose?" asked Jasmine, holding up the sheets.

"There are two sheets more, quite full of writing--shall I read them
aloud to you and Daisy?"

But Primrose had not got over the excitement which was growing within
her all day; she took the letter out of Jasmine's hands, folded it,
and returned it to its envelope.

"I must speak," she said; "we can finish that letter afterwards--the
letter does not greatly matter, after all. Do you know, Jasmine, and
do you know, Daisy, that these people who all mean to be so kind, and
who, I suppose, really feel good-natured towards us, are trying to
take our lives into their own hands? They are not our guardians, but
they want to rule us--they say we cannot live on our income, and they
will show us how we are to live. Mr. Danesfield will give money, if
needed; Miss Martineau will give us heaps and oceans of advice; and
Mrs. Ellsworthy will give patronage, and perhaps money too. They mean
to be kind, as I said, and they think they ought to guide our lives.
Of course, they consider us very young and very ignorant, and so they
say they will provide for me in one way, and Jasmine in another, and
Daisy in another. Now what I say is this; let us choose our own lives,
Jasmine and Daisy; don't let us do anything rude to our frie