ing, and take Daisy for a walk, but
morning and evening I will get into my Palace Beautiful, and write
away, and forget the sordid cares of life."

The little maid had really a certain amount of genius to guide her,
and although all her ideas were crude and unpractised, she managed to
be happy in the castle which she built, and her dark eyes grew bright
once more, and her pretty face resumed its animated and contented
expression.

Primrose, who worked very steadily at her china-painting, was much
cheered at this time with one or two small, but _bona-fide_ orders for
work. They came not through Mr. Jones, who pocketed her money and
exhibited her wares in a dusty and uncertain fashion, but through Miss
Egerton, who was proving herself a real friend to the girls. Primrose
was immensely cheered by these little orders, and, in consequence,
Christmas Day--the girls' first Christmas Day without a home and a
mother--passed not uncheerfully. Things might have gone well with the
three but for an incident which occurred just at the beginning of the
New Year.

One morning Daisy awoke shivering, and complaining of fresh cold. She
refused, however, to stay at home by herself, and begged of Jasmine to
wrap her up, and take her across to Miss Egerton's, but when the two
girls reached the kind mistress's door they were informed that she had
been suddenly sent for to the country, and would not be back until the
following day.

"You must go back now, my pet," said Jasmine. "I'll take you back
myself, and I'll build up such a nice fire for you, and you shall look
at the dear old scrap-book which we made when we were all happy at
Rosebury."

"I wish we were back at Rosebury," said little Daisy, in a very sad
and plaintive voice. "I don't think London is at all a cheerful place.
We made a great mistake about it, didn't we, Jasmine? Oh, Jasmine,
darling, you are not going to leave me by myself, for I really don't
feel well this morning."

"I'll come back ever so quickly, Eyebright, but I really think I must
do Primrose's shopping for her, now that I am not going to Miss
Egerton. Primrose is working very hard at her china-painting order,
and it is not fair she should be interrupted. You won't be selfish,
will you, Eyebright? You know we arranged long ago that the way you
were to help matters forward was not to hinder us older girls in our
work."

"I know," answered Daisy, with a patient sigh. "I won't be selfish,
Jasmine. Just kiss