me before you go."

Jasmine went away, and Daisy, taking the Pink into her arms, sat down
close to the fire. She was not exactly nervous, but she scarcely liked
to be left in the attics by herself. She wished Mrs. Dove would come
up, or even that Tommy Dove, who was a rude boy, and whom, as a rule,
she particularly disliked, would pay her a visit. Any company, however
she reflected, would be better than none, for she was feeling heavy
and depressed with her cold. The warm feel of the Pink's furry little
body, elapsed tightly in her arms, comforted her not a little. She
remembered with some satisfaction that Jasmine had locked the door,
and she began already to count the moments for her sister's return.

An hour passed, and still Daisy listened for Jasmine's light and
springing step on the attic stairs.

She was very tired now, and her head ached. She thought she would go
into the bedroom and, lying down on her little white bed, sleep away
the weary moments. Taking the Pink with her, she did so, wrapping the
counterpane well up over them both.

In a very few moments the child was in a heavy slumber.

She awoke, after what seemed to herself a very short nap, to hear
sounds in the bedroom. She stirred sleepily, and, opening her eyes,
said--

"Oh, Jasmine, what a time you've been away!"

No answer from Jasmine, but a smothered exclamation from some one
else; a heavy tread on the uncarpeted boards, and Dove, his face red,
his shoes off, and something which looked like a screw-driver in his
hands, came up and bent over the child.

"Oh! what are you doing here, Mr. Dove?" exclaimed little Daisy. The
man bent down over her, and stared hard into her wide open blue eyes.

[Illustration: THE MAN BENT DOWN OVER HER. Palace B]

"I didn't know you was here, missie; it was very cunning of you to
feign sleep like that--it was very cunning and over sharp, but it
don't come round me. No, no; you has got to speak up now, and say what
you has seen, and what you hasn't seen. I allow of no nonsense with
little girls, and I can always see through them when they mean to tell
a lie. You know where the children who tell lies go to, so you'd
better speak up, and the whole truth, missie." Dove spoke in a very
rough voice, and poor Daisy felt terribly frightened.

"I didn't see anything," she began, in her innocent way. "I was fast,
fast asleep. I thought you were Jasmine--Jasmine should have been back
long ago. I have a bad cold, and