. Of course I am not sure, but I
am nearly sure."

"Well, let us get the letter and open it," said Jasmine, "and then our
minds will be at rest. Oh! there is Daisy waking out of her nice nap.
Daisy, darling, would you not like to go and live at Miss Egerton's?
You know you are fond of Miss Egerton, and she is turning out a very
kind friend. Won't you like to live always in her nice house, Daisy
love?"

Daisy's little face had flushed painfully when Jasmine began to talk,
now it turned white, and her lips trembled.

"Are there--are there any little birds there?" she asked.

"Oh, Eyebright, what a silly question! Primrose had she not better
have her beef-tea. I think Miss Egerton keeps a canary, but I am not
sure."

"I'd rather not have any little birds about," said Daisy, with great
emphasis, "and I'd greatly, greatly love to go. I like Miss Egerton.
When shall we go, Primrose?"

"In a day or two," said Primrose. "We have just got to buy a little
furniture, and I'm going to open my trunk now, and get a letter out
which I know has money in it. Yes, we'll very soon go away from here,
darling, and Miss Egerton has thought of this delightful plan
entirely to please you. She says you will be much, much better when
you are out of this house. Oh, Daisy! how bright your eyes look, and
how pleased you seem."

"Yes," said Daisy, "I am delighted; we need never walk down this
street again, need we, Primrose? and we need never to have anything to
say to the Doves, most particularly to Mr. Dove; not but that he's
very kind, and he's--oh, yes! he's my friend; yes, of course he told
me he was my friend, but we needn't ever see him again, ever, _ever_
again, Primrose, darling?"

"Oh, Daisy! what a funny child you are! If Mr. Dove is your friend,
why should you not wish to see him? He is not my friend, however;
indeed, I may say frankly that I don't like him at all. Now drink up
your beef-tea, darling."

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE POOR DOVES.

The next morning early Primrose opened her trunk, and unlocking a
certain little morocco case, which contained her mother's letter about
her lost brother, one or two trinkets which had belonged to that same
mother, and Mr. Danesfield's envelope, she took the latter out of the
case, and slipped it into her pocket. After breakfast she went round
to see Miss Egerton.

"An old friend," she said, "in the village where we lived--I would
rather not say his name--gave me this. I believe i