badly
needed some new gloves, and Jasmine pictured to herself how her eldest
sister's sweet eyes would fill with tears, and how touched she would
be by her little offering. Yes, certainly Daisy must keep her secret
faithfully.

On Tuesday morning, as Primrose was preparing to start for Penelope
Mansion, Jasmine announced her intention of accompanying her. Her face
had a slightly guilty look as she made this suggestion; and Daisy
quite blushed, and kept her eyes fixed on her plate, and wondered how
Jasmine would smuggle a large roll of manuscript out of the house.
Primrose immediately guessed that there was a little mystery afloat,
but she was not a curious girl, and was only too pleased to see that
her sisters had something to interest them.

"You can walk with me if you like, Jasmine," she said; "but it is a
rather dull morning, and I fear it will rain."

"Torrents wouldn't keep me in to-day," said Jasmine. Then fearing she
had betrayed herself, she added hastily, "I want to see Poppy. Poppy
is to have a holiday to-day, and I want to take her out."

Primrose made no further objection, and Jasmine having packed her
manuscript into a small leather bag, and having given Daisy a somewhat
solemn farewell, the two girls set out.

When they arrived at the Mansion Primrose went upstairs at once to
Mrs. Mortlock's sitting-room, but Jasmine began to enter into an
earnest conversation with Poppy.

"Are you quite ready, Poppy? Oh, you've got your working dress on
still; how tiresome!"

"I won't be a minute changing, Miss Jasmine; the hours for the working
maid's holiday are from ten to ten, and I won't be denied them. The
clock has just gone ten, miss, and not another stroke of work shall
Aunt Flint get out of me to-day, miss."

"Quite right, Poppy," said Jasmine; "run upstairs now, and be as
quick as possible, and I will wait for you in the hall."

Poppy did not need to be told to hasten; she flew up to the small
attic which she occupied at the top of the house, and made a hasty
and, she hoped, a brilliant toilet. She had been thinking for weeks of
this day; for since Primrose had come to Mrs. Mortlock's Jasmine had
promised Poppy that she was to spend her holiday with her, and Poppy
had been getting ready her toilet with a view to the occasion.

Her dress, after all, was only an ordinary and somewhat shabby brown
one, but she had adorned her tight-fitting black jacket with a
sky-blue bow, which hung down in front wi