t they need not come to her that morning, for she meant to give
them a holiday.

Having done this, and sent Susan out with the notes, she went
upstairs, and once more put on her black silk dress, her old-fashioned
mantle, and her high poke bonnet. Thus attired, she started on an
expedition which she trusted would lead to many happy results for the
Mainwarings.

CHAPTER V.

THE CONTENTS OF THE CABINET.

The uneasiness Miss Martineau felt was by no means shared by the
girls. Primrose had in reality a very practical nature; she could
housekeep well, and no baker or butcher who ventured to show his face
in Rosebury would dream of cheating this bright young lady. No one
could make half-a-crown, or even a shilling, go farther than Primrose
could. No one could more cleverly convert an old dress into a new, but
her little experiences ended here. She had kept the house for her
mother, and been both thrifty and saving, but real responsibility had
never been hers. The overpowering sensation of knowing that she must
make so much money meet so many absolute necessities had never touched
her young life. Miss Martineau's words had made her a little
thoughtful, but by no means anxious. If she and her sisters could not
live on thirty pounds a year there was still the money in the bank.

Primrose thought two hundred pounds, if not a large, at least a very
comfortable sum. The only real effect that her old governess's words
had on her was to make her a little extra saving.

Jasmine never liked Primrose when she was in a saving mood, and she
grumbled audibly when, the morning after Miss Martineau's visit, her
elder sister suggested that they should do without some black cotton
dresses which the day before they had decided to buy and to make for
themselves.

"Such nonsense!" said Jasmine, stamping her little foot impatiently;
"you know we want the dresses, Primrose. You know poor Daisy can't run
and play in the garden in her black cashmere frock, and I can't dig or
weed. You know, when we decided to go on just as usual, just as if
mamma--was--was--"

Here Jasmine paused, gulped down a sob, and said, hastily, "We want
our print dresses, and we can't do without them. You are just
frightened, Primrose, by what Miss Martineau said."

"I am not at all frightened," answered Primrose, calmly; "only I think
we ought to be careful."

"And we are so rich, too," said Jasmine. "I never thought we had two
hundred pounds in the bank