to
propitiate both the rich widows; "under ordinary circumstances that is
so, but in a dire moment like the present I think the ten minutes'
grace might be allowed to Mrs. Dredge's kind heart."

"Here's the four-wheeler!" exclaimed Mrs. Dredge.

"Good-bye, ladies. If I'm not in at ten minutes past ten don't look
for me until the morning."

When Mrs. Dredge, Primrose, Jasmine, and Poppy got back to the girls'
pretty sitting-room the good-natured little widow proved herself a
very practical friend. First of all, she listened carefully to Poppy's
account of all that had transpired that day. She then got Primrose to
tell her as much as possible about Daisy. All the child's distress and
nervousness and unaccountable unhappiness were related, and the sage
little woman shook her head several times over the narrative, and said
at last, in a very common-sense voice--

"It's as clear as a pikestaff to Jemima Dredge that that sweet little
child has been tampered with. Somebody has been frightening the bit of
a thing, Miss Primrose, and it's for you to find out who that somebody
is. As to where she's gone? Why, she has gone back to where she was
born, of course, and you and me will follow her by the first train in
the morning, my dear."

"She was taking care of a cheque of mine for seventeen pounds ten
shillings," exclaimed Primrose, "and in her little note she speaks of
the money being lost. I think nothing of the loss of the money beside
Daisy, but, Mrs. Dredge, Jasmine and I cannot afford even a
third-class ticket to Rosebury just at present."

"Tut, tut, my dear," said Mrs. Dredge, "what's the good of a full
purse except to share it? My poor husband Joshua was his name--we was
two J's, dear--he always said, 'Jemima, thank God the chandlery is
prospering. A full purse means light hearts, Jemima. We can shed
blessings with our means, Jemima.' Those was Joshua's words, Miss
Mainwaring, and I hear him now telling them to me from his grave. You
and me will go down to Rosebury in the morning, dear, and Miss
Jasmine will stay at home with Sarah Mary for company, for there's no
sense in waste, and one of you is quite enough to come."

While this conversation was going on Bridget knocked at the girls'
door, and presented Jasmine with a thick parcel, which had just
arrived for her by post. It was some of the manuscript, and the first
proofs of her story. The parcel came to hand at a sorrowful moment,
and Jasmine laid it on the