ery kind friend of ours. She is making some
plans for us, but we don't quite know what they are. She has written
us a letter, however, and it is on account of that letter that we have
all come to you to-night. She has invited us to come to her to-morrow,
and she wants all the friends who were kind to us, and who helped us
in every way during our year in London, to come in the evening to hear
what the plans are. Even if you can't see, Mrs. Mortlock, it will
amuse you to come, and I hope so much you will do so. I will try to
stay close to you myself when you do come, so you need not feel
lonely."

"My dear, you are very kind," said Mrs. Mortlock, and the other ladies
also said the Mainwarings were kind, and they sent their dutiful
respects to Mrs. Ellsworthy and were pleased to accept. Accordingly,
Primrose gave them full directions with regard to the right address,
and the hour at which they were to be present; and finally the girls
left Mrs. Flint and her three lady boarders in a state of considerable
excitement and so deeply interested in what was about to occur that
they forgot to grumble at each other.

CHAPTER LVI.

A PALACE BEAUTIFUL.

Hannah Martin had come up with her young ladies to London, and she
also was invited by Mrs. Ellsworthy to come to her house. The girls
all thought Hannah very much altered; they could not understand her
queer illusions, or her mysterious little nods, or in particular the
way she used to stare at Jasmine, and say under her breath, "Yes, yes,
as like as two peas. What a blind old woman I was not to see it when I
clapped eyes on him."

"I cannot make out what Hannah is always muttering," Jasmine said to
her sisters. "Who is it I am so remarkably like. To judge from the way
Hannah frowns and shakes her head, and then smiles, the fact of this
accidental likeness seems to have a very disturbing effect upon her."

"I know whom you are like, Jasmine," said little Daisy. "I've seen it
for a long time. You are the very image of my dear Prince. You have
got just the same colored eyes, and just the same curly hair, and
both your foreheads are broad and white. It's perfectly natural,"
continued Daisy, "for you are both geniuses, and all geniuses must
have a look of each other."

Hannah had old-fashioned ideas on many subjects. One of these was that
people could not remain too long in mourning. She liked very deep
black, and wished those who had lost relations to wear it for a lon