went away.

Mr. Danesfield did not pay a long visit. He had known the Mainwarings,
although not very intimately, for years. He was a good-hearted, kind,
and very busy man, and during their mother's lifetime he had taken but
little notice of the girls.

To-day, however, he seemed to regard them with fresh interest. He
assured Primrose that if he could assist her in any business capacity
he would only be too pleased to do so. "Our good friend Miss Martineau
assures me that your means are likely to be a little straitened, my
dear. I am sincerely sorry, although there are worse troubles--yes,
assuredly, far worse troubles. It cannot do a healthy girl any harm to
work. Yes, come to me for advice if you care to, and look on me as an
old friend. And hark ye, Miss Primrose, I am glad Mrs. Ellsworthy has
called. Make the most of your opportunity at Shortlands, my dears.
Yes; I'll look in another day with pleasure. Good-bye, good-bye."

When Mr. Danesfield went away the two elder sisters looked at each
other. What did it all mean? What mystery was there in the air?
Jasmine thought both Miss Martineau and Mr. Danesfield very
disagreeable but Primrose pondered these things and felt anxious.

CHAPTER VII.

SHORTLANDS.

"A most extraordinary thing has happened," said Mrs. Ellsworthy that
evening to her husband. "We have lived for several years at
Shortlands, and except when we have people in the house I have
actually been without any society. My dear Joseph, you will forgive my
counting you as nobody at all. Well, we have lived here, and I have
often been dull beyond words, and yet the nicest creatures have been
within a stone's throw of me."

Mr. Ellsworthy was at least twenty years older than his wife--a
reserved individual, with a rather long and melancholy face. Mrs.
Ellsworthy was plump, and round, and pretty--kittenish some people
called her.

She was certainly fond of emphasizing her words, and of going into
raptures, and her husband now only raised his eyebrows, and said,
"Well, Kate?" in a somewhat lethargic voice.

Mrs. Ellsworthy left her seat, and drew a small easy-chair close to
the fire, for though the weather was hot Mrs. Ellsworthy always
insisted on indulging in this evening luxury.

Planting herself luxuriously in this chair, the little lady began her
narrative.

"Now, Joseph, I will tell you my story. Do you remember that
outlandish-looking governess who came up here for a week to try to
kee