he question, 'How is it that you, who never
condescended to know my mother, intrude upon us now, in our loss?' She
was most gentle and most dignified, but I could as soon take liberties
with her as with--with--you, Joseph, when you choose to exert your
authority. After Miss Mainwaring came, I thought it best to run away;
but before I went I extracted a promise from the three darlings to
come and spend the day here to-morrow. Really, Joseph, I have had a
surprising day; but I remember now that Miss Martineau did say
something about these children being well born."

Mr. Ellsworthy again raised his eyebrows.

"I had an acquaintance once of the name," he said, "but I lost sight
of him years ago. It is a good name. Well, Kate, you will do what you
can for your _protegees_. I am glad you have found some objects of
interest close to your own gates."

Here Mrs. Ellsworthy dropped her slightly frivolous tone, and rising
from her seat, went up to her husband.

"Joseph," she said, "I want you to contrive to be at home for lunch
to-morrow. I want you to see my girls, and to advise me how best to
help them. Primrose is so proud and so inexperienced; the two younger
ones, of course, know nothing of either poverty or riches; they live
as the flowers live, and are happy for the same reason. Do you know,
Joseph, that the eldest of these sisters is not seventeen, and the
youngest only ten; that they seem to be absolutely without relations,
almost without friends, and that between them they have only a
Government grant of thirty pounds a year."

Here Mrs. Ellsworthy's pretty bright blue eyes filled with tears, and
her husband, stooping down, kissed her.

"I will make a point of seeing those girls to-morrow Kate," he said.
"I am glad you have come across them."

Then he went off to his library, where he sat, and read, and lost
himself in great thoughts far into the night. It is to be feared that
during these hours he forgot the Mainwarings and their troubles.

Mrs. Ellsworthy had appointed noon the next day to receive her young
guests, and punctual to the moment the three walked into her
drawing-room.

Daisy instantly commented on this fact. "There's the last stroke of
twelve striking from the church clock," she exclaimed. "Oh, please!
where's the Persian kitten?"

"I have brought you all the carnations that were in flower," said
Jasmine. "Smell them; aren't they delicious? Mamma used to love them
so--I would not give them to