ombatants;
but Primrose felt but small interest, and owned that she had a slight
headache.

Nevertheless, when the younger girls retired to bed she sat up, and,
taking out an account-book, began an impossible task. Even all the
resources of this young and vigorous brain could not make thirty
pounds cover a year's expenses. Again and again Primrose tried. The
rent of the cottage was twelve pounds a year. She pronounced this
extravagant, and wondered if they could possibly get a cheaper
dwelling.

Then there were Hannah's wages. Well, of course, they could do without
Hannah--it would be very painful to part with her, but anything would
be better than the humiliating conclusion that Mrs. Ellsworthy and
Miss Martineau considered them too poor to live. Then, of course, they
could do without meat--what did healthy girls want with meat?
Only--and here Primrose sighed deeply--Daisy was not _very_ strong.
Eggs were cheap enough in Rosebury, and so was butter, and they could
bake their own bread; and as to clothes, they would not want any more
for a long time. Here Primrose again felt herself pulled up short, for
Jasmine's walking-shoes were nearly worn through.

She went to bed at last, feeling very depressed and anxious. Thirty
pounds was really a much smaller sum of money than she had given it
credit for being. Try as she might, it would not stretch itself over
the expenses of even the humblest establishment of three. She was much
comforted, however, by the reflection that there remained a large sum
to their credit in the bank. Primrose found her faith shaken in the
capacities of an income of thirty pounds a year; but a sum total of
two hundred pounds she still believed to be almost inexhaustible. She
resolved to go and consult Mr. Danesfield on the morrow.

Mr. Danesfield was generally to be found in his private room at the
bank by ten o'clock in the morning. Very soon after that hour on the
following day a clerk came to say that one of the young ladies from
Woodbine Cottage wanted to see him. "The eldest young lady, and she
says her business is very pressing," continued the man.

The bank at Rosebury was only a branch office of a large establishment
in the nearest town. It happened that that morning Mr. Danesfield was
particularly busy, and anxious to get away to the large bank at an
early hour. For more reasons than one, therefore he felt annoyed at
Primrose's visit.

"Poor child," he said to himself, "I have certai