shop that wants you to colour photographs. I love painting
pictures, and the scrap-books I've done for hospitals would fill a
museum. Of course, these would have to be done carefully, but I've seen
Therese sketching at Versailles, and artists painting in the Louvre, and
I'm quick at imitating. They wanted three shillings to sell you the
paints and brushes, and it will be cheap if it brings in pounds a week.
"Twas a good thing Esmeralda gave me a sovereign before she left, and I
could get the stamps without anyone being the wiser. I thought, you
see, it would be so nice to keep it a secret until I could go to Bridgie
with my earnings in my hand. You will promise truly and faithfully not
to tell?"

"If you will promise not to send any more money without asking my
advice. I think you ought to do that, Pixie!"

"I shan't need to, me dear. I'll earn enough as it is. Will I get the
replies to-morrow, do you think? The letters ought to be delivered to-
night!"

Sylvia felt doubtful whether answers would ever be received, but as
events proved, she was wrong, and Pixie was right, for her inquiries
were answered by return of post, and on the first opportunity handed
over for inspection. The philanthropist who provided remunerative work
for gentlewomen at their own homes without interfering with present
duties, forwarded samples as promised, the which Pixie spread out on the
table with an air of depression. They consisted of a two-inch length of
a simple stamping-off pattern, a fragment of black net, and a few dozen
common jet beads, wrapped in a paper.

"You iron off the pattern on the net, and then you sew round it with the
beads, and then ye cut off the scallops, and then it's jetted lace!" she
explained anxiously. "And when it's jetted lace, ye go out and sell it
to the shops." She sighed deeply, and turned over the patterns with her
fingers. "How much a yard is jetted lace, Sylvia?"

"I don't know exactly, but I should think a narrow width like this could
not be over a couple of shillings at the most."

"And it would take me months to do, and be puckered at that! It's such
wobbly stuff to sew. Even if I did a lot, I'm afraid the shops would
never buy it."

"I'm afraid not, Pixie. I wouldn't waste your time trying, dear!"

Pixie sighed again and carefully replaced the fragments in their
envelopes.

"It was very kind of them to send them so soon, and if I was clever with
my fingers, it would be a fin