m most certain Miss Jasmine
wanted to hear about the pawnshop for the sake of improving her mind,
and for that reason only. I wish you would stay, ma'am, and have your
cup of tea, for you look real tired."

But Miss Egerton was gone.

CHAPTER XLIX.

SPANISH LACE.

She walked quickly down the street, hoping every moment to overtake
Jasmine. Miss Egerton had old-fashioned ideas about many things, and
nothing could exceed her horror at the thought of this pretty and
refined-looking child finding her way alone to a pawnshop.

"Poor little girl!" she said to herself. "She must be really in
absolute want. What has she taken to pawn? Oh, dear! this anxiety is
terrible--and yet, and yet, how glad I am to know those orphan girls."

Miss Egerton was very tired, had just returned from the death-bed of
her dearest friend, had certainly heaps of worries of her own; but
that did not prevent her whole heart from going out to Jasmine with an
affection which was almost motherly.

When at last she found the little girl just coming out of Spiller's
pawnshop she laid a trembling hand on her arm.

"Jasmine, oh, my dear child, you have been in there! You have been
pawning something."

Jasmine was in such a depressed state of mind that even Miss Egerton's
unexpected return failed to astonish her. She said, raising two sad
eyes to the good lady's face--

"It was only that old Spanish lace. I always knew it was not worth
much. The man only laughed when I asked for Poppy's wages for it. He
has given me ten shillings, and I am going off with it to Poppy
to-night. Yes, Miss Egerton, I must, I really must."

"What have you tried to pawn, Jasmine?" asked Miss Egerton, when she
could find her voice. "Surely not that lovely, valuable Spanish lace.
My dear child, come back with me into the shop this moment."

"But I must keep my ten shillings," exclaimed Jasmine "Oh! Miss
Egerton, don't, don't! You don't know what has happened to me!"

Miss Egerton took Jasmine's little hand in hers.

"My poor child, you shall tell me all. Jasmine, dear, that lace is
worth pounds. I shall redeem it at once, for my sake, if not for
yours. There, poor little girl, keep your ten shillings, if it makes
you happy."

The man who had lent Jasmine half a sovereign on the Spanish lace of
course knew little or nothing of its true value, and the good lady had
therefore small difficulty in getting it back. She walked home holding
Jasmine's hot little ha