nd, took her into her own pretty drawing-room,
feasted her on many good things, which she had brought from the
country, and finally made her tell her all her sorrowful little story.

"You always said that my writing was not up to much," said Jasmine, in
conclusion. "I did not like you to say it, and I was most anxious to
prove you wrong, but now I know that you are right."

Miss Egerton looked quietly at the excited child.

"My dear," she said, in her gentle tones, "I do not know--no one
knows--whether in the future you will be able to write. Our writers
ought to be our teachers. Do you think you are fit to teach, Jasmine?"

"I do not know," said Jasmine, hanging her head.

Miss Egerton got up, and laid her hand tenderly on the pretty little
curly head.

"This day has taught you a grand though painful lesson, dearest. You
will be better able to write in the future for and because of the
suffering you have gone through to-day. Now, Jasmine, I will say no
more--you must go straight to bed and to sleep. In the morning you can
take your ten shillings to Poppy. Yes, dear, of course it is yours,
and for the present the Spanish lace is mine."

Jasmine, notwithstanding all her troubles, slept soundly that night,
but Miss Egerton lay awake.

"The time has come," she said to herself, "when energetic measures
must be taken. The girls--dear, brave, sweet girls--have undoubtedly
to a certain extent failed. Poor little Jasmine! she might have had a
worse experience than the loss of that silly manuscript. But what
terrible dangers sweet little Daisy ran! Yes, I shall go and have a
talk with Mrs. Ellsworthy to-morrow--I know she is in town."

Accordingly, when Jasmine went off to see Poppy holding her
half-sovereign firmly inside her glove, and dimly wondering if she
would have any money of her own left to buy some dinner with
presently, Miss Egerton stepped into an omnibus which presently put
her down in the vicinity of Park Lane. She was fortunate in finding
Mrs. Ellsworthy at home, and also disengaged.

The good little lady received her with delight, for Miss Egerton was a
prime favorite with her.

"Arthur tells me that you know my girls," she said presently. "He
hints to me that you and he have a secret knowledge of the address of
my naughty, troublesome girls."

"I do know where they are to be found," said Miss Egerton in her
gravest tones; "but before I begin to talk about them I want to
transact a little business