outside came nearer, light steps sounded in the hall,
and the next moment Jasmine had her arms round her friend's neck, and
was kissing her, while both woman and girl wept.

"I had to come to you," said Jasmine, while she wiped some bright
falling tears away. "I have not come to stay, nor to give you our
address, nor to do anything of which Primrose would not approve; but
after Miss Egerton told me last night all that you wanted to do for
us, and how you still loved us, I just had to run round and thank you
and kiss you. Primrose and Daisy are still in the country, and Daisy
is better. Aren't you glad she will be all right again soon?"

"Have breakfast with me, Jasmine," said Mrs. Ellsworthy. "I was
thinking so much about you, and so longing to see you, and to have you
in the room seems like a beautiful dream realized. Sit down now and
have some breakfast with me."

"I did not have any at home, so I will," answered Jasmine. "I stayed
awake half the night thinking about you. Oh, you are a real, real
friend!"

"And I spent the greater part of the night dreaming about you three
girls," said Mrs. Ellsworthy. "Have some buttered toast, Jasmine, and
some of this apricot preserve."

"Did you dream about us last night?" asked Jasmine. "Did you really?
You must love us very much."

"I believe I do. Now, Jasmine, I will not ask you for your address. I
will do nothing more to really help you until we get Primrose's
letter, but I want you all the same to spend this whole long day with
me."

Jasmine smiled, and her cheeks flushed.

"It would be very luxurious," she said, "and such a change from our
attics, although Daisy does call them a Palace Beautiful. Will you
take me for a drive, if I stay, Mrs. Ellsworthy, and will you let me
imagine myself quite a rich little girl all day long? You must not
give me any presents, you know, for Primrose would not like that; but
I can imagine I have got all kinds of things, and I wonder, oh! I
wonder, if we might call to see Poppy this afternoon?"

"We will take her too for a drive in the Park," said Mrs. Ellsworthy.
"I have heard a great deal of that Poppy of yours, and I think she is
quite a splendid kind of girl."

Thus a very delightful programme was unexpectedly realized by two
little hard-working London girls, for Mrs. Ellsworthy gave herself up
to be enchanting, and took Poppy away from her work of drudgery, and
from the astonished ladies of the boarding-house.

Poppy, in h