ten pounds, sometimes it was five pounds, and sometimes it was only
two pounds; but whenever we went to Mr. Danesfield's bank with
mother's cheque he gave us the money. I suppose, Primrose, you can
have a cheque-book now, and Mr. Danesfield can give you the money."

"Yes," said Primrose, in a cheerful tone, "I forgot about the money in
the bank; mother often told me there was plenty. Even if we can't
quite live on our thirty pounds a year, we can manage with what money
dear mamma had in the bank."

Miss Martineau's face had become extremely lined and anxious.

"My dears," she said, "I fear I've done a rude thing; I fear I've
taken a liberty; but the fact is, you are so alone, poor darlings, and
Mr. Danesfield is an old friend of mine--and--and--I took the liberty
of asking him what your mother's balance was. He said, my dears--my
poor dears--that it was not quite two hundred pounds."




CHAPTER IV.

TO THE RESCUE.


Miss Martineau told her news with considerable agitation. She
considered it a terrible revelation. It seemed to her a very fearful
and disastrous thing that three girls brought up like the Mainwarings,
three girls still almost children, should be thrown on the world