worriting your poor little brain over thoughts I'll take it upon me to
prepare a bit of dinner for you."

Poppy made some tea, and boiled an egg, and toasted some bread to a
light and tempting brown. When the meal was prepared she brought it to
Daisy, who said wistfully--

"If I do what I want I must be strong, so I'll eat up that egg, and
I'll take some toast, and you must take something too, Poppy."

"Seeing as I can't get no meal till to-morrow morning I'm not inclined
to refuse a good offer," said Poppy. "You don't know, missy, as I'm
going back to my native 'ome to-night."

"Poppy," said Daisy, suddenly, taking no notice of this remark, "do
you know if Mrs. Ellsworthy is a very rich woman?"

"Mrs. Ellsworthy of Shortlands?" said Poppy; "why, in course; ever
since I can remember, my mother has said to me, 'Poppy, child, them
there Ellsworthys is made of money.'"

"Made of money," repeated Daisy, a little shadowy smile coming to her
face; "then they must be really rich. Do you think, Poppy, that Mrs.
Ellsworthy is rich enough to give away £17 10_s._ to buy the daily
bread, and to help a little girl who could not help being selfish out
of a dreadful dark dungeon? Mrs. Ellsworthy has always been very kind,
and I used to love her when I lived at home, but if I thought she was
not really very, very rich, I would not ask her, for that might be
putting _her_ to great trouble. Losing money makes one's heart ache
terrible, Poppy, and I would rather bear my own heartache than give it