Daisy was very pretty and fair--her hair was as yellow as Primrose's,
but it curled, and was more or less always in a state of friz; her
eyes were wide open and blue, and she was just a charming little
child, partaking slightly of the qualities of both her elder sisters.

These girls had never had a care or an anxiety--when they were hungry
they could eat, when they were tired sleep could lull them into
dreamless rest--they had never seen any world but the narrow world of
Rosebury, the name of the village where they lived. Even romantic
Jasmine thought that life at Rosebury, with perhaps a few more books
and a few more adventures must form the sum and substance of her
existence. Of course there was a large world outside, but even Jasmine
had not begun to long for it.

Primrose was sixteen, Jasmine between thirteen and fourteen, and Daisy
ten, when a sudden break came to all this quiet and happy routine.
Mrs. Mainwaring without any warning or any leave-taking, suddenly
died.




CHAPTER II.

THE FIRST MONTH OF THEIR TROUBLE.


There are mothers and mothers. Mrs. Mainwaring was the kind of mother
who could not possibly say a harsh word to her children--she could not