A NEW EMPLOYMENT.
At an early hour the next morning Mrs. Dredge and Primrose started for
Rosebury, and poor Jasmine and Poppy prepared to have a long and
lonely time by themselves. Poppy hoped that Jasmine would cheer up,
and look at that lovely printed story of hers, and perhaps read it
aloud to her; but poor Jasmine was really nearly broken-hearted, and
said once almost passionately--
"How can I look at it, Poppy, when I don't know where our little
darling is? Did she not share my secret? And she was so proud of me
and she always would believe I was a genius. I can't look at it,
Poppy--no, I can't; but if you like to open the manuscript, and read
what is printed of the story, why you may. Yes, I expect you will find
it exciting. Sit down and read it, Poppy, and I will go to the window
and look out. Oh, dear! oh, dear! Primrose promised to send me a
telegram when she got to Rosebury. Oh, what shall I do if I don't soon
hear some news of my darling little Daisy?"
"Seeing as I can't comfort you, Miss Jasmine, I may as well take to
reading the mysterious, lovely story," answered Poppy. "Maybe when
you're having your dinner bye-and-bye, miss, you won't object to me
telling you what I thinks of it."
"Only I shan't care in the least what you think to-day, dear Poppy,"
answered poor little Jasmine, in a tone of deep melancholy.
She went and stood by the window, and Poppy ensconced herself
comfortably on the sofa, and began to enjoy herself as best she could
under the circumstances.
In about an hour there came a tap at the door, and Arthur Noel came
in. Jasmine gave a little pleased exclamation when she saw him; then
she ran forward, took his hand in hers, and burst into tears.
"Daisy is lost," she said; "our sweet little Daisy, who loved you so
much, is lost."
"It's inferred that she's gone down with a single third to Rosebury,
sir," here interposed Poppy.
"Come and tell me all about it, Jasmine," said Noel, in his most
sympathizing tones. He led the poor little girl to the sofa, and,
sitting down by her, listened attentively to her story.
"But the Ellsworthys are in London," he said, when he heard that Daisy
had gone to them.
On hearing this news poor Jasmine burst into floods of fresh weeping.
"Oh, then she's sure to be quite lost!" she said. "Oh, Mr. Noel, if
you are in any sense a true friend, won't you try to find her?"
"Yes, Jasmine; I will never rest until I find her. I am glad I came in
to-day. I came to ask you to do something for me, but I find you want
my help instead. I will come here this evening, about the time your
sister is likely to be back, and I will then go and look for Daisy, in
case she is not found. Don't be frightened, Jasmine, I am quite sure
we shall soon get tidings of the dear little girl."
"And do you know," said Jasmine, who felt a little comforted, "that we
have not only lost Daisy, but all our quarter's money. It is most
mysterious. Primrose gave Daisy a check to take care of for her, and
Daisy says she has gone away because the cheque is lost. We have no
money now that the cheque is lost, except just what Primrose earns
from Mrs. Mortlock."
"There's a likelihood of some more earnings presently, Miss Jasmine,"
here interposed Poppy, in a cheerful voice; "there's a likelihood of a
good bit more money when this powerful and thrilling romance is
published."
"Your story, Jasmine?" said Noel, "and in type? Who did you get to
publish it, my dear child? Oh, you must let me read this."
"Another time, please, Mr. Noel. I don't think I could quite bear it
to-day," said Jasmine.
Noel looked at her earnestly.
"I wonder, Jasmine," he said, "even though you are in such trouble, if
you would be brave enough to help _me_, and to earn a little money to
day? I want you to do quite a simple thing, and something you will
probably enjoy. I have never read any of your romances, but I have
often noticed that you possess rather remarkable artistic tastes, and
that you have a very correct eye for the arrangement of color. I have
been struck with this even in this little room, and I happened to
mention my observations one day to a lady who is a friend of mine.
That lady is giving a dinner-party to-night, and she wants some one to
arrange the flowers on her table in as fresh and new a style as
possible. Will you come with me to her house now, and see what you can
do? She will provide you with the flowers and the glasses to put them
into, and you can arrange them on the table just as you like best. She
will give you a guinea for the work, and I think you will find it
light and pleasant."
Jasmine's eyes began to sparkle.
"Oh! at another time it would be delightful," she said.
"But don't you want a guinea very badly now? Don't you think you had
better put on your hat and come away with me, and try to earn it?"
"I will," said Jasmine, with sudden enthusiasm. "Oh, Mr. Noel, how
good you are! How I wish I had a brother, and that you were he!"
Noel took Jasmine to his friend's house, where the little girl began
by being almost frightened, but soon forgot herself in the strong
interest of her pleasant work. Noel was right when he said Jasmine had
true artistic instincts. Certainly, hers was untaught genius, but her
unerring taste came to her aid, and Mrs. Daintree's dinner-table never
looked prettier or fresher than when the little maiden had completed
her work. The room was bright and sunny, but Jasmine gave the table a
bower-like and cool effect, and she not only dressed the dinner-table
but placed flowers here and there about the room. Mrs. Daintree was
delighted, and asked the pretty little girl to come again to arrange a
dinner-table for her the following week.
With her golden sovereign and her shilling tucked tightly away in her
glove Jasmine did not feel altogether miserable as she went home; even
though Daisy might still be lost, those first earnings were sweet. She
rushed upstairs and told her tale to Poppy, who sympathized most
warmly with her. Very soon after her arrival a four-wheeler was heard
to draw up to the door, and Mrs. Dredge alone returned.
"I have left Primrose at Rosebury," she said; "we have made inquiries,
and there is no doubt a child resembling Daisy went down by the night
train yesterday. We have searched high and low, however, but cannot at
present get any trace of her. Don't look so pale, Jasmine, she must
soon be found. Primrose is staying with Miss Martineau, and they are
not leaving a stone unturned to find her. Most likely they have done
so by now. Don't cry, Jasmine; take example by your sister--she's a
fine plucky bit of a lass, and does not waste her time in tears when
there's something to be done."
"Yes, that's just it," said Jasmine; Primrose has got something to do,
but I haven't--I can do nothing to find my little darling! Oh, Mrs.
Dredge, are not you awfully frightened about her?"
"Tut, tut, my dear, not a bit of it! Of course, when a little lass
runs away all by herself there are most times difficulties in getting
trace of her, but don't you be in a way, for they won't last long."
Poor little Jasmine sighed, and all her deep depression returned. She
was soothed again, however, by the sight of Noel, who came in very
soon afterwards. He said he had seen the Ellsworthys, and meant to go
down to Rosebury by the night train.
"I'm pleased to hear it, young man," said Mrs. Dredge; "you're doing
just what my Joshua would have approved of had he been alive. Even
though Joshua was in the chandlery line he had a truly noble heart,
and one of his mottoes was that the strong should help the weak, and
if shoulders are made broad they should carry big burdens, so you go
down to Rosebury, young man, and prosper in your work."
Noel smiled.
"I will certainly do my best," he said; "I quite agree with your
husband's sentiments."
"Well, well, young man, Joshua would have liked to know you in his
day. Dear, how stupid I am! but I didn't rightly catch your name. What
are you pleased to call yourself, sir?"
"My name is Arthur Noel."
"Well, what a small world we live in; it was only to-day I heard talk
of you. When Miss Primrose and I were down at Rosebury we came across
a gentleman of the name of Danesfield, and he came straight up to Miss
Primrose and said he had had a letter from you which he had not been
able to answer, because he was away. He said a lot to Miss Primrose
about the letter you wrote him; it seems that somebody must have
stolen three five-pound notes, which Mr. Danesfield put into a closed
envelope, and gave Miss Primrose for a kind of emergency fund when
she left her home. The poor lassie turned as white as a sheet when he
talked to her. Well, young man, you look white enough yourself at the
present moment, but I'll tell you, now, what has struck me, that
whoever took the three five-pound notes helped himself or herself to
that cheque of Miss Primrose's, and that poor little Daisy knows about
it."
"I should not be the least surprised if you were right, Mrs. Dredge,"
answered Noel. "Well, I must go now if I want to catch my train.
Good-bye, Jasmine keep up your heart--expect good news soon, and get
all the orders you can for dressing dinner-tables."