Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Suzanne Lybarger and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. THE PALACE BEAUTIFUL. A STORY FOR GIRLS. BY L.T. MEADE, _Author of "A World of Girls," "Scamp and I," "Daddy's Boy," &c., &c._ NEW YORK: WM. L. ALLISON CO., PUBLISHERS. CONTENTS. I. Early Days II. The First Month of their Trouble III. Miss Martineau IV. To the Rescue V. The Contents of the Cabinet VI. Many Visitors VII. Shortlands VIII. Thirty Pounds a Year IX. A Strange Letter and a Proposed Visit to London X. Ways and Means of Earning a Living XI. Bread and Butter XII. They Would Not be Parted XIII. Mrs. Ellsworthy's Letter XIV. Quite Contrary XV. In Spite of Opposition XVI. Penelope Mansion XVII. Escorted by Miss Slowcum XVIII. In St. Paul's Cathedral XIX. A Bright Day XX. Getting Lost XXI. How to Paint China and How to Form Style XXII. Cross Purposes XXIII. Dark Days XXIV. Dove's Joke XXV. Daisy's Promise XXVI. A Delightful Plan XXVII. The Poor Doves XXVIII. A Startling Discovery XXIX. A Blessing XXX. Voice of the Prince XXXI. A "Continual Reader" XXXII. Jasmine Begins to Soar XXXIII. Visiting the Publishers XXXIV. A Plan XXXV. Their Quarter's Allowance XXXVI. _The Joy-Bell_ XXXVII. Endorsing a Cheque XXXVIII. Daisy's Request XXXIX. The Journey XL. A Bitter Disappointment XLI. Mrs. Dredge to the Rescue XLII. A New Employment XLIII. In the Field XLIV. Too Much for Dove XLV. The Prince to the Rescue XLVI. Delivered from the Ogre XLVII. Almost Defeated XLVIII. One Shoe Off and One Shoe On XLIX. Spanish Lace L. A Dazzling Day LI. A Letter LII. "I Love Mrs. Ellsworthy" LIII. Telegraph Wires LIV. A Discovery LV. An Invitation for the Ladies of Penelope Mansion LVI. A Palace Beautiful THE PALACE BEAUTIFUL. _A STORY FOR GIRLS._ CHAPTER I. EARLY DAYS. The three girls were called after flowers. This is how it came about: When Primrose opened her eyes on the world she brought back a little bit of spring to her mother's heart. Mrs. Mainwaring had gone through a terrible trouble--a trouble so dark and mysterious, so impossible to feel reconciled to, that her health had been almost shattered, and she had almost said good-bye to hope. The baby came in the spring-time, and the soft, velvety touch of the little face, and the sight of the round baby limbs, had made Mrs. Mainwaring smile: had caused her to pluck up heart, and to determine resolutely to take this new blessing, and to begin to live again. The baby came in the month of March, just when the primroses were beginning to open their pale and yet bright blossoms. Mrs. Mainwaring said that the child was a symbol of spring to her, and she called her Primrose.