exam.!"

Sophie smiled, her old twinkling smile, and stroked Claire's hand with
the spray of roses.

"I knew you'd say something nice! I knew you'd put it in a quaint,
refreshing way. I shall remember that, when I am alone, and feel
courage oozing out of every pore. Two o'clock in the morning is a
particularly cheery time when you are racked with pain! Claire, I asked
the doctor to tell me honestly whether there was any chance of my ever
taking up the old work again, and he said, honestly, he feared there was
none."

"But Mrs Willoughby--"

"I asked that, too. He says he quite hopes to get me well enough to go
to Egypt in October or November, and that I should certainly be much
better there. It would be the best thing that could happen if it came
off! But--"

Claire held up a protesting hand.

"No ifs! No buts! Do your part, and get better, and leave the rest to
Providence and--Mrs Willoughby! It's her mission in life to help
girls, and she'll help _you_, too, or know the reason why. The truly
sensible thing would be for you to begin to prepare your clothes. What
about starting a fascinating blouse at once? Your hands are quite able
to sew, and if you once got to work with chiffon and lace the time would
fly! You might write for patterns to-night. You would enjoy looking at
patterns."

When Claire took her departure half an hour later, she left behind a
very different Sophie from the wan dejected-looking creature whom she
had found on her arrival.

Hers was a happy nature, easily cheered, responsive to comfort, and
Claire had a happy conviction that whatever physical handicaps might be
in store, her spirit would rise valiantly to the rescue. A winter in
Egypt was practically assured, since Mrs Willoughby had privately
informed Claire that if nothing better offered, she would send Sophie at
her own expense to help in the household of her niece--an officer's
wife, who would be thankful for assistance, though she could not afford
to pay the passage out. What was to happen in the future no one could
tell, and there was no profit in asking the question. The next step was
clear, and the rest must be left to faith, but with a chilling of the
blood Claire asked herself what became of the disabled working women who
had no influential friends to help in such a crisis; the women who fell
out of the ranks to die by the roadside homeless, penniless, _alone_?

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

SURRENDER.

I