on that calls me; regretting that duty
separates me temporarily from the Sisterhood, who so mercifully opened
their arms, when I had no spot in all the wide world where I could lay
my head, but the sod on my mother's grave. This blessed haven is for
those whose first duty in life summons them nowhere beyond its walls.
If conscience bade you leave these peaceful and hallowed halls, for
work far more difficult, would you hesitate to obey? It is safer and
less arduous to keep step with the main army; but some must perish on
picket duty, and is the choice ours, when an order details us?"

"Who signed your order?"

Sister Ruth took off her spectacles, and bent closer, with a keenness
of scrutiny, that was unflatteringly suspicious.

"My dear mother."

"I understood that you had been an orphan for years?"

"Yes, for four wretched, lonely and terrible years; but no tomb is deep
enough to shut in the voice that uttered our mother's last wishes; and
all time cannot hush the sound of the command, cannot hide the beloved
hand that pointed to the path she asked us to follow. When my mother
kissed me good-bye, she blessed me, because of a promise I gave her;
and Heaven means to me the place where I can look into her sainted
face, and tell her 'Hold me close to your tender heart, for oh! I have
indeed kept my word. Your little girl obeyed your last command.'" Her
voice trembled, and she passed one hand over her eyes for an instant.

"Sister Ruth, the opportunity has arrived, and I go to execute the last
clause of a sacred order. When I shall have finished my mission, I
shall want to come back home. Oh! you see? I call it home. For where
else can I ever have a home, till I join my father and mother? If I
should come back and ask you to take me for the remainder of my life,
as a sister worker, will you let me die with the 'anchor' on my breast?
I shall be as worthy of your confidence then, as I am now."

"Where are you going?"

"I hoped that you would not ask me, because I cannot tell you now. Will
you not trust me?"

"Your extremely cautious reticence makes it difficult; and I have
always known that some distressing mystery brought you here."

"Confidence that defies suspicious appearances is precious indeed; but
confidence that crumbles like Jericho's walls at the blast of Joshua's
trumpets, is as worthless a sham as a cable whose strands part at the
first taut strain. Sister Ruth, there are reasons why I go away alone,
t