ried out, in a piercing voice.

"See here," said the matron, "you want to go easy--and only five
minutes, mind you."

"My mother?" Rhona repeated, her heart near to bursting.

"No--some one else. Come along."

Rhona followed, half choking. The big door was unlocked before her and
swung open; she peered out. It was Joe and Myra.

Seeing these faces of friends suddenly recalled her to her old world, to
the struggle, the heroism, the strike, and, filled with a sense of her
imprisonment and its injustice, she rushed blindly out into the open
arms of Myra and was clutched close, close.

And then she sobbed, wept for minutes, purifying tears. And suddenly she
had an inspiration, a flash of the meaning of her martyrdom, how it
could be used as a fire and a torch to kindle and lead the others.

She lifted up her face.

"You tell the girls," she cried, "it's perfectly wonderful to be here.
It's all right. Just you tell them it's all right. Any of them would be
glad to do it!"

And then the matron, who was listening, stepped forward.

"Time's up!"

There was one kiss, one hug, and the brave girl was led away. The door
slammed her in.

Joe and Myra looked at each other, awed, thrilled. Tears trickled down
Myra's face.

"Oh," she cried low, "isn't it lovely? Isn't it wonderful?"

He spoke softly.

"The day of miracles isn't over. Women keep on amazing me. Come!"

Quietly they walked out into the warm, sunshiny day. Streaks of snow
were vanishing in visible steam. The sky was a soft blue, bulbous with
little puffs of cloud. Myra felt an ineffable peace. Rhona's heroism had
filled her with a new sense of human power. She longed to speak with
Joe--she longed, as they stood on the ferry, and glided softly through
the wash and sway of the East River, to share her sweet emotions with
him. But he had pulled out a note-book and was busily making jottings.
He seemed, if anything, more worn than ever, more tired. He was living
on his nerves. The gray face was enough to bring tears to a woman's
eyes, and the lank, ill-clothed form seemed in danger of thinning away
to nothingness. So Myra said nothing, but kept looking at him, trying to
save him by her strength of love, trying to send out those warm currents
and wrap him up and infuse him with life and light and joy.

All the way out he had been silent, preoccupied. In fact, all these
three days he had been preoccupied--toiling terribly early and late,
busy, the center of