? For what reason
should she face these perils?

Not in the heat of battle, but in cool quiet thought, all alone among
enemies, she saw her path and took it. She did not count her life her
own. She was ready to give her life for her friends of all nations.
She decided to stay in the heart of the enemies' country and serve her
God and the children. Many a man has had the cross of Honour for an
act that called for less calm courage. That deed showed her to be one
of the great undecorated heroes and heroines of the lonely path.

So she stayed on.

From all over the Turkish Empire prisoners were sent to Konia. There
was great confusion in dealing with them, so the people of Konia
asked Miss Cushman to look after them; they even wrote to the Turkish
Government at Constantinople to tell them to write to her to invite
her to do this work. There was a regular hue and cry that she should
be appointed, because everyone knew her strong will, her power of
organising, her just treatment, her good judgment, and her loving
heart. So at last she accepted the invitation. Prisoners of eleven
different nationalities she helped--including British, French,
Italian, Russian, Indians and Arabs. She arranged for the nursing of
the sick, the feeding of the hungry, the freeing of some from prison.

She went on right through the war to the end and beyond the end,
caring for her orphans, looking after the sick in hospital, sending
food and clothes to all parts of the country, helping the prisoners.
Without caring whether they were British or Turkish, Armenian or
Indian, she gave her help to those who needed it. And because of her
splendid courage thousands of boys and girls and men and women are
alive and well, who--without her--would have starved and frozen to
death.

To-day, in and around Konia (an Army officer who has been there tells
us), the people do not say, "If Allah wills," but "If Miss Cushman
wills!" It is that officer's way of letting us see how, through her
brave daring, her love, and her hard work, that served everybody,
British, Armenian, Turk, Indian, and Arab, she has become the
uncrowned Queen of Konia, whose bidding all the people do because she
only cares to serve them, not counting her own life dear to her.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 64: In reading this part of the story to younger children
discretion should be exercised. Some of the details on this page are
horrible; but it is right that older children should realize the