portion.

But Clara Barton was still on the threshold of her complete
achievement. When she had been in Switzerland only a month, and her
broken-down nerves were just beginning to respond to the change of air
and scene, she received a call which changed the color of her future.
Her caller represented the International Committee of the Red Cross
Society. Miss Barton did not know what the Red Cross was, and said so.
He then explained the nature of the society, which was founded for the
relief of sick and wounded soldiers, and he told his eager listener
what she did not know, that back of the Society was the Geneva Treaty,
which had been providing for such relief work, signed by all the
civilized nations except her own. From that moment a new ambition was
born in Clara Barton's heart--to find out why America had not signed
the treaty, and to know more about the Red Cross Society.

Nearly a year later, while still resting in quiet Switzerland, there
broke one day upon the clear air of her Swiss home the distant sounds
of a royal party hastening back from a tour of the Alps. To Miss
Barton's amazement it came in the direction of her villa. Finally
flashed the scarlet and gold of the liveries of the Grand Duke of
Baden. After the outriders came the splendid coach of the Grand
Duchess, daughter of King Wilhelm of Prussia, so soon to be Emperor
William of Germany. In it rode the Grand Duchess. After presenting her
card through the footman, she herself alighted and clasped Miss
Barton's hand, hailing her in the name of humanity, and said she
already knew her through what she had done in the Civil War. Then,
still clasping her hand in a tight grip of comradeship, she begged
Miss Barton to leave Switzerland and aid in Red Cross work on the
battle-fields of the Franco-Prussian War, which was in its beginnings.
It was a real temptation to once again work for suffering humanity,
yet she put it aside as unwise. But a year later, when the officers of
the International Red Cross Society came again to beg that Miss Barton
take the lead in a great systematic plan of relief work such as that
for which she had become famous during the Civil War, she accepted. In
the face of such consequences as her health might suffer from her
decision, she rose, and, with head held high and flashing eyes, said:

"Command me!"

Clara Barton was no longer to be the Angel of the American
battle-fields only--from that moment she belonged to the world, and