en seek another vehicle for me.

"The neighborhood chanced to be a rather unsavory one. I could hear
boisterous men singing, and on finding myself alone I grew alarmed. From
windows frowzy heads were thrust out and rude women mocked at me. I
feared insult, injury. I was ready to fly for my life when a hand
touched my arm, and a gentle voice said:

"'Come with me, miss, I will protect you.'"

John trembles with emotion.

"Then you have heard her speak! Oh, what bliss that would be for me--my
mother, my poor mother who has suffered so long."

"When I looked in her face I knew I could trust her. Besides, her garb
reassured me."

"Her garb?" wonderingly.

"Yes. She was dressed as a Sister of Charity or some other order in
Paris. Willingly I followed her to an adjoining house. She begged me to
sit down and await the vehicle. I was grateful and asked her questions
about the great work being done by such organizations in the gay city of
Paris.

"I was interested in her and asked her name. She told me she was known
as Sister Magdalen. Then the carriage came and I left her."

"One question, Lady Ruth--how did she impress you?"

"Frankly, as one who had passed through the furnace of affliction; her
face was sad, yet oh, so inexpressibly sweet. It haunted me. I have
looked at every sister I met wherever I traveled, in the hope of meeting
her, but it has been useless."

It can be readily believed that this arouses the deepest interest in the
young student of medicine. The desire to find his mother has been the
one aim of his life; it has carried him over many a dark crisis, and has
become stronger with the passage of years.

Now he is getting daily, hourly, nearer the object of his solicitude,
and his anticipation so long and fondly cherished, bids fair to be a
realization.

"How I envy you, Lady Ruth. You have seen her, pressed her hand. It makes
you seem less a stranger to me to think that my mother was able to do you
a service."

"I am positive it was she. Wait--perhaps I can prove it. I noticed she
had a medallion secured around her neck with a guard, and once I was
enabled to see the face upon it. It was that of a man."

"Oh! describe it if you can."

"The gentleman, I should judge, was about twenty-three. He wore a
mustache and small side whiskers. I judged he was English. His hair was
light and inclined to be curly."

John Craig smiles.

"Ah! the last doubt has been swept away."

"You recognize this