"Yes dear" replies Mrs. Langton, "I will read you the letter--"Madam; Hearing of your daughter's wish to become a hospital nurse, I beg to offer my services. If you do not object to soldiers I have a lovely place out here in India where her only work will be to attend to the soldiers in their bungalows either in the night or day as her turn comes round. She will live with the other nurses in a comfortable house not far from the battle field. She will be expected to bring her own clothes, cups, plates and knives etc: She must be cheerful and kind and must make herself obliging to the soldiers. I will expect her by the next mail. Believe me, Madam, Yours very sincerely, GEORGE HARSH (Captain of the 109th Regiment.) "That sounds very nice mother" answers Beatrice "I think I will go." "What about the character you are expected to have?" says Mrs. Langton artfully. "I think I am both cheerful and kind" says Beatrice hotly "and as to being obliging to the soldiers, anybody could do that." "Perhaps so," smiles Mrs. Langton, "then I will write to Captain Harsh and say you will go by the next mail." For many days after this Beatrice is busy preparing for the voyage. And at last the eventful day arrives and Beatrice clad for the first time in her nurse's costume steps on board the Victory which is to take her to the wonderful city of Calcutta. "Poor Mr. Langton gets quite frantic as he waves his red pocket handkerchief wildly to his beloved daughter for the last time, and Mrs. Langton faints on the pier and has to be carried away, which sets the helpless Beatrice sobbing as though her heart would break and she shouts messages till she is hoarse and then sheds many tears which continue on and off till she reaches Calcutta, when the sight of two pleasant nurses dressed like herself, quite cheers her up. She advances bashfully towards them and says in meek submissive tones "if you please are you military hospital nurses?" "We are," replies the tallest of the two "our names are Nurse Elsie and Nurse Brandon; of course there is no need to say that I am Nurse Brandon." "Of course not" say Beatrice. "And you are Nurse Mildred I presume" asks Nurse Brandon, gently nudging Nurse Elsie to join in the conversation. "No my name is Beatrice Langton" replies Beatrice. "I know" says Nurse Brandon, "but you will be known as Nurse Mildred in the wards." "Oh I see" answers Beatrice glancing at Nurse Elsie whom she thinks she will like better than the former. "And now" says Nurse Brandon "we will take you to the Residency; Nurse Elsie kindly lead the way."