"I wanted to be a missionary because it appealed to me. But I hear no call but father's voice. If a message came from Heaven, the way would be changed for me. Right now, the path of service goes right smack into the manse, and I do not see it going out on the other side." Doris smiled winsomely. "Wait till I talk things over with your father--he will see how absurd it is." "He promised. Father may have his faults, though I do not know what they are, but he always keeps a promise." "He should not have promised until he discussed things with me." "But, Miss Carlton, _we_ are his family, you know. And I am the oldest daughter, and very grown up. You see how it is, don't you? Of course, I do not wish to hurry you off, but I know how anxious you must be to get home, and you need not feel you have to linger on my account. I haven't planned anything to do to-morrow, and can help you with your packing the whole day long." "I can do my own packing, thank you. And I shall do it immediately. Your father really consented to this arrangement, did he?" "Oh, certainly he did. He sees himself that it is the proper thing to do, and will save quite a little money, and goodness knows we need it. And then the responsibility will develop my character, or--or something." Miss Carlton flounced out of the room and up the stairs. Doris listened intently at the door. "She is not exactly happy about it, but I am. And father is. If I only knew what the Problem would think of it. I wish Miss Carlton would go right straight away--she is angry enough to do it. Then I could tackle the Problem alone, and it would be too late to undo." She shut her eyes very tightly and murmured softly, unintelligibly beneath her breath. "Now to make doubly sure, I shall go and concentrate. Every one says you get things if you concentrate hard enough." She listened once more at the door that led into the hall. Miss Carlton was undoubtedly throwing her possessions violently and untenderly into her bags and trunk. "Concentration won't hurt, for when she remembers how handsome father is she may change her mind," said the General soberly. So she slipped back to the bay-window, and bent all her energies, and all the force of her strong young will to the task of concentration. A little later she heard Miss Carlton at the up-stairs branch of the telephone, and though she would not dream of listening to a telephonic conversation, she did saunter carelessly to the hall door and so overheard Miss Carlton giving a hurried order for an expressman. "Providence and concentration together are really irresistible," she smiled to herself. "I suppose, after all, I could have gotten along without the concentration, but in a crisis like this I thought it would not hurt to try everything." She went demurely back to her mending, and after a while the expressman came and took away the trunk and bags, and finally Miss Carlton came to her.