It soon transpired that Elsa had been the little bird who had been only too ready to tell Miss Herschel when Monica’s birthday was; and thus the mystery was quickly cleared up. Robina only wrote a short letter, as they were all very busy getting her brother’s things ready for his voyage to Africa. He was to be dismissed, among other missionaries, at a public meeting in London in the course of a few days, and would start for the Soudan almost immediately after. "He sends you his best wishes, not only for your birthday, but for always," the letter concluded, "and says that you will find his good-bye message in Colossians i. 9, 10. We shall miss him terribly, mother and I, but we are quite, quite willing. Perhaps Mrs. Beauchamp would spare you to pay us a little visit after Christmas, while your holidays were on. Tell her, mother says we would take the greatest care of you!" Monica read the last two sentences aloud, before she folded up the letter and put it in its envelope. "It would be nice, grannie, wouldn’t it? I hardly remember going away on a visit to any one." "We must see," remarked Mrs. Beauchamp, in not very gushing tones. Strangely enough, the mere thought of parting with this granddaughter of hers, even for a week or two, filled her with dismay; she had grown to be dependent upon her for company, and the bright, cheery, girlish presence would be sadly missed at Carson Rise now. And yet, Monica must go out into the world, and make friends and see many phases of life, of which she was utterly ignorant now. So she stifled a sigh, and added: "It is very kind of Mrs. Herschel to invite you, and it would make a nice little change for you, during the winter." Monica, whose face had fallen somewhat at her grandmother’s first remark, brightened up visibly. She _would_ so like to go and stay with the Herschels, and she had been afraid Mrs. Beauchamp meant to refuse her consent, but now the prospect looked more hopeful. "Two more letters and then I’ve done," she said gaily, opening the envelope bearing the old lady’s handwriting first. Inside it was a crisp, new five-pound note, wrapped in a half-sheet of notepaper. "Oh, thank you so much, grannie dear!" she said, as she fingered the rustling bit of paper which meant so much for the cause she had at heart: her imagination already pictured all sorts of nice things for China which that sum would procure. "Are you not sorry now that you did not choose the bicycle?" said her grandmother drily. "No, grannie, indeed I am not," was the bright response, for down in Monica’s young heart was a deep sense of satisfaction that that battle with self had been fought and won the week before; for however much common sense may say to the contrary, the Bible axiom that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" still holds good.