_Hubert, who ought to have stayed two years in France, secured leave to go back again to the colonies. He sailed last May for a post in the Soudan. He commands some quite advanced post, Sikasso, in the interior of the country. It is rather an exposed place, which was what he wanted._ _Felicie is still in the hospital at Hanoi. She is very anxious about you. Not long ago she wrote to us about the death of two Belgian missionaries who were massacred on the frontiers of China. Instead of grieving over them, she rejoiced for them in their martyrdom, and regretted that she could not give her life for some one whom she called “the prodigal son”--some one whom you will recognise. She has inherited our mother’s ardent piety. May God keep her for us down there at the other end of the world._ _The Marcellaz have left us. Though Germaine begged him not to, Charles sold his practice here, and acquired another at Lyons. It was very hard for us to have them go. Yet father maintains that Charles was right about it. He had an opportunity to settle nearer to his family, who are at Villa Franca, you see; he had to take advantage of it. They have spent their vacations with us at La Vigie. Peter and Adrienne got good red cheeks there. Little Julian, my favourite, is still rather pale, and as the air of Savoy agrees with him better than the Lyons fogs, Germaine has left him with us for the winter. He gives a bit of life to our big house, which is quite sad._ _And that is all my news. In other times it was our mother who took charge of the news from the absent ones, and sent it on from one to another. You see I am trying to take her place. What I have still to tell you, Maurice, is the most difficult thing of all. However, I’ll tell it to you without recriminations. It seems to me it will be better so. First of all, I must tell you I am devoted to you just the same, then let you judge of our misery, which is yours, too._