ou this morning, not having had the usual opportunity of
meeting before, that I might tell you something of our organization and
your own duties.... You see in me the head of a staff of six clergy."

John Storm was not surprised; a great preacher must be followed by flocks
of the poor; it was natural that they should wish him to help them and to
minister to them.

"We have no poor in my parish, Mr. Storm."

"No poor, sir?"

"On the contrary, her Majesty herself is one of my parishioners."

"That must be a great grief to you, sir?"

"Oh, the poor! Ah, yes, certainly. Of course, we have our associated
charities, such as the Maternity Home, founded in Soho by Mrs.
Callender--a worthy old Scotswoman--odd and whimsical, perhaps, but rich,
very rich and influential. My clergy, however, have enough to do with the
various departments of our church work. For instance, there is the
Ladies' Society, the Fancy Needlework classes, and the Decorative Flower
Guild, not to speak of the daughter churches and the ministration in
hospitals, for I always hold--er----"

John Storm's mind had been wandering, but at the mention of the hospital
he looked up eagerly.

"Ah, yes, the hospital. Your own duties will be chiefly concerned with
our excellent hospital of Martha's Vineyard. You will have the spiritual
care of all patients and nurses--yes, nurses also--within its precincts,
precisely as if it were your parish. 'This is my parish,' you will say to
yourself, and treat it accordingly. Not yet being in full Orders, you
will be unable to administer the sacrament, but you will have one service
daily in each of the wards, taking the wards in rotation. There are seven
wards, so there will be one service in each ward once a week, for I
always say that fewer----"

"Is it enough?" said John. "I shall be only too pleased----"

"Ah, well, we'll see. On Wednesday evenings we have service in the
church, and nurses not on night duty are expected to attend. Some fifty
of them altogether, and rather a curious compound. Ladies among them?
Yes, the daughters of gentlemen, but also persons of all classes. You
will hold yourself responsible for their spiritual welfare. Let me
see--this is Friday--say you take the sermon on Wednesday next, if that
is agreeable. As to views, my people are of all shades of colour, so I
ask my clergy to take strictly _via media_ views--strictly _via media_.
Do you intone?"

John Storm had been wandering again, but he