ledge of the country. The finest qualities of Islam--and they
are many--they have rejected, and for so doing they have suffered
unthinkable hardships and persecutions. Bad as things are to-day, they
were far, far worse in the days before the British Occupation, when the
Christians were at the mercy of the fanatical Moslems."

"It is such a pity that the native Christian population is the one
which no one trusts in this country. The Mohammedans are respected,
the Copts are despised. I find that, even in connection with my
brother's work. The brains and industry of the country seem to belong
to the Copts; the honour and reliability to the Moslems."

"I know," Hadassah said. "And that's what my husband and I are
fighting against. He wants to prove that the people of any country and
of any religion, even the English," Hadassah's eyes twinkled, "will
become degraded and untrustworthy in time, if they are persecuted and
oppressed. With the Christian element in Egypt, it has been a case of
every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost. If we were to
take some Coptic children and Mohammedan children, of the same social
grade out here, and had them educated in England as Christians, you
would soon see that it is not the Copts who ought to be despised, but
their intolerant oppressors and persecutors." Hadassah smiled. "You
know, Miss Lampton, how easy it is to be good and strong when one is
trusted and loved. Love makes finer, better women of us."

Margaret rose from her seat. "You have done me so much good," she
said. "I feel as if my world had been re-made."

"That's splendid!" Hadassah said. "I always try to remember that it is
a privilege to suffer. It is one of the divine fires which tests us;
suffering links us to the great brotherhood. You wouldn't choose to be
outside it. The older we grow the more we realize that it is
suffering, not happiness, which makes the whole world kin."

Margaret's silence, which often was more eloquent than other women's
speech, told Hadassah that she agreed. Suffering was teaching her its
lessons.

"When may we expect you?" Hadassah said. "The sooner the better, don't
you think?"

"May I come in a day or two? I have some business to do for my
brother--I have promised to see one or two people for him; he is going
home very soon." She looked round the hall through which they were
passing. "I can't imagine myself ever really living here. It looks as
if it ha