world must weep for
Russia. So Mildred became a kind of heroine among the nurses because
she had received a few moments of the great man's praise and attention.

Finally, at the end of a week Nona Davis had a second letter from Sonya
Valesky. It was sent by a messenger, as the other had been, and Nona was
presented with it when she first went on duty on one Saturday morning.

This communication was not merely a note, however, for the envelope was
sealed and had a bulky appearance. Yet Nona did not open it all that day
or the morning of the next as she had a premonition that the letter was
not an ordinary one. Either Madame Valesky was confiding her own
history, or she was insisting upon proving to the American girl that
she had at one time been a friend of her mother's. Really, it was this
information that Nona both expected and feared. So as she had a
particularly difficult case on hand she decided to wait for more
leisure before trying to solve the mystery.

The opportunity came when she was allowed two hours rest on Sunday
afternoon.

Nona was glad that both Mildred and Barbara were busy at the time,
because she preferred to be alone. After her letter had been read and
considered then she could decide on the degree of her confidences.

But after all, Barbara's prediction came true. The story that Sonya
Valesky had to tell of her acquaintance with Nona's mother was not half
so strange as the fact that the mother's history had been concealed from
her daughter.

The story was unique but comparatively simple. The only curious fact was
the accidental meeting between the Russian woman and the American girl.
But then just such comings together of persons with a common bond of
interest or affection is an hourly occurrence in the world. Behind such
apparent accidents is some law of nature, a like calling unto like.

The older woman explained that she had known Nona's mother many years
ago when they were both children in Russia, although she was a number of
years younger. There was as little as possible of Sonya Valesky's own
history in the letter. She stated without proof or comment that her
father had once been Russian Ambassador to the United States. Here Anna
Orlaff, Nona's mother, had made her a visit and had then gone away south
to New Orleans and soon afterwards married. For many years the younger
girl had not seen her friend again. She had received letters from her,
however, and learned that her marriage was no