few hours
later we are overflowing. It comes hard on the housekeeper, of course.
But we lay our account wi' that, and, do you know, it is wonderful what
can be done in trying circumstances, when we lay our account wi' them!--
Yes, Miss, it's all ready!" shouted the speaker, in reply to a soft
female voice that came down the wide staircase, as it were, over the
heads of the turbulent crowd.

In a moment he disappeared, and Tufnell stood, as if by magic, in his
place.

"Yes," said the manager, taking up his discourse where the other had
left off; "and in a few minutes you'll see that most of these wives and
children of the soldiers will be distributed through the house in their
bed-rooms, when our ladies will set to work to make acquaintance with
them; and then we'll open our stores of warm clothing, of which the poor
things, coming as they do from warm climates, are often nearly or quite
destitute."

"But where do you get these supplies from?" asked Miles.

"From kind-hearted Christians throughout the country, who send us gifts
of old and new garments, boots and shoes, shawls and socks, etcetera,
which we have always in readiness to meet sudden demands; and I may add
that the demands are pretty constant. Brown told you just now that we
have varied experience. I remember once we got a message from the
Assistant Quartermaster-General's office to ask how many women and
children we could accommodate, as a shipful was expected. We replied
that we could take 140, and set to work with preparations. After all,
only one woman came! To-day we expected nobody, and--you see what we
have got!"

The genial countenance of the manager beamed with satisfaction. It was
evident that "what he had got" did not at all discompose him, as he
hurried away to look after his flock, while the originator--the heart
and soul of all this--although confined to her room at that time with
spine complaint, and unable to take part in the active work, as she had
been wont to do in years gone by, heard in her chamber the softened
sound of the human storm, and was able to thank God that her Soldiers'
Institute was fulfilling its destiny.

"Hallo! Miles!" exclaimed Armstrong, over the heads of the crowd; "I've
been looking for you everywhere. D'you know we run a chance of being
late? Come along, quick!"

Our hero, who, in his interest in the scene, had forgotten the flight of
time, hurried out after his comrade as the band struck up "Home,