thousand good reasons why you should think of us!" The "Soldiers'
Friend" took these words to heart--also to God. She did think of them,
and she persuaded other friends to think of them, to such good purpose
that she soon found herself in possession of funds sufficient to begin
the work.

As we have seen, her energetic servant and fellow-worker, Mr Thomas
Tufnell, was sent out to Egypt to select a site for the building. The
old iron and wood Oratory at Brompton was bought, and sent out at
Government expense--a fact which speaks volumes for the Government
opinion of the value of Miss Robinson's work among soldiers.

In putting up the old Oratory, Tufnell had transformed it to an extent
that might almost have made Aladdin's Slave of the Lamp jealous.
Certainly, those who were wont to "orate" in the building when it stood
in Brompton would have failed to recognise the edifice as it arose in
Egypt on the Boulevard Ramleh, between the Grand Square of Alexandria
and the sea.

The nave of the old Oratory had been converted into a room, ninety-nine
feet long, with couches and tables running down both sides, a
billiard-table in the centre, writing materials in abundance, and
pictures on the walls. At one end of the room stood a pianoforte,
couches, and easy-chairs, and a door opened into a garden facing the
sea. Over the door were arranged several flags, and above these, in
large letters, the appropriate words, "In the name of the Lord will we
set up our banners." At the other end was a temperance refreshment bar.
On a verandah facing the sea men could repose on easy-chairs and smoke
their pipes or cigars, while contemplating the peculiarities of an
Eastern climate.

It was here that our friend Sergeant Hardy was enjoying that blessed
state of convalescence which may be described as gazing straight forward
and thinking of nothing!

Of course there were all the other appliances of a well-equipped
Institute--such as sleeping-cabins, manager's room, Bible-class room,
lavatory, and all the rest of it, while a handsome new stone building
close beside it contained sitting-rooms, bed-rooms, club-room for
officers, kitchens, and, by no means least, though last, a large
lecture-hall.

But to these and many other things we must not devote too much space,
for old friends in new aspects claim our attention. Only, in passing
from such details, it may not be out of place to say that it has been
remarked that the sight of Miss R