bestowing this gift, and said he would send his general to Bareilly on Monday to make out the papers and put us in formal possession of the property."

Before the party left the Nawab's dominions, the ladies were asked to see a sick woman in the Tahsildar's house, and they found her very ill indeed. Dr. Swain prescribed for her and for several others who asked for medicines; then they returned to the Rest House to get their breakfast and talk over the interview, and to thank God for his great bounty to the mission work.

Mrs. Thomas wrote: "We were bewildered and overwhelmed to think that the possessions which we had longed and prayed for these many years were ours. The gift came to us so freely and in such a way that we could take no credit to ourselves for having obtained it. Like all God's free gifts it was given before asked for; no persuasions or arguments of ours would have made any difference. God saw our need and supplied it."

The estate consisted of forty acres of land, a fine old kothi or mansion, and an extensive garden. The house needed repairs which were soon completed and Dr. Swain and Miss Sparkes, who had been appointed to take charge of the orphanage, moved into their new home January 1, 1872. A part of the house was used for a dispensary until other arrangements could be made, and then followed busy and often weary days, borne with patience, however, for the work was for the Master.

The much-needed and well-planned dispensary building was completed in May, 1873, and the hospital buildings connected with it received the first indoor patients January 1, 1874. From that time on there was no lack of occupants for the rooms. In the published collection of her letters, entitled "A Glimpse of India," Dr. Swain gives a graphic picture of the buildings, their occupants and their mode of life.

Visits to homes in the city were continued, and Dr. Swain and her assistants were fully occupied every day. Three of the graduates of the medical class were employed by Dr. Swain as Bible women and gave much assistance in the religious work connected with the hospital.

FIRST FURLOUGH

The anxiety and the responsibility of the rapidly increasing work brought weariness of mind and body, and in March, 1876, Dr. Swain returned to America for a much needed rest. This was extended to the autumn of 1879 when, on September 25, she again sailed for India, arriving in Bombay November 6. At the conference held in Cawnpore in January, 1880, Dr. Swain received her appointment to Bareilly and with gladness of heart took up her old work.

PHYSICIAN TO THE RANI OF KHETRI

In March, 1885, Dr. Swain received a call to a native state to attend the wife of the Rajah, and after two weeks of successful treatment she was formally requested to remain as physician to the Rani and the ladies of the palace. After much thought and prayer it seemed to her that it was the Lord's will that she should remain and do what she could for him in this place where there were no Christian influences; so she consented to the proposal on condition that she and her companion be allowed to carry on the work as Christians should. To this the Rajah agreed, and Dr. Swain signed a contract to remain two years.

In the Blue Book, or Administration Report, of the Khetri State, 1886, the Rajah wrote: "I cannot look back with greater pleasure or satisfaction on anything I have done than on the facilities introduced by me for rendering medical aid to the female portion of my subjects. It is a patent fact that the Indian woman, secluded as she is within the four walls of the zenana, cannot fully benefit by any system of medicine; and it was not till the generous efforts of Lady Dufferin were turned in this direction that the wives and daughters of the richest and most enlightened Indians enjoyed a better position than the lowest and meanest of their fellows. It therefore gives me genuine pleasure to bring prominently to your notice the existence of a regular institution in this benighted portion of India, for the treatment of females of all classes. I have employed a very competent European lady doctor, Miss Swain, M.D., to attend on Her Highness, the Rani Sahiba, and, feeling it my duty to place her advice and assistance within the reach of all my subjects, have established a regular dispensary for women. It was opened June 1, 1885, at the expense of the state, and a room in the palace building appropriated to it until a more convenient and suitable one could be provided. An allowance of Rs. 100 per mensem is fixed for medicines, and is found for the present to be sufficient. The average daily attendance at the dispensary is five."

Under Section 12, Schools, this report is given:—"I am glad to say that the people of my state are beginning to evince greater interest in the education of their children than they have done before. The greatest desire of Her Highness, the Rani Sahiba, was that I should make suitable provision for the education of girls. I, accordingly, engaged a competent European lady, Miss P.E. Pannell, as mistress, and the Khetri Girls' School was opened by Her Highness in April, 1885, in the teeth of opposition from the orthodox portion of the community. As was expected, at first every effort to teach these girls was frowned upon and considered absurd by their relatives and friends. This feeling, however, gradually gave place to trust and confidence, and the school is now showing some return for all the time and patience spent upon it. The number of pupils on the roll is twenty, of which three have gone to their susval (husband's home) and three attend only occasionally. The average attendance of fourteen girls has, however, been regular. Great pains has been taken to teach truthfulness, honesty and love for one another. Instruction is also given in needlework of various kinds, and other things, the knowledge of which is necessary for good housekeeping. The improvement made by some of the girls in this direction may at once be noticed by a change in the manner of doing nicely the little things which go to make up their lives. The school owes its existence to the care of Her Highness, who is much interested in it."

In addition to her school, Miss Pannell was engaged to teach the Rani and some of the court ladies. Dr. Swain and Miss Pannell were the only Christians in the state, but their little Sunday service conducted for their servants gained attention, and others asked to be allowed to attend, some becoming so much interested that they procured Bibles and Testaments that they might read the "wonderful words" themselves. A supply of tracts and portions of Scripture was always on hand, to distribute whenever and wherever the ladies felt they would be appreciated.

SECOND FURLOUGH

The serious illness of one of Dr. Swain's sisters decided her to return to America, and she left Khetri in March, 1888, having spent nearly three years in "seed sowing" as she called it. Her own health, too, demanded a change, and in company with a most congenial missionary friend she turned her face toward the homeland. She returned to India in company with the same congenial friend, in time to attend the North India Conference before going to her Khetri home, Miss Pannell again accompanying her.

RETURN TO KHETRI

The isolation of their life in Khetri had been at times a great trial to both Dr. Swain and Miss Pannell, but they felt that they were where God wanted them to be and bore their privations bravely. However, at this time Dr. Swain wrote: "After eighteen months of the religious life of America and the many precious privileges enjoyed there, it seems harder to settle down to the life here. I miss the church services much more than I did when I was here before." At another