“Do you remember the time when I went to Australia?”

“Are you going to Australia again?” asked Iris.  “You were a whole year away then.  It was a very long time, and sometimes, mother, sometimes Fortune was a little cross, and Miss Stevenson never seemed to suit Apollo.  I thought I would tell you about that.”

“But Fortune means well, dearest.  She has your true interest at heart, and I think matters will be differently arranged, as far as Miss Stevenson is concerned, in the future.  It is not about her or Fortune I want to speak now.”

“And you are going back to Australia again?”

“I am going quite as far as Australia; but we need not talk of the distance just now.  I have not time for many words, nor very much strength to speak.  You know, Iris, the meaning of your names, don’t you?”

“Of course,” answered Iris; “and, mother, I have often talked to the others about our names.  I have told Apollo how beautiful he must try to be, not only in his face, but in his mind, mother, and how brave and how clever.  I have told him that he must try to have a beautiful soul; and Orion must be very brave and strong, and Diana must be bright and sparkling and noble.  Yes, mother; we all know about our names.”

“I am glad of that,” said Mrs. Delaney.  “I gave you the names for a purpose.  I wanted you to have names with meaning to them.  I wanted you to try to live up to them.  Now, Iris, that I am really going away, I am afraid you children will find a great many things altered.  You have hitherto lived a very sheltered life; you have just had the dear old garden and the run of the house, and you have seen your father or me every day.  But afterwards, when I have gone, you will doubtless have to go into the world; and, my darling, my darling, the cold world does not always understand the meaning of names like yours, the meaning of strength and beauty and nobleness, and of bright, sparkling, and high ideas.  In short, my little girl, if you four children are to be worthy of your names and to fulfill the dreams, the longings, the hopes I have centered round you, there is nothing whatever for you to do but to begin to fight your battles.”

Iris was silent.  She had very earnest eyes, something like her mother’s in expression.  They were fixed now on Mrs. Delaney’s face.

“I will not explain exactly what I mean,” said the mother, giving the little hand a loving squeeze, “only to assure you, Iris, that, as the trial comes, strength will be given to you to meet it.  Please understand, my darling, that from first to last, to the end of life, it is all a fight.  ‘The road winds uphill all the way.’  If you will remember that you will not think things half as hard, and you will be brave and strong, and, like the rainbow, you will cheer people even in the darkest hours.  But, Iris, I want you to promise me one thing—­I want you, my little girl, to be a mother to the others.”