to die. I've just been at a death-bed, and--'

'And you felt you wouldn't like to be there yourself,' Duncan went on,
as I stopped. 'Well, maybe not, it comes nat'ral to us, sir; we're born
with that feeling, I often think, and we can no more help it than we can
help any other thing we're born with. But what I mean to say is, I'm not
afraid of what comes _after_ death. It may be a dark tunnel, sir,
but there's light at the far end!'





[Illustration]




Chapter IV

WHAT ARE YOU?


On Saturday of that week the sun shone brightly, and I was up betimes,
had an early breakfast, and set to work at my picture as soon as
possible. I had not been painting long before I again heard voices above
me, the same childish voices that I had heard before.

'_You_ give it to him,' said one voice.