of frigid hauteur.

"I suppose I am to understand by this that you will do nothing for
me?" he said stiffly.

"Why, what CAN I do?" returned Heliobas, smiling a little. "All
you want--so you say--is a brief forgetfulness of your troubles.
Well, that is easily obtainable through certain narcotics, if you
choose to employ them and take the risk of their injurious action
on your bodily system. You can drug your brain and thereby fill it
with drowsy suggestions of ideas--of course they would only he
SUGGESTIONS, and very vague and indefinite ones too, still they
might be pleasant enough to absorb and repress bitter memories for
a time. As for me, my poor skill would scarcely avail you, as I
could promise you neither self-oblivion nor visionary joy. I have
a certain internal force, it is true--a spiritual force which when
strongly exercised overpowers and subdues the material--and by
exerting this I could, if I thought it well to do so, release your
SOUL--that is, the Inner Intelligent Spirit which is the actual
You--from its house of clay, and allow it an interval of freedom.
But what its experience might be in that unfettered condition,
whether glad or sorrowful, I am totally unable to predict."

Alwyn looked at him steadfastly.

"You believe in the Soul?" he asked.

"Most certainly!"

"As a separate Personality that continues to live on when the body