wild despair, 'O GOD! WHERE ARE THOU?' Then I heard a great
rushing sound as of a strong wind beaten through with wings, and a
Voice, grand and sweet as a golden trumpet blown suddenly in the
silence of night, answered: 'HERE! ... AND EVERYWHERE!' With that,
a slanting stream of opaline radiance cleft the gloom with the
sweep of a sword-blade, and I was caught up quickly ... I know not
how ... for I saw nothing!"

Again he pushed and looked wistfully at Heliobas, who in turn
regarded him with gentle steadfastness.

"It was wonderful--terrible!" ... he continued slowly--"yet
beautiful! ... that Invisible Strength that rescued, surrounded, and
uplifted me; and--" here he hesitated, and a faint flush colored
his cheeks and stole up to the roots of his clustering hair--
"dream or no dream, I feel I cannot now altogether reject the idea
of an existing Divinity. In brief ... I believe in God!"

"Why?" asked Heliobas quietly.

Alwyn met his gaze frankly and with a soft brightening of his
handsome features.

"I cannot give you any logical reasons," he said. "Moreover,
logical reasoning would not now affect me in a matter which seems
to me more full of conviction than any logic. I believe, ...
simply because I believe!"

Heliobas smiled--a very warm and kindly smile--but said nothing,
and Alwyn resumed his narrative.