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The fact was that he was a little disconcerted by the other's eyes They were, as I have said, kind and shrewd eyes, but they had a good deal of power as well Mr Vincent satat hi the young hty little boy who is trying to explain

Laurie sat back and drew on his cigarette rather hard

"I understand perfectly," said the steady voice "You are in a very reasonable position I wish all were as open-minded May I say a word or two?"

"Please"

"Well, it is materialization that puzzles you, is it?"

"Exactly," said Laurie "Our theologians tell us--by the way, I aians, I believe, tell us that such a thing cannot be, except under peculiar circumstances, as in the lives of the saints, and so on"

"Are you bound to believe all that your theologians say?" asked the other quietly

"Well, it would be very rash indeed--" began Laurie

"Exactly, I see But what if you approach it from the other side, and try to find out instead whether these things actually do happen I do not wish to be rude, Mr Baxter; but you reians--I am not so foolish as to say the Church, for I know that that was not so--but your theologians, you know, made a mistake about Galileo"

Laurie winced a little Mr Jaentle approval

"Now I don't ask you to accept anything contrary to your faith," went on the other gently; "but if you really wish to look into this matter, you must set aside for the present all other presuppositions You ht, nor even in asking hohy these things should happen The one point is, Do they happen?"

His last words had a curious little effect as of a sudden flame He had spoken smoothly and quietly; then he had suddenly put an unexpected emphasis into the little sentence at the end Laurie jumped, internally Yes, that was the point, he assented internally

"Noent on the other, again in that slow, reassuring voice, flicking off the ash of his cigarette, "is it possible for you to doubt that these things happen? May I ask you what books you have read?"