te, and others in the background. They'll grow
against the wall."

"Do you believe in prayers for the dead?"

Bedford started, met deep, pleading eyes and realised that for the
moment the jig-saw must wait.

"I don't believe in the dead! Does that help you at all? Any prayers
or thoughts which you have used here, with the intent of helping a
fellow creature, can hardly be limited by the one sense of sight. I
believe in prayers for the _living_."

The distress in Katrine's eyes changed into a soft radiance.

"Oh, I am _glad_ you said that, I'm glad!" she cried. "That smooths out
everything. I'm so grateful to you. It would be a comfort to me to
feel I could go on--"

"Helping that poor soul? Of course it would. Send out your sweet
thoughts, then they'll reach him right enough, but for pity's sake
_don't_ cry! _That_ doesn't help him, and it seriously disturbs another
man, on a lower plane. As a pure religious duty now, don't you think
you could range these lilies against the wall?"

"I'll--try!" Katrine answered between a sob and a laugh. Veritably
that puzzle was a godsend this morning, claiming her interest in absurd
disproportion. There were periods of fruitless searchings when _ennui_
and impatience hovered at hand, but inevitably at that very moment
success intervened, and brought with it a renewal of zest.

Half a dozen blocks of substantial sizes were strewn about the table,
but so far each remained separate and distinct, and seemed to have no
connection with the other. Katrine, eyeing them impatiently, was once
more inclined to regret her earlier decision.

"I wonder if this is really the best way! We don't seem to get on. The
background _has_ to be fitted in some time, and it might be better to
get it over. Slow and sure wins the race!"

Bedford lifted a jagged fragment in his hand, examined it carefully, and
bent over the table as if looking for a place into which it might fit.

"The theory," he said thoughtfully, "is correct. Like many theories!
But the prizes of life are not for the prudent. If we worked out our
problems step by step, you and I, we might avoid some difficulties;
incidentally, also, we should miss something else!" He tilted his head,
lifting narrowed eyes. "The _thrill_!" he said deeply. "We should miss
the thrill."

The unexpectedness of the word, the tone in which it was uttered, the
expression on the face so close to her own, smote Katrine with the force