" returned Malcolm, falling at once
into her vein of thought. "Resting, true, but their work is certainly
not finished: it is only broken off, because probably they have reached
a part that can only be carried on under certain conditions."

Elizabeth turned round in her quick way. "Say that again!" she
exclaimed eagerly, and Malcolm repeated his speech.

"I like that," she murmured: "if one could only grasp that thought."

"There is no difficulty, surely," he replied. "People often talk of
continuity of life, and continuity of love, and why not continuity of
work? Think of all the thousands of workers who have gone hence, many
of them in the prime of their youth or manhood--votaries of science, of
art, pioneers and missionaries, soldiers of the Cross, and soldiers of
the Queen--a vast army that no man can number!" Here Malcolm paused.

"Yes, yes--oh, please go on!" Elizabeth was drinking in his words as
though they were new wine.

"You know what the Wisdom of Solomon says: 'In the sight of the unwise
they seemed to die, and their departure is taken for misery;' but,"
looking at her with a smile, "you and I know better than that."

"And you think, as Mr. Carlyon does, that there will be active life and
work there?" and Elizabeth's large sad eyes were full of yearning as
she asked the question.

"How could I face the future if I did not believe it?" returned Malcolm
earnestly. "Why are these talents, these gifts of genius, this thirst
for knowledge given to us, if they are not to be developed and turned
to account hereafter? Think of the conditions under which such work
will be done"--and here Malcolm's voice was full of enthusiasm--"the
wisdom of the ages around us, the great ones of the earth--in whose
footprints we have striven to walk--beside us in the fulness of their
majesty--no hindrances, no physical weakness, no painful conflict
between the human will and the clouded intellect: the heir of all the
ages will have entered his goodly heritage. Oh, forgive me," checking
himself abruptly, for the tears were streaming down Elizabeth's cheeks.

"No--no, it has been such a comfort! I shall not forget; you have done
me so much good;" and then she wiped away her tears, and tried to
smile, and by the time they reached the inn she had regained her
composure. During their drive home Malcolm occupied the seat next her
in the waggonette, and Dinah, who was opposite to them, noticed that
Elizabeth talked more to him than