tor, it's much more difficult than that."

The veteran pondered this in puzzled exasperation.

"If Mrs. Wells does this definite thing that you have told her to do,
will she be saved?"

"Yes, I think so," Leroy spoke confidently.

There came a knock at the office door, but both men were so absorbed in
their conversation that they paid no attention to it.

"Is there any doubt about her doing this definite thing that will save
her?"

"That's the trouble, she fights against doing it with all her strength.
She says she cannot do it. _But I tell her she must do it!_"

The knock sounded sharper. An attendant had come with a message from
Seraphine asking Dr. Leroy to come to her at once. She was upstairs in
Mrs. Wells' sitting-room. Something serious had happened.

"Tell Mrs. Walters that I will be right up," he said. "You had better
wait here, doctor." Leroy glanced at his watch. "It's half-past nine. We
have three hours."

CHAPTER XVI

IRRESPONSIBLE HANDS

Dr. Leroy found Mrs. Walters in the attractive sitting-room, brightened
by flowers (most of them sent by Christopher) that had been set apart
for Penelope. The medium, usually so serene, was pale and agitated and
had evidently been repairing some recent disorder of her hair and dress.

"She is asleep, doctor," panted Seraphine, and she pointed to the closed
door of the bedroom. "We have had quite a bad time."

Then Seraphine told the doctor what had happened. She and Penelope had
spent the evening pleasantly, sewing and chatting, and Mrs. Wells had
seemed her old joyous self, free from fears and agitations. She listened
with touching confidence when the medium assured her that her mother's
exalted spirit was trying to help her. And she promised to bear in mind
Dr. Leroy's injunction that, just before composing herself to sleep, she
must hold the thought strongly that she was God's child, guarded from
all evil by the power of God's love. Also she would search into her
heart to find the obstacle that prevented her mother from coming closer
to her.

About nine o'clock Penelope said she was sleepy and would lie down to
rest, at which Seraphine rejoiced, hoping this might indicate a break in
the spell of fear that had kept Mrs. Wells in exhausting suspense.
Perhaps this was an answer to their prayers. She assisted the patient,
lovingly and encouragingly, to prepare herself for the night and at
half-past nine left her in bed with the light extinguished a