rever and ever,' and the
explanation is clear. There is no surer way of learning than trying to
teach. In teaching my several flocks I was also improved myself. I
was sown in weakness, but was raised in power, strength being made
perfect in weakness. Therefore improve your fellows, though yourself
you cannot raise. The knowledge that you have sent many souls to
heaven, though you are yourself a castaway, will give you unspeakable
joy, and place you in heaven wherever you may be. Yet remember this:
none of us can win heaven; salvation is the gift of God. I have said
as much now as you can remember. Farewell. Improve time while you
can. Fear God and keep His commandments. This is the whole duty of
man."

So saying, the spirit vanished in a cloud that for a time emitted light.

"I am not surprised," said Bearwarden, "that people took long journeys
to hear him. I would do so myself."

"I have never had much fear of death," said Cortlandt, "but the mere
thought of it now makes my knees shake, and fills my heart with dread.
I thought I saw the most hateful forms about my coffin, and imagined
that they might be the personification of doubt, coldness, and my other
shortcomings, which had come perhaps from sympathy, in invisible form.
I was almost afraid to ask the spirit for the explanation."

"I saw them also," replied Bearwarden, "but took them to be swarms of
microbes waiting to destroy your body, or perhaps trying in vain to
penetrate your hermetically sealed coffin."

Cortlandt seemed much upset, and spent the rest of the day in writing
out the facts and trying to assign a cause. Towards evening
Bearwarden, who had recovered his spirits, prepared supper, after which
they sat in the entrance to the cave.

CHAPTER X.

AYRAULT.

As the night became darker they caught sight of the earth again,
shining very faintly, and in his mind's eye Ayrault saw his sweetheart,
and the old, old repining that, since reason and love began, has been
in men's minds, came upon him and almost crushed him. Without saying
anything to his companions, Ayrault left the cave, and, passing through
the grove in which the spirit had paid them his second visit, went
slowly to the top of the hill about half a mile off, that he might the
more easily gaze at the faint star on which he could picture Sylvia.

"Ah!" he said to himself, on reaching the summit, "I will stay here
ti