riter?"

"I'm an expert----"

"Good! I'm writing a book which I'm going to call `The Rulers of the
World.' It is a study of Motherhood. I am one who believes that the
redemption of humanity awaits the realization by woman of her divine
call. When woman knows that she is really a co-creator with God in the
reproduction of the race, a new era will dawn for mankind. You promise
me faithfully to obey my instructions?"

"Faithfully."

"You're a wonderful subject on which to make an experiment. You are
young--in the first dawn of the glory of womanhood. Your body is
beautiful, your mind singularly pure and sweet. You must give me at once
the full power of your will in its concentration on Truth and Beauty.
The success or failure of this experiment will depend almost entirely on
your mentality and the use you make of it during these months in which
your babe is being formed. Whatever the shape of the body there is one
eternal certainty--only YOUR mind can reach the soul of this child.
If the father were the veriest fiend who ever existed and should
concentrate his mind to the task, not one thought from his darkened soul
could reach your babe! YOUR mind will be the ever-brooding, enfolding
spirit forming and fashioning character."

He paused and his deep brown eyes flashed with enthusiasm.

"Think of it! You are now creating an immortal being whose word may bend
a million wills to his. And you are doing this mighty work solely by
your mind. The physical processes are simple and automatic.

"The first lesson you must learn and hold with deathless grip is that
thoughts are things. A thought can kill the body. A thought can heal the
body. If I am successful as a physician it is because I use this power
with my patients. With some I use drugs, with others none. With all
I use every ounce of mental power which God has given me. You will
remember this?"

"Yes."

He walked to the shelves and drew down a volume of poetry.

"Read these poems until you are tired today--then sleep. I'll give you
a good novel tomorrow and when you've read it, a volume of philosophy.
When we climb the peaks, I'll give you a study of these rocks that will
tell you the story of their birth, their life, and their coming death.
We'll learn something of the birds and flowers next spring. We'll dream
great dreams and think great thoughts--you and I--in these wonderful
days and weeks and months which God shall give us together."

She looked up at him