n that his
childish mind had come to realize their inevitable truth. The greatest
instinctive desire of every living creature is happiness. And the way to
get it was not by depriving others of it. It seemed now as though this
old woman had had something of goodness inherent to her--as though she
were inspired? And tonight she had said, with her gentle smile as she
lay dying, that if that were so--it had been an inspiration from his
grandfather.

Something of science which his grandfather had devised, and which had
enabled him to--go away. What could that mean? Go where? And why had he
gone? To seek an ideal? Because he was dissatisfied with life here? Her
half incoherent words had seemed to imply that. And now, because Lee was
twenty-one--a man--his grandfather was coming back. Because he had
thought that Lee would be able to help him?... Help him to do--what?

He stirred in his chair. It was nearly midnight now. The little
cottage--this little second floor bedroom where death was hovering--was
heavy with brooding silence. It was awesome; almost frightening. He bent
closer to the bed. Was she dead? No, there was still a faint fluttering
breath, but it seemed now that there would be no strength for her to
speak to him again.

Mysterious business, this passing on. Her eyelids were closed, a symbol
of drawn blinds of the crumbling old house in which she had lived for so
long. It was almost a tenantless house now. And yet she was somewhere
down there behind those drawn blinds. Reluctant perhaps to leave, still
she lingered, with the fires going out so that it must be cold ... cold
and silent where she huddled. Or was she hearing now the great organ of
the Beyond with its sweep of harmonies summoning her to come--welcoming
her....

A shiver ran through young Lee Anthony as he saw that the pallid
bloodless lips of the white wrinkled face had stirred into a smile. Down
there somewhere her spirit--awed and a little frightened doubtless--had
opened some door to let the sound of the organ in--and to let in the
great riot of color which must have been outside.... And then she had
not been frightened, but eager....

He realized suddenly that he was staring at an empty shell and that old
Anna Green had gone....

* * * * *

A sound abruptly brought Lee out of his awed thoughts. It was outside
the house--the crunching of wheels in the gravel of the driveway--the
squeal of grinding brakes. A car