ds. So, too, in India and China,
in Thibet and in the Golden Chersonese. On all and each of these
occasions there was, on my own part, enough belief to set in motion the
powers of understanding; and there were no moral scruples to stand in the
way of realization. Those whose lives are so spent that they achieve the
reputation of not fearing man or God or devil are not deterred in their
doing or thwarted from a set purpose by things which might deter others
not so equipped for adventure. Whatever may be before them--pleasant or
painful, bitter or sweet, arduous or facile, enjoyable or terrible,
humorous or full of awe and horror--they must accept, taking them in the
onward course as a good athlete takes hurdles in his stride. And there
must be no hesitating, no looking back. If the explorer or the
adventurer has scruples, he had better give up that special branch of
effort and come himself to a more level walk in life. Neither must there
be regrets. There is no need for such; savage life has this advantage:
it begets a certain toleration not to be found in conventional existence.

RUPERT'S JOURNAL--_Continued_.

_May_ 2, 1907.

I had heard long ago that Second Sight is a terrible gift, even to its
possessor. I am now inclined not only to believe, but to understand it.
Aunt Janet has made such a practice of it of late that I go in constant
dread of discovery of my secret. She seems to parallel me all the time,
whatever I may do. It is like a sort of dual existence to her; for she
is her dear old self all the time, and yet some other person with a sort
of intellectual kit of telescope and notebook, which are eternally used
on me. I know they are _for_ me, too--for what she considers my good.
But all the same it makes an embarrassment. Happily Second Sight cannot
speak as clearly as it sees, or, rather, as it understands. For the
translation of the vague beliefs which it inculcates is both nebulous and
uncertain--a sort of Delphic oracle which always says things which no one
can make out at the time, but which can be afterwards read in any one of
several ways. This is all right, for in my case it is a kind of safety;
but, then, Aunt Janet is a very clever woman, and some time she herself
may be able to understand. Then she may begin to put two and two
together. When she does that, it will not be long before she knows more
than I do of the fa