good-day." He left her before she could recover from her surprise, and she wondered whether it was only a fine piece of acting.

The great missionary societies were anxious to know whether there was any hope of reducing expenses by changing their methods, and Christina soon found herself in correspondence with one or two of them. Marcus Ruefold, with his one-man system and his free hand, was an object of cautious interest to them, and his course was followed with closer attention than they chose to admit. Restless critics worked uncomfortable sums in long division, and others advised the despatch of new men without the two coats or the scrip.

On one occasion she met her old friend, Sir Bathcourt Blizzard, who treated her with the same indulgent kindness, and listened to the recent chapters of her history. But it was clear that he put her story into a vacant space of his mosaic of life, treating it as a contribution to the general pattern, but not as an essential part. To him the hopes and fears, the doubt and belief of mankind, were interesting as a study. The machinery of advocacy had taken from pathos its tears, and from tragedy its red fire. He could produce the same effects; could even create the very emotion in himself when it was required for his persuasive rhetoric.

At last Racer came down from Cambridge and called upon Christina. She was startled to find that he had changed his opinion since he had written to her in Africa, and now thought that he was able, single-handed, to bring Bokrie round.

66

"You have done your work, Miss Ruefold, by merely coming home," he explained to her. Bokrie is a different creature already; your presence has calmed him. Like those patients who are sensitive to hypnotic influence, he does not require the passes of the hand or the spoken word. The doctor has only to be seen, or to send the message of peace. I think we shall make something of him yet."

'How are you setting to work?" asked Christina, a little surprised at this unexpected discharge from responsibility.

"I want to get him to Cambridge; he may do well there. Now, Miss Ruefold, I am going to make a strange request, but I hope you will fall in with it. Don't let us have another word of religion. Bokrie has had too much of it; I believe that it has retarded his mental growth. Let education have a fair field, and if his mind could be enlarged and filled with new thought, you will find that the power to select and direct-the attributes of the soul,

if you like so to call them-will develop into average power. Then you will have a living man, with faculties complete, built up out of mental training. You can add religion or not, as you choose, afterwards—just as you may teach him music or painting."

"When do you send for him?"

"At once; the sooner the better. It is not the freshman's term; but I want to get him out of London and temptation. I thought the

money would be the difficulty; but, to my great surprise, the fellow has been saving; he has got a regular hoard. I believe that he intended to buy a gold fillet, necklace, bracelets, and I know not how much more for you, Miss Ruefold. Really, if you like to set up as a divinity in Africa, that fellow would act as your prophet, and burn incense to you. I know you will renounce your gold chains in favour of a year at Cambridge, by way of experiment."

"And you do not wish me to see him again?" said Christina, slowly.

'I don't mean that. You will see him, of course; I could not keep him away from you. You shall have your turn again, if I fail to do the work. Meanwhile, let us see whether it is to be Diana or Christ."

XIV.

Man gave names to the animals, and then tried to tell the number of the stars. But the deeper he gazed into space the thicker thronged the worlds upon his sight. Then he gave up the task in despair, and turned to his lordship of earth, only to find that the life beneath his feet was a million-fold more than he had reckoned. So he left the problems unfinished in the hands of his Teacher.

It was a fine open evening at Cambridge, and Professor Racer and Bokrie were sauntering along the Backs. The spring was stealing into the trees, making a delicate gray haze in the lofty fretwork of branch and twig. The rooks kept one another to their nest-building by drawling cries of encouragement. The air was lively with the sense of a "good time coming." There were voices which shot up behind walls and below bridges from the hidden river. Skirting every stretch of grass were parties of young fellows, and through every archway, or open screen of stone, could be seen the striped jackets hurrying to the tennis lawns and the boats. The long sweep of

the college buildings in their

variety and repose

reassured the mind with the idea of stability, and chastened the vivacity of the spring with a sense of permanence.

Bokrie was fixed in lodgings within reach of his mentor. He had come up willingly, assured by Christina that it was her wish for him to do so, and consoled by a promise that she would not leave the country again without giving him warning. More than that, she had undertaken to pay him a visit, at least once, in the present term. Racer had resolved to devote more time to him. during these earlier days than he could regularly afford, as it was of great importance that Bokrie should be steered clear of those currents into which an unwary freshman may drift, and out of which it is difficult to extricate him later. Racer busied himself at the outset in getting introductions for Bokrie, and in watching the first effect of the changed life upon him. An English university is accustomed to gather its members from the east and the west, so that one more stranger passes unnoticed in the crowd of swarthy foreigners. It was, however, soon evident to the professor that he could not conceal the antecedent life of his queer friend, and so good sense showed him that the best plan would be to make a point of the interest of the case, and, by an appeal to the consideration of the authorities, to treat the