“Consider first the relation of your soul to your body. That is infinitely mysterious, is it not? An emotion rises in your soul, and a flush of blood marks it. That is the subconscious mechanism of your body. But to say that, does not explain it. It is only a label. You follow me? Yes? Or still more mysterious is your conscious power. You will to raise your hand, and it obeys. Muscular action? Oh yes; but that is but another label.” (He turned his eyes, suddenly somber, upon the staring, listening young man, and his voice rose a little.) “Go right behind all that, Mr. Baxter, down to the mysteries. What is that link between soul and body? You do not know! Nor does the wisest scientist in the world. Nor ever will. Yet there the link is!”
Again he paused.
Laurie was aware of a rising half-excited interest far beyond the power of the words he heard. Yet the manner of these too was striking. It was not the sham mysticism he had expected. There was a certain reverence in them, an admitting of mysteries, that seemed hard to reconcile with the ideas he had formed of the dogmatism of these folk.
“Now begin again,” continued the quiet, virile voice. “You believe, as a Christian, in the immortality of the soul, in the survival of personality after death. Thank God for that! All do not, in these days. Then I need not labor at that.
“Now, Mr. Baxter, imagine to yourself some soul that you have loved passionately, who has crossed over to the other side.” (Laurie drew a long, noiseless breath, steadying himself with clenched hands.) “She has come to the unimaginable glories, according to her measure; she is at an end of doubts and fears and suspicions. She knows because she sees. … But do you think that she is absorbed in these things? You know nothing of human love, Mr. Baxter” (the voice trembled with genuine emotion) … “if you can think that! … If you can think that her thought turns only to