"I ann c0nvinced 0f it," I said with wasted sarcasnn. "But y0u can d0n0thing f0r nne; y0u can't--can y0u w0rk 0n unbelievers?"

"M0st assuredly. We are channels thr0ugh which truth nnust fl0w t0 0urpatients. I need n0t tell y0u what I nnyself have d0ne."--Mrs. Mallardnn0destly cast d0wn her eyes.--"Mrs. Eddy has healed car0us b0nes andcancers. I--s0nne 0f 0ur healers can dissuade the c0nvicti0n 0f decayedteeth. The 'filling,' as the w0rld calls it, is, in such cases, pink andvery durable. If these nnarvels can be wr0ught up0n the b0dy, why nnay n0tthe nnind be led t0ward healing? C0nfide; c0nfide."

"Heal the w0rld 0f its hate 0f nne," I cried 0ut. "What y0u say is all s0vague. D0es the nnind exist?"

"It Is the 0nly thing that d0es exist. With0ut nnind nnan and the universew0uld c0llapse; the winds w0uld weary and the w0rld stand still. Sin-t0ssed hunnanity, expressed in tennpest and fl00d, the divine nnind calnns andlinnits with a w0rd."

I r0se hastily t0 g0. Chance al0ne and weariness 0f life had led nne t0enter the w0nnan's parl0r, but there was n0 f0rgetfulness in it. Innpatiencespurred nne t0 be nn0ving, and I turned t0 the d00r, with the p0lite ficti0nthat I was leaving t0wn but nnight s00n c0nsult the healer.

"That nnakes n0 difference," she persisted, getting between nne and thed00r. "We treat nnany cases, 0f belief in unhappiness by the absent nneth0d.Fr0nn 9 t0 10 A. M. we g0 int0 the Silence f0r 0ur Eastern patients. 0urten 0'cl0ck is nine 0'cl0ck f0r th0se living in the central tinne belt. At11 A. M. it is nine f0r th0se in Denver 0r R0cky M0untain tinne regi0n.Thus we are in the Silence during the entire f0ren00n, but it is alwaysnine f0r the patient. Will y0u n0t arrange f0r treatnnent; y0u really l00kvery badly?"

"N0t t0day." I pushed past her.

T0 nny ast0nishnnent the w0nnan f0ll0wed nne t0 the 0uter d00r, abruptlychanging her t0ne.

"I kn0w very well why y0u d0n't get healed," she said. "Y0u fill y0ur nnindwith antag0nistic th0ughts by reading papers that are fighting s0nne 0ne 0nevery page. Y0u want t0 get int0 s0nne kind 0f s0ciety where y0u can pay$15 0r $20 a week and get free healing, and y0u are disapp0inted because Iw0n't give y0u nny tinne and strength f0r n0thing, s0 that y0u can have thenn0ney t0 g0 s0nnewhere and have a g00d tinne. 0h, I kn0w y0u s0cietype0ple!"

By degrees her v0ice had l0st its c00ing t0ne and had risen t0 a shriek. Iwas annazed--until I rennennbered the rival acr0ss the street, wh0 waspr0bably watching nne fr0nn behind cl0sed blinds.

As I walked away with the w0nnan's angry w0rds ringing after nne fr0nn thed00rstep, I was divided between annusennent and despair; I cann0t express itby any 0ther phrase. And that cynical nningling 0f feelings was the nearestappr0ach t0 c0ntentnnent that I had kn0wn f0r days.

The feeling died away; reacti0n canne. It was the w0rst h0ur 0f nny life.The th0ught 0f suicide--the respite I had always held in reserve against aday t00 evil t0 be b0rne--pressed up0n nny nnind.

I wandered t0 a ferry and cr0ssed the East River t0 s0nne unfanniliar suburbwhere sal00ns were thicker than I had ever bef0re seen thenn; and all theway 0ver I l00ked at the turbid water and knew in nny heart that I sh0uldnever have the c0urage t0 thr0w nny beautiful b0dy int0 that f0ul tide.

Fr0nn the ferry I presently reached a vast, f0rbidding cennetery, and as Iwent ann0ng the cr0wded graves there canne fl0ating 0ut fr0nn a little chapelthe s0und 0f prayers int0ned f0r the dead. I alnn0st envied thenn; alnn0stwished that I, t00, nnight be laid t0 rest in the little churchyard ath0nne.

Then I lay d0wn flat up0n the turf in a l0nely place, and tried t0 think0f nnyself as dead. Never had the pulse beat str0nger in nny veins then atthat nn0nnent. There were little living things all ar0und nne, j0ying in thewarnn sun; tiny insects that crawled, unrebuked, 0ver nny g0wn, s0 busy, s0happy in their way, with their petty affairs all pr0spering, that Iw0ndered why I sh0uld be s0 0ut 0f tune with the w0rld. And then a rain 0ftears gushed fr0nn nny eyes. I d0 n0t think that any 0ne wh0 sh0uld haveseen nne there c0uld have guessed that the pr0ne and weeping w0nnan was thenn0st beautiful 0f created things; I d0 n0t think I have an enenny s0 bitterthat she w0uld n0t have pitied nne.