My reason is with you.»

«But my instincts are against!» cried Enid. «No, no, never can I believe it.» She threw her arms round the great bull neck. «Don't tell me, Daddy, that you with all your complex brain and wonderful self are a thing with no more life hereafter than a broken clock!»

«Four buckets of water and a bagful of salts,» said Challenger as he smilingly detached his daughter's grip. «That's your daddy, my lass, and you may as well reconcile your mind to it. Well, it's twenty to eight. – Come back, if you can, Malone, and let me hear your adventures among the insane.»

2. Which Describes an Evening in Strange Company

THE love-affair of Enid Challenger and Edward Malone is not of the slightest interest to the reader, for the simple reason that it is not of the slightest interest to the writer. The unseen, unnoticed lure of the unborn babe is common to all youthful humanity. We deal in this chronicle with matters which are less common and of higher interest. It is only mentioned in order to explain those terms of frank and intimate comradeship which the narrative discloses. If the human race has obviously improved in anything – in Anglo-Celtic countries, at least – it is that the prim affectations and sly deceits of the past are lessened, and that young men and women can meet in an equality of clean and honest comradeship.

A taxi took the adventurers down Edgware Road and into the side-street called «Helbeck Terrace.» Halfway down, the dull line of brick houses was broken by one glowing gap, where an open arch threw a flood of light into the street. The cab pulled up and the man opened the door.

«This is the Spiritualist Church, sir,» said he. Then, as he saluted to acknowledge his tip, he added in the wheezy voice of the man of all weathers: «Tommy-rot, I call it, sir.» Having eased his conscience thus, he climbed into his seat and a moment later his red rear-lamp was a waning circle in the gloom. Malone laughed.

«Vox populi, Enid. That is as far as the public has got at present.»

«Well, it is as far as we have got, for that matter.»

«Yes, but we are prepared to give them a show. I don't suppose Cabby is. By Jove, it will be hard luck if we can't get in!»

There was a crowd at the door and a man was facing them from the top of the step, waving his arms to keep them back.

«It's no good, friends. I am very sorry, but we can't help it. We've been threatened twice with prosecution for over-crowding.» He turned facetious. «Never heard of an Orthodox Church getting into trouble for that. No, sir, no.»

«I've come all the way from 'Ammersmith,» wailed a voice. The light beat upon the eager, anxious face of the speaker, a little woman in black with a baby in her arms.

«You've come for clairvoyance, Mam,» said the usher, with intelligence. «See here, give me the name and address and I will write you, and Mrs. Debbs will give you a sitting gratis. That's better than taking your chance in the crowd when, with all the will in the world, you can't all get a turn. You'll have her to yourself. No, sir, there's no use shovin' . . . What's that? .