meet
men who possessed money, who were making money. He would put questions
to them. And with words they would give evasive answers; but their minds
would tell him the truth.

The ethics of this procedure greatly disturbed him. Certainly it was no
better than reading other people's letters. But, he argued, the dishonor
in knowledge so obtained would lie only in the use he made of it. If he
used it without harm to him from whom it was obtained and with benefit
to others, was he not justified in trading on his superior equipment? He
decided that each case must be considered separately in accordance
with the principle involved. But, principle or no principle, he was
determined to become rich. Did not the end justify the means? Certainly
an all-wise Providence had not brought Helen Carey into his life only to
take her away from him. It could not be so cruel. But, in selecting them
for one another, the all-wise Providence had overlooked the fact that
she was rich and he was poor. For that oversight Providence apparently
was now endeavoring to make amends. In what certainly was a fantastic
and roundabout manner Providence had tardily equipped him with a gift
that could lead to great wealth. And who was he to fly in the face of
Providence? He decided to set about building up a fortune, and building
it in a hurry.

From Bruton Street he had emerged upon Berkeley Square; and, as Lady
Woodcote had invited him to meet Helen at luncheon at the Ritz, he
turned in that direction. He was too early for luncheon; but in the
corridor of the Ritz he knew he would find persons of position and
fortune, and in reading their minds he might pass the time before
luncheon with entertainment, possibly with profit. For, while pacing
Bruton Street trying to discover the principles of conduct that
threatened to hamper his new power, he had found that in actual
operation it was quite simple. He learned that his mind, in relation
to other minds, was like the receiver of a wireless station with an
unlimited field. For, while the wireless could receive messages only
from those instruments with which it was attuned, his mind was in key
with all other minds. To read the thoughts of another, he had only to
concentrate his own upon that person; and to shut off the thoughts of
that person, he had only to turn his own thoughts elsewhere. But also
he discovered that over the thoughts of those outside the range of his
physical sight he had no control. When h