the doctor, and Miss Ludington sought to make clear to this
waif from eternity, so strangely stranded on the shores of Time, the
conditions and circumstances under which she had resumed an earthly
existence.

For a while she only grew more terrified at their explanations, appearing
to find them totally unintelligible, and, though her fears were gradually
dissipated by the tenderness of their demeanour, her bewilderment seemed
to increase. For a long time she continued to turn her face, with a
pathetic expression of mental endeavour, from one to another, as they
addressed her, only to shake her head slowly and sadly at last.

"I seem to have lost myself," she said, pressing her hand to her
forehead. "I do not understand anything you say."

"It is a hard matter to understand," replied Dr. Hull. "Understanding
will come later. Meanwhile, look in at the door of this room and you will
see the body of the woman to whose life you have succeeded. Then you will
believe us though you do not understand us."

As he spoke he indicated the door of the cabinet.

Ida stepped thither and looked in, recoiling with a sharp cry of horror.
The terror in her face was piteous, and in a moment Miss Ludington was at
her side, supporting and soothing her. Sobbing and trembling Ida
submitted unresistingly to her ministrations, and even rested her head on
Miss Ludington's shoulder.

The golden hair brushed the grey locks; the full bosom heaved against the
shrunken breast of age; the wrinkled, scarred, and sallow face of the old
woman touched the rounded cheek of the girl.

Fully as Paul believed that he had realized the essential and eternal
distinction between the successive persons who constitute an
individuality, he grew dizzy with the sheer wonder of the spectacle as he
saw age thus consoling youth, and reflected upon the relation of these
two persons to each other.

Presently Ida raised her head and said, "It may be as you say. My mind is
all confused. I cannot think now. Perhaps I shall understand it better
after a while."

"If you will come home with me now," said Miss Ludington, "before you
sleep I will convince you what we are to each other. Will you come with
me?"

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the girl. "Let us go. Let us leave this awful
place;" and she glanced with a shudder at the door of the cabinet.

A few moments later the house of death had been left behind, and Miss
Ludington's carriage, with its three passengers was rollin