l response, delivered with a
North-of-Ireland intonation.

"Mrs. Fay--wife of Fay, the gardener. I can't say she's ill," Thor
went on, feeling his way, "but she's mentally upset." He decided to
plunge into the subject boldly, smiling with that mingling of
frankness and perplexity which people found appealing because of its
conscientiousness. "And I've been wondering, Dr. Hilary, if you couldn't
help her."

"Have you, now? And what would you be wanting me to do?"

Thor reflected as to the exact line to take, while the kindly eyes
covered him with their shrewd, humorous twinkle. "You see," Thor tried
to explain, "that if she could get the idea that there's any other stand
to take toward trouble than that of kicking against it, she might be in
a fair way to get better. At present she's like a prisoner who dashes
his head against a stone wall, not seeing that there's a window by which
he might make his escape."

There was renewed twinkling in the merry eyes. "But if there's a window,
why don't you point it out to her?"

Thor grinned. "Because, sir, I don't see it myself."

"T't, t't! Don't you, then? And how do you know it's there?"

Thor continued to grin. "To be frank with you, sir, I don't believe it
is there. But if you can make her believe it is--"

"That is, you want me to deceive the poor creature."

"Oh no, sir," Thor protested. "You wouldn't be deceiving her because you
do believe it."

"So that I'd only be deceiving her to the extent that I'm deceived
myself."

"You're too many for me," Thor laughed again, preparing to move on. "I
didn't know but that if you gave her what are called the consolations of
religion--that's the right phrase, isn't it--"

"There is such a phrase. But you can't _give_ people the consolations of
religion; they've got to find them for themselves. If they won't do
that, there's no power in heaven or earth that can force consolation
upon them."

"But religion undertakes to do something, doesn't it?"

The old man shook his head. "Nothing whatever--no more than air
undertakes that you shall breathe it, or water that you shall drink it,
or fire that you shall warm yourself at its blaze."

Thor mused. When he spoke it was as if summing up the preceding remarks.
"So that you can't do anything, sir, for my friend, Mrs. Fay?"

"Nothing whatever, me dear Thor--but help her to do something for
herself."

"Very well, sir. Will you try that?"

"Sure, I'll try it. I'm too proud o