The Life Everlasting: A Reality of Romance

be glad of the soft wind blowing its leaves, or a daisy in the grass may rejoice in the warmth of the sun to which it opens its golden heart without either being able to explain th

content to breathe the invigorating air of peace and serenity in which my spirit seemed to float on wings. I slept like a child who is only tired out with play and pleasure,-I woke like a child to whom the world is all new and brimful of beauty. That it was a sunny day seemed right and natural-clouds and rain could hardly have penetrated the brilliant atmosphere in which I lived and moved. It was an atmosphere of my own creating, of course, and therefore not liable to be disturbed by storms unless I chose. It is possible for every human

nothing in my heart or mind with regard to Rafel Santoris save a keen interest and sense of friendship. I was sure that his beliefs were the same as mine, and that he had been working along the same lines which I had endeavoured to follow; and

elayed by an 'attack of nerves' on the part of Catherine, who during the morning was seized with a violent fit of hysteria to which she completely gave way, sobbing, laughing and gasping for breath in a manner which showed her to be quite unhinged and swept

Catherine gets worse and worse.

answered-"And Dr. Brayle allow

ged his

-he said-"But he's cleve

tients,"-I hint

n his heel

!" he said-"Cou

in the beginning,"-I r

ure her now

up and do

ith us to visit Santoris,"

ut it off?"

went up in su

you and a pleasure of which I would not deprive

saloon with his softest step

e calm in a few minutes. But she must remain quiet. It

prevent the rest of u

rl

e hoped you would go, and make her excuses to Mr. Sa

ures-"And as Swinton doesn't wish to join us, we shall be only a party of three-Captain

ad been waiting for some few minutes. We at once prepared to go, and while Mr. Harland was ge

d by some of the things he said last night. She could not sleep, and was exceedingly troubled in her

nfluence harmful?" I q

-"And highly nervous persons like Miss Harland are best with

burned in

, quietly-"For I said last night that if Mr. Santori

a superi

er-very charming-and full of the most delightful fancies,-but weighted (fortunately) with the restrictions of your se

aug

ust always be men!" I said-"Y

world's government and progress,

"Sometimes it rebels against th

bearing the name of the yacht to which they belonged-the 'Dream.' These men were dark-skinned and dark-eyed,-we took them at first for Portuguese or Malays, but they turned out to be from

e to Mr. Harland-"Look at their muscular arms!

her. The man smiled-and the sudden gleam of his white teeth gave a w

!"-he said,-"V

found in an Egyptian sarcophagus-"The peace of the morning befriend thee, and the light of the sunset and the happiness of th

rtesy and warmth of welcome. He expressed polite regret at the absence of Miss Harland-none for that of Dr. Brayle or M

a vessel as this. He will take Captain Derrick in his charge and explain to him the myst

and smiled a ch

speaking very good English with just t

fect

less-an air in which any ordinary schooner would have been hopelessly becalmed,-and almost before we knew it we were out of Loch Scavaig and flying as though borne on the wings of some great white bird, all along the wild and picturesque coast of Skye towards Loch Bracadale. One of the most remarkable features about the yacht was the extraordinary lightness with which she s

oke or steam, so that our furniture and fittings are preserved from dinginess and tarnish. It was possible to have the saloon delicately painted, as you see,"-here he opened the door of the apartment mentioned, and we stepped into it as into a fairy palace. It was much loftier than the usual yacht saloon, and on all sides th

Harland, a trifle bitterly-"You kno

good-humour-"And I think he is perfectly satisfied with my mode of expend

nd looked as he evidentl

u have coaxed any of Mother Nature's secrets out of her. She is very kind to her children, if they are kind to her,-in fact, she spoils them, for the more they ask of her the

he State-rooms, of which there were five, dainti

aid, "Which is very seldom. This for a princess

mmer of pale rose-colour made itself visible, and the carpet of dark moss-green formed a perfect setting for the quaintly shaped furniture, which was all of sandal-wood inlaid with ivory. On a small table of carved ivo

till luncheon?" he said-"I placed t

cheeks,-I looked up at h

m not a

miled down

ust have drea

uched my brain, but what it was I could not

e said-"Did I not call you the princes

ult and solitary childhood,-the hard and uphill work which became my lot as soon as I was old enough to work at all,-incessant study, and certainly no surplus of riches. Then where had I known luxury? I sank into a chair, dreamily considering. The floating scent of sandal-wood and the perfume of lilies commingled was like the breath of an odorous garden in the East, familiar to me long ago, and

de me less of a humble student. I must not yield to this overpowering demand on my soul,-it is surely an evil suggestion which asse

d Star, also of gold. With joy I took it up and kissed it reverently, and as I compared it with the one I always secretly wore on my own person, I knew that all was well, and that I need have no distrust of Rafel Santoris. No injurious effect on my mind could possibly be exerted by his influence-and I was thrown back on myself for a clue to that singular wave of feeling, so entirely contrary to m

hed-"Captain Derrick is satisfied. He has learned how one of the finest s

-said Derrick, good-humouredly-"But I've seen how it's done. And

hey would have to learn their trade all over again. Our yacht looks as though she were bui

side. Our glances met,-he saw that I had received and understood the message of

took us to discover the wonders of steam!-how the discoverer was mocked and laughed at!-yet it was not really 'wonderful'-it was always there, waiting to be employed, and wasted by mere lack of human effort. One can say the same of electricity, sometimes called 'miraculous'-it is no miracle, but perfectly common and natural, only we have, until now, failed to apply it to our needs,-and even when wider disclosures of science are being made to us every day, we still bar knowledge by obstinacy, and remain in ignorance rather than learn. A few grains in weight of hydrogen have power

ple?"-suggeste

lau

r example! Will yo

ad for some time slackened speed, and appeared to be merely floating lazily on the surface of the calm water. We were told she could always do this and make almost imperceptible headway, provided there was no impending storm in the air. It seemed as if we were scarcely moving, and the whole atmosphere surrounding us expressed the most delicious tranq

may say that of itself is remarkable, there being none in the market. It is the pure juice of the grape, prepared in such a ma

cular?" queried Harl

ellow, you are not in the best of health. And you w

ed up

ve thought,"-I said-"onl

veyed me with a

with all your boldness, you are full of mere theo

a swift glance with

see that this lady has reached a certain plane of thought on which she herself

in study and contemplation, and because she has allowed herself to forego many of the world's p

hings'?"-inter

ess men t

it not also from some poi

le friend here, for whom I have a great esteem, let me assure her!-is not really capable of forming an opinion of the condition of a man like myself, nor can she

kly-"I merely trust to a guiding instinct which tells me wh

ly think him clever. But if you would consider the point logically-you migh

ris s

usiness'! YOU

luncheon,-the servan

ng his coffee and

heiress, can ask what motive a man like Brayle,-worldly, calculating and without heart-h

p eyes flashed wit

of the true state of affairs, Santoris. Wizard and scientist as you are, you canno

oris, quietly-"

mined Harland's wo

good fellow, you don'

checked-cut off in its development, and utterly destroyed,-but the cure would depend on yourself more than on Dr.

how can

ich contract quite unconsciously to yourself. I can stop

r. Harland smiled incredulously,-"But I

opinion you like of me." And he drew from his pocket a tiny crystal phial set in a

allowed two small drops of liquid, bright and clear as

fear, and say good-bye to all pai

ite unusual to him

on smoking

u m

arland's face expressed a

asked Santoris-"

an hardly believe it-but

back-not to-day, at any rate, nor

s we left the

this evening,-there are so many picturesque clouds floating about. We are turning back to Loch Scavaig,-and when we

n he put to

mil

I've been very lazy on board the 'Diana,' tak

which were placed temptingly under an awning on deck. His eyes

gical, Santoris!"-he said-"I wi

looking down

e caution, but in uninstructed hands it is dangerous. Its work is to stimulate certain cells-at the same time (

truly think Bray

certain point. But of course he knows that the so-called 'electric' treatment he is givi

reall

I felt a secret thrill of satisfaction. "Why, sh

her engagement to a w

. "You see, I kn

ow, the intimate details of a life like Catherine's whic

ings. Therefore they resemble an army of malarious germs which are eating away her moral fibre. Brayle knows that what she needs is the belief that someone has an interest not only in

ng slow whiffs from his cigar

staken. You only saw the man for a few minu

he is bound to revea

do you

guest, will corroborate what I say,-though, of course, you will not believe HER! In fact, my dear Harland, as you have schooled yourself to belie

with a touch of pique-"Whether I accept

th it than the sun can conceal its rays. Each individual human being, male and female alike, moves unconsciously in the light of self-revealment, as though all his or her faults and virtues were reflected like t

Harland, impatiently-"And I

xedly. His eyes were lum

hine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' Your 'light'-remember!-that word 'light' is not used here as a figure of speech but as a statement of fact. A positive 'light' surrounds you-it is exhaled and produced by your physical and moral being,-and those among us who have cultivated their inner organs of vision see IT before they see YOU. It can be of the purest radi

his usual air of cynical

scientific journals about the 'auras' of people affecting us with antipathies or sympathies

en?" asked Santoris-"I can only tel

and looking at it curiously to avoid, as I thought, the steadf

in discoveries are being made concerning the luminosity of trees and plants which in some states

hough at once dismissing the subject from his mind-"A man born

brow deepened its

tell me"-he said-"that you see any 'aura

nctly as I see yourself in the midst of it. But there is no

and laughed harshly-"

Santoris, with sudden sternness-"Har

id. He threw up his han

ervous grip, and for one instant looked like a hunted creature caught red-

a'?"-he queried, glancing at me-"Doe

moment. Then he turned his ey

ed-"I wish you could

rew warm, and I was vaguely embarrassed

e me,"-I said, half laughingly-"For I am

-"But I think it is right we should realise the existence of these radiant or cloudy exhalations whi

checked Mr. Harland in something he was evidentl

hollows and lofty pinnacles outlining the coast with its numerous waterfalls, lochs and shadowy creeks. A thin and delicate haze of mist hung over the land like a pale violet veil through which the sun shot beams of rose and gold, giving a vaporous unsubst

n rather a perturbed way-"As far as I can make out, t

heard this i

e answered. "There are plenty on board t

, if you are satisfi

hed himself luxuri

one to for the moment,"-he said, with a laugh-"I'

ped aside to give some order to on

e you and my little friend go and see your s

is suggestion wit

t care fo

a way. But I've se

ike"-put i

a sound sleep rather than a sunset. It's very unsociable, I know,-but-" he

s turne

n hour or two and allow me to be your guide to Loch Co

hrough me, and again I felt that strange sense of po

answered, lightly-"And I cannot let you off your promise

and, then, opening his eyes drowsily-"Yo

ich in the bright afternoon looked scarcely less dreary than at night, especially now that the 'Diana' was no longer there to give some air of human occupation to the wild and barren surroundings. The sun was well inclined towards the western horizon when the 'Dream' reache