Helena half rose from her chair, as she stole a veiled glance at Madison.

“It would be wonderful,” she said, with a little catch in her voice.  “And he—­it would be the one thing in the world for him.  But—­but it would take a great deal of money.”

“Yes,” said Madison slowly; “at least half a million.”

Thornton turned toward Madison.

“As much as that?” he asked tentatively.

“I should say so,” replied Madison thoughtfully.  “You see, it’s the endowment after all that is the most important.  Say that the building and equipment cost only a hundred thousand, that would only leave an income, from the other four hundred thousand at six per cent., of twenty-four thousand dollars—­not enough in itself even, but it would be augmented of course by the contributions that would still go on.”

Thornton nodded his head.

“That is so,” he agreed; “but there is the time to consider—­it would take a long time to raise that amount.”

“No,” said Madison.  “A few months at the outside.  Thornton”—­he reached out and laid his hand impressively on the other’s sleeve—­we are not dealing with ordinary things here—­we have witnessed this afternoon a sight that should teach us that.  Here, in this very room, beside us now, your wife, that little boy, is evidence of power beyond anything we have ever known before.  Have we not that same power to count on still?  It would be an ingrate heart indeed that, owing all, returned nothing.”

“Yes,” murmured Mrs. Thornton.  “Mr. Madison is right.  I know it, I feel it—­the money will come faster than we have any idea of.”

Madison smiled at her quietly.

“It will come,” he said.  “People will give their money, their jewels, anything, and give joyfully—­and until the amount in hand is large enough to warrant beginning operations, Miss Vail naturally will be its guardian.”

“I?” said Helena hesitatingly.  “I—­I am only a girl, I would not know what to do.”

“You would not have to do anything, Miss Vail,” Madison informed her reassuringly.  “When the time comes for advice, the making of plans and the carrying of them out, the brightest minds in this country will be offered freely and voluntarily, you will see.”

“And meanwhile,” inquired Thornton—­he had been studying Helena’s profile intently, “would you propose keeping the contributions here?”

“Of course!” said Madison.  “And not only here, but openly displayed as an added incentive for others to give—­if added incentive be needed.  Here, for instance”—­he rose as he spoke, went to the mantel over the fireplace and lifted down a quaint, japanned box, fashioned in the shape of a little chest, which he placed upon the table.  “And here, too”—­he crossed to the bookshelves in the alcove, and took down a very old, flexible-covered book.  “Once,” he said, “the Patriarch showed me this.  It was a blank book originally, half of it is blank