“Mr. Laicus,” he cried almost passionately, “I said I believed in nothing.  But it is not true.  I have no creed.  I do not even believe in God or immortality any more.  I have no God.  I am without hope.  But I believe in my wife.  I believe in you.  I believe that you and she have something-I know not what-that supports you in temptation and sustains you in sorrow.  Tell me what it is.  Tell me how I may get it.  I will cast my pride away.  I would believe.  Help my unbelief.”

“Mr. Gear,” said I, laying my hand upon his arm, “here in the presence of this dear boy, be the solemn witness of your petition and your vow, will you kneel with me to ask of God what you have asked of me, but what He alone can give you, and record before Him the promise you have made to me, but which He alone can receive at your hands?”

He made no answer-hesitated a moment-then knelt, with the dear boy’s hand fast clasped in his, while kneeling at his side I echoed the prayer he had already uttered:  “I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”

And as we rose I saw the tears streaming down his softened face, the first tears he had shed since I had entered his house.  I knew that Willie had taught him more in his death than by his life, and felt that now, to my own heart though not to his, I could answer the question he had asked me, “How can you reconcile this with the love of God?”

CHAPTER XXXII.

God said, “Let there be Light.”

From Mr. Gear’s Jennie and I drove directly to Maurice Mapleson’s.  Fortunately we found him at home.  Briefly I told him of my visit.

“What can we do,” I said at the close, “to save this man from the despair of utter skepticism?”

“He is in good hands,” said Mr. Mapleson, with calm assurance.

“No!  Mr. Mapleson,” said I, “I can do nothing more with him.  So long as I had only the intellect to deal with, I thought I knew what to say and when to keep silence.  But I dare neither speak nor keep silence now.”

“I did not mean your hands,” said Mr. Mapleson.

“What then?” said I.

“He is in God’s hands,” replied the pastor.  “God has taken him out of your hands into His own.  Leave him there.”

“Is there then nothing more to be done?” I said.

“Yes,” said he, “but chiefly prayer.”

Then after a moment’s pause he added:  “I believe, Mr. Laicus, in the oft quoted and generally perverted promise:  If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  I believe it was intended for just such exigencies as this.  It is not a general charter, but a special promise.  Now is the time to plead it.  Who beside yourself in our church is Mr. Gear’s most intimate acquaintance and warmest friend?”

I thought a moment before I answered.  Then I replied, “To be honest, Mr. Mapleson, I do not believe there is one in the church who understands him.  But Deacon Goodsole has had more to do with him than any other, and perhaps understands him better.”