sionlessness, her face had character. The clearly cut features, firm mouth, and fine eyes were fitting abode for a soul of no ordinary calibre—only that soul was not present.

It was Dr. Taverner’s expectation that the other actors in the drama would appear upon the scene before very long, for he thought the girl’s vicinity by those strange currents that are forever on the move beneath the surface of life. As each new patient arrived at the nursing home, I used to watch Mona Cailey narrowly, wondering whether the newcomer would demand of her the payment of the ancient debt that held her bound.

Spring passed into summer and nothing happened. Other cases distracted my attention, and I had almost forgotten the girl and her problems when Dr. Taverner reminded me of them.

“It is time we began to watch Miss Cailey,” he said. “I have been studying her horoscope, and a conjunction of planets is taking place towards the end of the month which would provide an opportunity for the working out of her fate—if we can get her to take it.”

“Supposing she does not take it?”

“Then she will not be long in going out, for she will have failed to achieve the purpose of this incarnation.”

“And supposing she takes it?”

“Then she will suffer, but she will be free, and she will soon rise again to the heights she had previously gained.”

“She is hardly likely to belong to a royal house in this life,” I said.

“She was more than royal; she was an Initiate,” replied Dr. Taverner; and from the way he said the word I knew he spoke of a royalty that is not of this earth.

Our words were suddenly interrupted by a cry from one of the upper rooms. It was a shriek of utter terror such as a soul might give that had looked into chaos and seen forbidden horrors; it was the cry of a child in nightmare, only—and this added to its ghastliness—it came from the throat of a man.

We rushed upstairs; we had no need to ask whence that cry came; there was only one case that could have uttered it—a poor

The Soul That Would Not Be Born 5

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