"Exactly. And I believe the reason why Prayer is not invariably answered at once--and not always in the way we expect--is to teach us that we are not controlling a spiritual force but are supplicating a living Person; therefore the final decision lies with Him and not with us, and we must be content to leave it there. If, by uttering certain words and performing certain ceremonies, I was invariably able to heal a patient, I should be healing by Magic, a thing, mind you, which has been done--and possibly still is done--in the history of the world; but if I lay what natural and spiritual gifts I may possess at the patient's service, and leave the result in Christ's hands, then Christ does what He thinks fit in His love and His own way. In dealing with a Person one must allow for the Personal Equation, even though that Person be our Lord Himself." "I am glad to hear you say this," said Blathwayte as we parted, "as I was afraid that the idea of Magic--in conjunction with the healing powers which you undoubtedly possess--might get hold of a man of your peculiar temperament. But you seem to look at it as simply and naturally as Henderson does." A few days after this conversation with Arthur, Annabel startled me by suddenly coming into the library, and saying without any preamble, as she stood beside my chair at the writing-table: "Where do you think I had better take a house, Reggie? somewhere near here or in London?" "Take a house? What on earth do you mean?" I asked in amazement. "Well, I must live somewhere, and I can't stay on very well here after you are married." "But why not? You simply _must_ stay on with us, and manage the house as you have always done; I couldn't bear the Manor without you." "It is very nice of you, Reggie, to want me to go on living here; but I am sure Fay would not like it." I was simply aghast at this revelation of the utterly absurd and untrue ideas which even the nicest women get about each other. "My dear Annabel, what utter nonsense! And most unjust to Fay, too! Why, there is nothing that Fay would like so much as for you to live on here with her and me after we are married: I know her well enough to answer for that." Annabel looked doubtful. "Are you sure, Reggie?" "Absolutely certain. Not only for the unselfish reason that such an arrangement would be the only really happy one for you and me, but also for the selfish one--if anything that Fay did or thought could by any possibility be selfish--that you would take all the bother of managing this large household off her hands. Why, my dear Annabel, you yourself have said that she is far too young to take on such a job as this." Annabel looked thoughtful. "That is quite true. I'm afraid you wouldn't be very comfortable with only Fay to look after things."