All the wealthy, comfortable, easy-going folk who grudgingly paid a small pew-rent out of their superfluity became alarmed, horribly alarmed. The Christianity which had sat so lightly upon them that at first opportunity they had rushed into the Unitarian meeting-houses became suddenly a very desirable thing. In the fall of Christianity they saw their own fortunes falling. And these self-deceivers would be swept back upon the tide of this reaction into the arms of the Anglican mother they had despised. The vicar saw all this. He was a keen expert in, and student of, human affairs, and withal a psychologist. He saw his opportunity. His words lashed and stung these renegades. They were made to see themselves as they were; the preacher cut away all the ground from under them. They were left face to face with naked shame. What puzzled and yet uplifted the congregation at St. Thomas's was their vicar's extraordinary _certainty_ that the spiritual darkness over the land was shortly to be removed. It was commented on, keenly observed, greatly wondered at. "Mr. Byars speaks," said Mr. Pryde, a wealthy solicitor, "as if he had some private information about this Palestine discovery. He is so confident that he magnetises one into his own state of mind, and Byars is not a very emotional man either. His conviction is _real_. It's not hysteria." And, being a shrewd, silent man, the solicitor formed his own conclusions, but said nothing of them. The church continued full of worshippers. * * * * * When the news from Basil came, the vicar was sitting before the fire in his lighted study. He had been expecting the telegram all day. His brain had been haunted by the picture of that distinguished figure with the dark red hair he had so often met. Again he saw the millionaire standing in his drawing-room proffering money for scholarships. And in Dieppe also! How well and clearly he saw the huge figure of the _savant_ in his coat of astrachan, with his babble of soups and _entrée_! Try as he would, the vicar could not hate these two men. The sin, the awful sin, yes, a thousand times. Horror could not be stretched far enough, no hatred could be too great for such immensity of crime. But in his great heart, in his large, human nature there was a Divine _pity_ for this wretched pair. He could not help it. It was part of him. He wondered if he were not erring in feeling pity. Was not this, indeed, that mysterious sin against the Holy Ghost for which there was no forgiveness? Was it not said of Judas that for his deed he should lie for ever in hell? The telegram was brought in by a neat, unconcerned housemaid. Then the vicar got up and locked the inner door of his study. He knelt in prayer and thanksgiving. It was a moment of intense spiritual communion with the Unseen.