He knew him well of old.

This was not the first undertaking in which their gifts, as elementally different as fire and water, had worked in conjunction.

From the contact of these two personalities, who had not the same vision of the world, there was generated a power for the world's service--a subtle force that could set in motion mighty machines, men's muscles, and awaken also in human breasts an unbounded devotion to the task.

Of the young fellows at the table, to whom the survey of the track was like the tracing of the path of life, more than one would be called to meet death before the work was done.

But the work would be done: the force would be almost as strong as a faith.