r long 'ome peaceful at rest, forbye their bein'
born so grumblesome like. Twitt 'ud be at 'is best composin' a hepitaph
for Mr. Arbroath now!"

As she said this the corners of her mouth, which usually drooped in
somewhat lachrymose lines, went up in a whimsical smile. And feeling
that she had launched a shaft of witticism which could not fail to reach
its mark, she trotted off on further gossiping errands bent.

The tenor of her conversation was repeated to Angus Reay that afternoon
when he arrived, as was often his custom, for what was ostensibly "a
chat with old David," but what was really a silent, watchful worship of
Mary.

"She is a dear old soul!" he said, "and Twitt is a rough diamond of
British honesty. Such men as he keep the old country together and help
to establish its reputation for integrity. But that man Arbroath ought
to be kicked out of the Church! In fact, I as good as told him so!"

"You did!" And Helmsley's sunken eyes began to sparkle with sudden
animation. "Upon my word, sir, you are very bold!"

"Bold? Why, what can he do to me?" demanded Angus. "I told him I had
been for some years on the press, and that I knew the ins and outs of
the Jesuit propaganda there. I told him he was false to the principles
under which he had been ordained. I told him that he was assisting to
introduce the Romish 'secret service' system into Great Britain, and
that he was, with a shameless disregard of true patriotism, using such
limited influence as he had to put our beloved free country under the
tyranny of the Vatican. I said, that if ever I got a hearing with the
British public, I meant to expose him, and all such similar wolves in
sheep's clothing as himself."

"But--what did he say?" asked Mary eagerly.

"Oh, he turned livid, and then told me I was an atheist, adding that
nearly all writers of books were of the same evil persuasion as myself.
I said that if I believed that the Maker of Heaven and Earth took any
pleasure in seeing him perambulate a church with a cross and six
wretched little boys who didn't understand a bit what they were doing, I
should be an atheist indeed. I furthermore told him I believed in God,
who upheld this glorious Universe by the mere expressed power of His
thought, and I said I believed in Christ, the Teacher who showed to men
that the only way to obtain immortal life and happiness was by the
conquest of Self. 'You may call that atheistical if you like,' I
said,--'It's a firm f