ce was all smiles. "Yes," he said, "it is the end of
my trouble. I never dreamed it would come to an end so easily. Thanks
be to God for it."

The little old priest with the book in front of him seemed to have no
comment to make. He let his two friends ramble on, both overjoyed at
the good fortune that had extricated Father Ryan from his dilemma. But
he was not reading. He was thinking. By and by he spoke.

"What did you say you preached on to-day, Father Ryan?"

"Why," broke in Fanning, "he preached on the Seminary. Didn't I tell
you! And a good sermon--"

"Yes, I preached on the Seminary," said Father Ryan.

"But did I not hear Father Fanning say that you pledged every dollar
that came into the collection to the Seminary."

"Why, surely," said Father Ryan, "but this did not come in through the
collection."

"Yes," persisted Father Barry, "but did you not say that the strange
man told you to put it into the collection?"

"Why--yes--yes, he did say something like that."

"Well, then," urged Father Barry, "is it not a question to be debated
as to whether or not you can do anything else with the money?"

"Oh, confound it all, Barry," cried Father Fanning. "You are a
rigorist. You don't understand this case. Now there's no use bringing
your old syllogisms into this business. This man is in a hole. He has
got to get out of it. What difference is it if I put my money in one
pocket or in the other pocket. This all belongs to God anyhow. The
thousand dollar note was given to the Church, and the most necessary
thing now is to pay the debt on that part of it that's here. Why the
Seminary doesn't need it. The old Procurator would drop dead if he got
a thousand dollars from this parish."

"Well, so far as I can see," said Father Barry, "what you say does not
change matters any. Father Ryan promised every dollar--and every cent
for that matter--in that collection to the Seminary. This money forms
part of the collection. I know perfectly well that most men would
argue as you do, but this is a case of conscience. The money was given
for a specific purpose, and in my judgment, if Father Ryan uses it for
any other purpose than the one for which it was given, he simply will
have to make restitution later on to the Seminary.

"That's an awful way of looking at things," said Father Fanning.
"Confound it, I am glad I don't have to go to you for direction. Why,
its getting worse instead of better, you are. The giver of this m