her."

"How did _one_ stay?"

"She didn't _stay_. She came back to the Faith. She was converted by a
priest who was down here for his health and who was stationed in this
town for about a year. He went back North when he got better. I would
not have sent even for you, Tom, only _she_ made me."

Father Tom felt something grip his heart and he did not speak for a
long minute. Then he took his brother's hand and said in his old boy
language: "Paddy, lad, tell me all about it--how you fell away. Maybe
there was something of an excuse for it."

"I thought there was," said the dying man, "but now all seems
different. When I came here first, I was one of the few Catholic
settlers, and I was true to my religion. I saw the other churches
built, but never went into them, though they tried hard enough to get
me, God knows. But I was fool enough to let a pretty face catch me. It
was a priest from Houston who married us. She never interfered; and
later a few more Catholics came. The children were all baptized and we
got together to build a church. I gave the ground and all I had in the
bank--one hundred and fifty dollars. We were only a few, but we got a
thousand dollars in all. We could get no more, and money was bringing
twelve per cent, so we couldn't borrow. We had to give it all back and
wait. Without church or priest, the children went to the
Sunday-schools and--I lost them. Then, I, somehow, seemed to drift
until this priest came for his health. He got us few Catholics
together and converted my best--my baby girl--Kathleen. She was named
after mother, Tom. We could only raise eight hundred dollars this
time, but the priest said: 'I'll go to my neighbors and ask help.' So
he went over to Father Pastor and Father Lyons, but they refused to
help at all. They have rich parishes, whose people would be glad to
give something; but the priests said, 'No.' They thought helping was a
mistake. It hurt our priest, for he could do nothing on eight hundred
dollars. We needed only another five hundred. But that ended the
struggle. I say my beads and wait alone. Murphy and Sullivan went
away. Keane died. His family are all 'fallen away.' My boy went to a
college his mother liked--and you saw him. The others--except
Kathleen--are all Baptists. I suppose I have a heavy load to bear
before the judgment seat, but Tom--Tom, you don't know the struggle it
cost, and the pain of losing was greater than the pain of the fight."

A beautiful girl