ts of speaking a word."

"About what?" she asked, refusing to understand, and hardened at the
slightest sign of what she called cant.

"About the necessity of repentance and preparation for another life," he
answered, softly but firmly. "You surely do not think human beings are
created just for this miserable little experience here?"

"I don't know. I have too much to do with the want and suffering I
see to raise anxieties about a world of which no one can possibly know
anything."

"Pardon me," he persisted, "have you no sense of incompleteness in
this life, in your own life? no inward consciousness of an undying
personality?"

The doctor was angry for a moment at this intrusion. It had seemed
natural enough for Father Damon to address his exhortations to the poor
and sinful of his mission. She admired his spirit, she had a certain
sympathy with him; for who could say that ministering to minds diseased
might not have a physical influence to lift these people into a more
decent and prosperous way of living? She had thought of herself as
working with him to a common end. But for him now to turn upon her,
absolutely ignoring the solid, rational, and scientific ground on which
he knew, or should know, she stood, and to speak to her as one of the
"lost," startled her, and filled her with indignation. She had on her
lips a sarcastic reply to the effect that even if she had a soul, she
had not taken up her work in the city as a means of saving it; but
she was not given to sarcasm, and before she spoke she looked at her
companion, and saw in the eyes a look of such genuine humble feeling,
contradicting the otherwise austere expression of his face, that her
momentary bitterness passed away.

"I think, Father Damon," she said, gently, "we had better not talk
of that. I don't have much time for theorizing, you know, nor much
inclination," she added.

The priest saw that for the present he could make no progress, and after
a little silence the conversation went back to the family they were
about to visit.

They found the woman better--at least, more cheerful. Father Damon
noticed that there were medicines upon the stand, and that there were
the remains of a meal which the children had been eating. He turned to
the doctor. "I see that you have been providing for them."

"Oh, the eldest boy had already been out and begged a piece of bread
when I came. Of course they had to have something more at once. But it
is very littl