ong do you figure it will take, with
unrestricted immigration, for the Catholics to so outnumber the
Protestants in the United States as to establish their religion by law
and force it into the schools?"

Lafelle flushed. "But your Constitution provides toleration for all
religions!"

"And the Constitution is quite flexible, and wholly subject to
amendment, is it not?"

Lafelle flared out in unrestrained anger. "What a bugaboo you
Protestants make of Roman Catholicism!" he cried. "Great heavens! Why,
one would think that we Catholics were all anarchists! Are we such a
menace, such a curse to your Republican institutions? Do you ever stop
to realize what the Church has done for civilization, and for your
own country? And where, think you, would art and learning be now but
for her? Have you any adequate idea what the Church is doing
to-day for the poor, for the oppressed? Good God! You Protestants,
a thousand times more intolerant than we, treat us as if we were
Hindoo pariahs! This whole country is suffering from the delirium of
Roman Catholic-phobia! Will you drive us to armed defense?"

"There, my friend, calm yourself," soothed Ames, laying a hand on the
irate churchman's arm. "And please do not class me with the
Protestants, for I am not one of them. You Catholic fellows have made
admirable gains in the past few years, and your steady encroachments
have netted you about ninety per cent of all the political offices in
and about Washington, so you have no complaint, even if the Church
isn't in politics. H'm! So you want my help, eh?"

He stopped and drummed on the table. Meantime, his brain was working
rapidly. "By the way, Lafelle," he said, abruptly resuming the
conversation, "you know all about church laws and customs, running way
back to mediaeval times. Can't you dig up some old provision whereby I
can block a fellow who claims to own a gold mine down in Colombia? If
you can, I'll see that the President vetoes every obnoxious
immigration bill that's introduced this term."

Lafelle roused from his sulk and gulped down his wrath. Ames went on
to express his desire for vengeance upon one obscure Philip O. Ketchim,
broker, promoter, church elder, and Sunday school superintendent.
Lafelle became interested. The conversation grew more and more animated.
Hours passed.

Then at length Ames rose and rang for his valet. "My God, Lafelle, the
idea's a corker!" he cried, his eyes ablaze. "Where'd you get it?"

Lafe