l men. No! no! Unless," she added,
brightening, "you will let me teach your Church what I know. Will you
agree to that?"

Lafelle did not answer. Then Carmen shook her head. "You see," she
said, "your Church requires absolute submission to its age-worn
authority. According to you, I have nothing to give. Very well, if
your Church can receive nothing from me, and yet can give me nothing
more than its impossible beliefs, undemonstrable this side of the
grave, at least--then we must consider that a gulf is fixed between
us.

"Oh, Monsignor," she pleaded, after a moment's silence, "you see, do
you not? When Jesus said that he gave his disciples power over all
evil, did he not mean likewise over all physical action, and over
every physical condition? But did he mean that they alone should have
such power? What a limiting of infinite Love! No, he meant that every
one who followed him and strove ceaselessly for spirituality of
thought should acquire that spirituality, and thereby cleanse himself
of false beliefs, and make room for the Christ-principle to operate,
even to the healing of the sick, to the raising of those mesmerized by
the belief of death as a power and reality, and to the dematerializing
of the whole material concept of the heavens and earth. Can't you, a
churchman, see it? And can't you see how shallow your views are? Don't
you know that even the physical body is but a part of the human,
material concept, and therefore a part of the 'one lie' about God, who
is Spirit?"

Lafelle had listened patiently. But now his time had come to speak in
rebuttal. And yet, he would make no attempt to assail her convictions.
He knew well that she would not yield--at least, to-day. He therefore
played another card.

"Miss Carmen," he said gently, "the Church is ever doing beneficent
deeds which do not come to light, and for which she receives no praise
from men. Your own and Mrs. Hawley-Crowles's elevation to social
leadership came through her. There is also a rumor that the Church
afforded you an asylum on your first night in this city, when, if
ever, you needed aid. The Church shielded and cared for you even in
Simiti. Indeed, what has she not done for you? And do you now, alas!
turn and rend her?"

"Monsignor," replied Carmen, "I am not unmindful of the care always
bestowed upon me. And I am not ungrateful. But my gratitude is to my
God, who has worked through many channels to bless me. My account is
with Him. Leave i