ectric
charge? Is it matter? No, not as we know matter. Is it even material?
We can not say that it is. It is without weight, bulk, dimensions, or
tangibility. Well, then, it comes dangerously near being a mental
thing, known to the human mind solely by its manifestations, does it
not? And of course our comprehension of it is entirely mental, as is
our comprehension of everything."

He paused for a moment, that his words might be fully grasped. Then he
went on:

"Now these atoms, whatever they are, are supposed to join together to
form molecules. What brings them together thus? Affinity, we are told.
And what is affinity? Why, it is--well, law, if you please. And law? A
mental thing, we must admit. Very good. Then, going a step further,
molecules are held together by cohesion to form material objects,
chairs, trees, coal, and the like. But what is cohesion? Is it glue?
Cement? Ah, no! Again, it is law. And law is mental."

"But, Doctor--" interrupted Haynerd.

The doctor held up a detaining hand. "Let me finish," he said. "Now we
have the very latest word from our physical scientists regarding the
constitution of matter: _it is composed of electric charges, held
together by law._ Again, you may justly ask: Is matter material--or
mental?"

He paused again, and took up a book that lay before him.

"Here," he continued, "I hold a solid, material, lumpy thing,
composed, you will say, of matter. And yet, in essence, and if we can
believe our scientists, this book is composed of billions of electric
charges--invisible things, without form, without weight, without
color, without extension, held together by law, and making up a
material object which has mass, color, weight, and extension. From
millions of things which are invisible and have no size, we get an
object, visible and extended."

"It's absurd!" exclaimed Miss Wall.

"Granted," interposed Hitt. "Yet, the doctor is giving the very latest
deductions of the great scientists."

"But, Doctor," said Father Waite, "the scientists tell us that they
have experimental evidence in support of the theories which you have
stated regarding the composition of matter. Electricity has been
proven granular, or atomic, in structure. And every electrical
charge consists of an exact number of electrical atoms spread out
over the surface of the charged body. All this admits of definite
calculation."

"Admitted," said Hitt, taking up the challenge. "And their very
calculations