the Virgin? Do we not all need them? And is it not likely that one so
good as she would have great influence with God--much greater than we
ourselves, or even the best of men, could have?"

"But how can she be the mother of God? The Bible does not teach
that!"

"How do you know that the Bible does not teach it, my son?"

"I--I--have read--the Bible," faltered the lad.

"You have read the Bible!" cried the astonished father. "And where
have you done that, you wicked boy?"

"At the bookstore of Mariano," confessed the trembling child.

"_Madre de Dios!_" burst from the father, as he started to his feet.
"Mariano is a wicked infidel! The Bishop shall hear of this! Ah, well
may the Holy Father in Rome grieve to see his innocent babes led
astray by these servants of hell! But, my son," returning to the boy
and clasping him again in his arms, "it is not too late. The Virgin
Mother has protected you. You meant no harm. Satan covets your pure
little soul--But he shall not have it!" The father's tremulous voice
mounted high, "No, by the Saints in heaven, he shall not have it!"

The boy's assurance slowly returned under the influence of his
father's tender solicitude, even though he remained dimly conscious of
the rift widening little by little between his parents' settled
convictions and his own groping thought. With the assuaging of his
grief came again those insistent questions which throughout his life
had tormented his peace and driven him even to the doors of infidels
in search of truth.

"Father," he began timidly, "why was I wicked to read the Bible?"

"Because, my son, in doing so you yielded to the temptations of Satan.
The Bible is a great and mysterious book, written by God himself. He
meant it to be explained to us by the Holy Father, who is the head of
the Church which the good Saint Peter founded. We are not great enough
nor good enough to understand it. The Holy Father, who cares for God's
Church on earth, he is good enough, and he alone can interpret it to
us. Satan tries to do with all men just what he did with you, my
child. He seeks to make them read the Bible so that he can confuse
them and rob them of their faith. Then when he gets possession of
their souls he drags them down with him to hell, where they are lost
forever."

"And does the Holy Father really believe that Mary is the mother of
God?" persisted the boy, raising his tear-stained face.

"Yes--is she not? The blessed Saviour said that