on't you know that
you are calling out a list of the most rampant heretics and
disbelievers, every one of whom is probably on the Index? Is it possible
that you cannot discover any English Catholic authorities on these
subjects?"

"I have not seen them," I said mournfully. "And do you mean to say that
all these Protestants, and many of them, you say, infidels, have not
been interested in these subjects?"

"Well, I presume they would not have gone to the vast trouble of
accumulating material, and writing ponderous volumes otherwise."

"And what are we doing? And if ever these grave subjects become of
importance or interest to our youth, say in the higher systems of
education, what books can we put into their hands?"

We were both in a brown study. These things make men thoughtful. At last
Father Letheby said:--

"How do they manage in the German and French universities, I wonder?"

"Depend upon it," I replied, "there is no lack of Catholic authors on
every subject there. And I'm told the Italian priests take an
extraordinary interest in these higher studies. And in France every
French priest thinks he is bound to write at least one book."

"I never understood the importance of this matter till I met Ormsby,"
said Father Letheby. "He opened my eyes. By the way, Father Dan, I must
congratulate you on the impression you have made there. Some things you
said have made a vivid impression on him. He keeps on saying: 'A sixth
sense! A sixth sense. Perhaps he is right, after all.' And that
dependence on the prayers of little children and the afflicted touched
him deeply. Do you know, I think he'll come 'round."

"God grant it," I said, rising. "But I suppose this little project of
ours is knocked on the head."

"You mean the books?"

"Yes."

"I fear so. The fact is, Father Dan, I find I have no time. Between my
two hours with the choir on Tuesdays and Fridays, the Saturday and
Sunday evenings in the church, the occasional evening out, and my
correspondence, I don't know where to get time to fit in everything. And
now that you have been so good as to secure the sympathy of the editor
of the----for me, I think I may do something for him at intervals."

"I have regretted a few things during my life, young man," I said; "but
I never regretted anything so much as to have sent on that poem of yours
instead of sending it up the chimney."

"My dear Father Dan," said he, "what are you saying? Don't you know that
the Pope