e doctor.

"Eh? Yes; it is more valuable than money," said Ebenezer, relapsing into
deafness. "Now, Desmond there will have to work. He has been idle too
long."

To this remark Kathleen replied hastily:

"My father thought----."

"You must speak up if you expect me to hear, young lady," growled
Ebenezer. "Your father was improvident."

"A noble and generous man," replied the doctor, hotly.

"No doubt you think so. He lined your pockets, I believe."

Dr. Marsh could stand this no longer. He rose, pale with fury, but
Father Healy gently pushed him back into his seat.

"Don't be paying attention to the old man," he said.

The two older men glared at one another across the table; the doctor
growled out "Miser," Ebenezer muttered "Quack." But, fortunately,
Desmond O'Connor entered the room at that moment, and distracted the
attention of the company.

"Well, Desmond," cried Ebenezer Brown, "I need an office-boy; how would
you like the billet?"

Desmond paused in the door, his face flushing crimson. He was 18, and to
be termed an office-boy sounded like an insult. Father Healy, noting his
shame and anger, went to the boy and placed a hand kindly on his
shoulder.

"Take the rungs one by one if you would be at the top, Desmond," he
said.

"He will be a long time getting there," sneered Ebenezer Brown.

Father Healy offered no reply. He had not come to quarrel, and where was
the use? But Dr. Marsh answered quickly:

"You may sneer now, Ebenezer Brown--it is easy to do that--but the day
will come when you will be asking Father Healy to help you, for he is as
certain to be saved as you to be lost."

This defence came as a surprise to everyone present, perhaps most of all
to the priest. The doctor was accustomed to scold and taunt him; this
unexpected championship almost took his breath away. Ebenezer Brown was
too greatly annoyed even to retort, but he glanced vindictively at the
doctor.

"And now for Kathleen. Mrs. Quirk would like to have her at Layton as a
companion and friend," said the priest.

"Friend!" grunted the doctor. "Quirk was a grocer."

"And where is the harm in that?" asked Father Healy, "if he were
honest?"

"Honest?" commented Ebenezer Brown. "There never was an honest grocer;
they all put sand in their sugar, and sell their second-rate goods as
the best quality. I know them."

"Set a thief to catch a thief," cried the doctor. "How did you make your
money?"

"Honestly! Not as you did