d of the
priest's hands as he stretched them out to help her to rise. "Why do you
object to my remaining on my knees?"

"Come, come, my child, do not be so excited. It is God alone, remember,
who can save. I can but pray."

"Ah! you can only pray," she said in a disappointed tone. "Yes, that is
true."

And her eyes sank to the ground. After a moment's pause the priest went
on:--

"Come, Sister, sit down there. You are calmer now, are you not? Tell me,
what is it you want?"

"He is dying," said Philomene, rising as she spoke. "He will probably
not live through the night;" and she began to cry. "It is for a young
man of twenty-seven years of age; he has never performed any of his
religious duties, never been near a church, never prayed to God since
his first communion. He will refuse to listen to anything. He no longer
knows a prayer even. He will listen neither to priest nor any one. And I
tell you it is all over with him,--he is dying. Then I remembered your
Confraternity of Notre Dame des Victoires, since it is devoted to those
who do not believe. Come, you must save him!"

"My daughter--"

"And perhaps he is dying at this very moment. Oh! promise me you will do
all at once, all that is in the Confraternity book; the
prayers,--everything, in short. You will have him prayed for at once,
won't you?"

"But, my poor child, it is Friday to-day, and the Confraternity only
meets on Thursday."

"Thursday only--why? It will be too late Thursday. He will never live
till Thursday. Come, you must save him; you have saved many another."

Sister Philomene looked at the priest with wide-opened eyes, in which
through her tears rose a glance of revolt, impatience, and command. For
one instant in that room there was no longer a Sister standing before a
priest, but a woman face to face with an old man.

The priest resumed:--

"All I can do at present for that young man, my dear daughter, is to
apply to his benefit all the prayers and good works that are being
carried on by the Confraternity, and I will offer them up to the Blessed
and Immaculate Heart of Mary to obtain his conversion. I will pray for
him to-morrow at mass, and again on Saturday and Sunday."

"Oh, I am so thankful," said Philomene, who felt tears rise gently to
her eyes as the priest spoke to her. "Now I am full of hope; he will be
converted, he will have pity on himself. Give me your blessing for him."

"But Sister, I only bless from the altar, in the