devil's own, all fallen creations of God. Any schoolboy could follow
that sermon and take its lessons home with him. There was a logical
bloke, at least he thought himself logical, who took for his text
Joseph's coat of many colours, a sort of plaid kilt I should think; and
said, 'I shall now proceed to prove that this was a sacerdotal or
priestly garment. First, it occupies a prominent position in the
narrative; second, it excited the enmity of Joseph's brethren; and
third, they dipped it in blood when they sold their younger brother.' I
could have proved it as logically to be Stuart tartan, and, at the same
time, the original of the song 'Not for Joe,' because he lost it before
he became steward to Pharaoh. Bah! that's what makes people sick of
going to church. I've pretty nigh quit it."

The pedestrians trudged on for a time silently, the detective,
doubtless, revolving schemes in his brain, the dominie inwardly sighing
over his companion's captious criticism, to which he could not well
reply, and over the absence of his legal friend, whose warm Irish heart
would have responded sympathetically to the inspiration of the Sabbath
morning walk. At last, Mr. Nash resumed the conversation, saying:--

"I'm afraid, Mr. Wilkinson, that you think me a pretty hard-hearted,
worldly man, and, perhaps, that my calling makes me so."

"I have no right to judge you, Mr. Nash," answered the schoolmaster;
"but I should think that the work of hunting down law-breakers would
have the effect of deadening one's sensibilities."

"It shouldn't, any more than the work of a clergyman, a doctor, a
teacher, or a lawyer. We all, if we are honest, want to benefit society
by correcting evils. I see a lot of the dark side of human nature, but a
little of the bright too, for, thank Heaven, there is no man so bad as
not to have some little good in him. There's that Toner, once a fine
young fellow; I hate to see him going to the dogs, wasting his property,
breaking his old mother's heart. I'd rather save that man any day than
gaol him."

"Give me your hand, sir," said the dominie, heartily, transferring his
staff to his left, and offering the right; "I honour you for the saying,
and wish there were more officers of the law like you."

"Oh, as for that matter," replied the detective, "I and my colleagues
have tried to save many a young fellow, but then--"

"What is the obstacle?"

"The obstacle is that there are men who simply won't be saved."