n she tells them it is a pious
act to be false to their word or oath, for her advancement, or to burn,
kill and destroy, or to break any other commandment of the decalogue, they
will obey believing that thus they do God service.

"Really the folly and credulity of Protestant parents who commit their
children to the care of those who teach and put in practice, too, these
two maxims, so utterly destructive of all truth and honesty, all
confidence between man and man--'The end sanctifies the means,' and 'No
faith with heretics,'--is to me perfectly astounding."

"So you consider me a fool," said Mrs. Conly, bridling, "thanks for the
compliment."

"It is you who make the application, Louise," he answered. "I had no
thought of doing so, and still hope you will prove your wisdom by
reconsidering and letting Mrs. Delaford know that you revoke your
decision."

"Indeed I shall not; I consider that I have no right to throw away
Isadore's fortune."

"Have you then a greater right to imperil her soul's salvation?" he asked
with solemn earnestness.

"Pshaw! what a serious thing you make of it," she exclaimed, yet with an
uneasy and troubled look.

"Uncle!" cried Calhoun in surprise, "do you not think there have been and
are some real Christians in the Romish Church?"

"No doubt of it, Cal; some who, spite of her idolatrous teachings, worship
God alone and put their trust solely in the atoning blood and imputed
righteousness of Christ. Yet who can fail to see in the picture of Babylon
the Great so graphically drawn in Revelation, a faithful portraiture of
Rome? And the command is, 'Come out of her, my people, that ye be not
partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.'"

Mr. Dinsmore paused, but no one seeming to have anything to say in reply,
went on to give his sister a number of instances which had come to his
knowledge, of the perversion of Protestant girls while being educated in
convents.

"Well," she said at last, "I'm not going to draw back now, but I shall be
on the watch and if they do begin to tamper with my girls' faith I'll
remove them at once. There now I hope you are satisfied!"

"Not quite, Louise," he said, "they are accomplished proselyters and may
have the foundations completely and irremediably undermined ere you
suspect that they have begun."

CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.

"Affliction is the wholesome soil of virtue;
Where patience, honor, sweet humanity,
Calm fortitu