ht of it that way before. Now I want to ask another
question, only don't think I'm doing it for meanness; I've got a reason.
And my question is this: granting all that the church schools have done,
is it worth all they cost to keep them up now; in our time, I mean?"

"I think it is," Marty answered, quieter now. "They do provide a
different sort of educational opportunity, as I said. Then, they are
producing most of the recruits that the churches need for their work.
Since the churches began to care for their members in the State
Universities, a rather larger number of candidates for Christian service
are coming out of the universities, but until the last year or two
nearly all came, and the very large majority still comes, and probably
for years will come, from the church colleges. And there's another
reason that you State advocates ought to remember. Our Methodist
colleges in this country have about fifty thousand students. If these
colleges were to be put out of business, ten of the very greatest State
Universities would have to be duplicated, dollar for dollar, at public
expense, to take care of the Methodist students alone. When you think of
all the other denominations, you would need to duplicate all the State
Universities now in existence if you purposed to do the work the church
colleges are now doing. And if you couldn't get the money, or if the
students didn't take to the change, the country would be short just that
many thousand college-trained men and women. The whole Methodist Church,
with the other churches, is doing a piece of unselfish national service
that costs up into the hundreds of millions, and where's any other big
money that's better spent?"

When Marty stopped he looked up into Joe's good-natured face, and
blushed, with an embarrassed self-consciousness. "You think you've been
stringing me, don't you?"

"Now, Marty," Joe spoke genially, "don't you misunderstand. I said I had
a reason. I have. My folks have some money they want to put into a safe
place. And they like Cartwright. I do too, but--you know how it is. I
want to be sure. Anyhow I'm glad I asked these questions. You've given
me some highly important information; and, honestly, I'm grateful. You
surely don't think I'm small enough to be making fun of you, or of
Cartwright. If I seemed to be, I apologize on the spot. Believe me?" and
there was no mistaking his genuine earnestness.

"Of course I believe you, old man," Marty rejoined, ju