he claims that to reveal to his parents the fact that he is alive would
entail more and deeper sorrow upon them than to allow them to continue to
believe him dead. He declares that they would suffer less in believing
him dead than to know him to be a living criminal.

"Now, my dear Bishop, I write this note to you, calling it hypothetical;
but to me, it is more than hypothetical--it is a real case. This young
man is one of my patients, and I love him as dearly as if he were my own
son for his noble qualities and his sincere penitence, as well as for the
pure life he lives. His physical condition is indeed precarious, and I
feel sure that his life will be shortened unless he receives relief.
Kindly give me your righteous judgment of this case. I have his
confidence, and cannot betray it; hence the secrecy of this inquiry.

"Sincerely yours,

"MARMION."

A few days later the doctor received the following:

"MY DEAR DOCTOR MARMION: Your hypothetical (?) note is here. I have read
it several times, with increasing interest, and with a prayerful desire
to be able to assist you to arrive at a righteous decision in what seems
to be a very important matter.

"First. You say (if I understand correctly) that restitution has been
made to the parties against whom the crime was perpetrated. That is well
and so far satisfactory.

"But, second. The crime was a double one. When _that_ wrong was righted