primitive Methodism of Wesley and Asbury may be a source of much
strength to me. I may take it," he added upon second thought, with an
inquiring glance at Mr. Winch, "that Brother Pierce's description of our
charge, and its tastes and needs, meets with your approval?"

Erastus Winch nodded his head and smiled expansively. "Whatever Brother
Pierce says, goes!" he declared. The lawyer, sitting behind at the desk
by the window, said nothing.

"The place is jest overrun with Irish," Brother Pierce began again.
"They've got two Catholic churches here now to our one, and they do jest
as they blamed please at the Charter elections. It'd be a good idee to
pitch into Catholics in general whenever you can. You could make a hit
that way. I say the State ought to make 'em pay taxes on their church
property. They've no right to be exempted, because they ain't Christians
at all. They're idolaters, that's what they are! I know 'em! I've had
'em in my quarries for years, an' they ain't got no idee of decency or
fair dealin'. Every time the price of stone went up, every man of 'em
would jine to screw more wages out o' me. Why, they used to keep account
o' the amount o' business I done, an' figger up my profits, an' have
the face to come an' talk to me about 'em, as if that had anything to do
with wages. It's my belief their priests put 'em up to it. People
don't begin to reelize--that church of idolatry 'll be the ruin o' this
country, if it ain't checked in time. Jest you go at 'em hammer 'n'
tongs! I've got Eyetalians in the quarries now. They're sensible
fellows: they know when they're well off--a dollar a day, an' they're
satisfied, an' everything goes smooth."

"But they're Catholics, the same as the Irish," suddenly interjected the
lawyer, from his place by the window. Theron pricked up his ears at the