story just as I am telling you. 'God forgive me,' said the sick man,
'that priest died for me. When he came here I ordered him out of my
office, yet when they told him I was sick he drove through the storm
for my sake. He believed in the worth of a soul, and he himself was
the noblest soul that Alta ever had.'

"I said nothing. Somebody better than a mere bishop was talking to
McDermott, and I, His minister, was silent in His presence. 'Bishop,'
said McDermott, after long thought, 'I never really believed until
now; I'm sorry that it took a man's life to bring back the Faith of my
fathers. Send us a priest to Alta--one who can do things: one after
the stamp of the saint in the vestry. I'll be his friend and together
we will carry on the work he began. I'll see him through if God spares
me.'

"Dear Fathers, it is needless to say what I did.

"Father Broidy, on this happy day I have not re-echoed the praises
that have been showered upon you as much as perhaps I might have done,
because I reserved for you a praise that is higher than all of them. I
believed when I sent you here that you were of his stamp. You have
done your duty and you have done it well. I am not ungrateful and I
shall not forget. But your best praise from me is, that I firmly
believe that you, under like circumstances, would also have willingly
given your life for the resurrection of Alta."




THE MAN WITH A DEAD SOUL