his forefathers, and, according to the latest medical science, the
very air and water swarm with germs of death for the unsuspecting
victim."

"Or germs of life!" said Santoris, quietly--"According to my
knowledge or 'theory,' as you prefer to call it, there are no germs
of actual death. There are germs which disintegrate effete forms of
matter merely to allow the forces of life to rebuild them again--and
these may propagate in the human system if it so happens that the
human system is prepared to receive them. Their devastating process
is called disease, but they never begin their work till the being
they attack has either wasted a vital opportunity or neglected a
vital necessity. Far more numerous are the beneficial germs of
revivifying and creative power--and if these find place, they are
bound to conquer those whose agency is destructive. It all depends
on the soil and pasture you offer them. Evil thoughts make evil
blood, and in evil blood disease germinates and flourishes. Pure
thoughts make pure blood and rebuild the cells of health and
vitality. I grant you there is such a thing as inherited disease,
but this could be prevented in a great measure by making the
marriage of diseased persons a criminal offence,--while much of it
could be driven out by proper care in childhood. Unfortunately, the
proper care is seldom given."

"What would you call proper care?" asked Catherine.

"Entire absence of self-indulgence, to begin with,"--he answered--
"No child should be permitted to have its own way or expect to have
it. The first great lesson of life should be renunciation of self."