Was it unjust, unfair that the boon they asked for in return was given to them?

If, on the one hand, Molly had inherited evil tendencies and had fallen on evil circumstances, does it seem strange that she could share in good as well as in evil?

It is easy to take scandal at Molly’s inherited legacy of evil tendencies.  It is easy to take scandal at the facility of her forgiveness.  The two stumbling-blocks are in reality the two aspects of one truth, that no human being stands alone and that each gains or suffers with or by his fellows.

The sinless women pleaded for sinners in a glorious human imitation of the Divine pleading.  And the exuberant vitality poured by the Conqueror of death into the human race, flowing strongly through that tiny chapel, had carried the little, thin, stagnant stream of Molly’s soul into the great flood of grace that purifies by sorrow and by love.

Molly knelt in one of the back benches with her eyes fixed on the monstrance, in a very agony of sorrow and self-abasement.  I would not if I could analyse that penitence.  Happily as life goes on we shrink more, not less, from raising even the most reverent gaze on the secret places of the soul.  We do not know in what form, if in any form at all, and not rather, in a light without words, the Divine Peace reached her.  Was it, “Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee?” Or was it perhaps, “This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise?” We cannot tell.  Only the lay-sister who saw Molly go out with the little black bag in her hand said afterwards that the lady had seemed happy.

THE END.

A Selection from the Catalogue of

G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS

Complete Catalogues sent on application

“A work of absorbing interest”

THE SOCIALIST

BY GUY THORNE

Author of

“WHEN IT WAS DARK,” “A LOST CAUSE,” ETC.

“A story that leads one on by its boldness, its vigours, its interesting realism of both ducal splendour and evil squalor, and by the individual interests it attaches to social phases and problems. The Socialist contains plenty of dramatic description and intensely studied character to remind one of When it Was Dark and other well staged and effectively managed story-dramas from the same busy and clever pen.”—­The Dundee Advertiser.

“A work of absorbing interest dealing with one of the burning questions of the day in a manner alike entertaining and instructive.  Mr. Thorne has taken considerable pains to explain the real meaning of Socialism as understood and taught by leaders of what may be styled the higher Social movement.  We congratulate the author on having produced a first-class novel full of feeling and character, and with an eminently useful mission.”—­The Irish Independent.