A letter had come to Cis from Nan in reply to hers announcing her marriage on Christmas eve, a Nan-like letter, full of love for Cis, but no less full of anxiety. “It seems so quick, Cis darling!” Nan wrote. “To think that you’ll be married before me, and I’ve known Joe almost all my life! You have not said that your Rod is a Catholic, but Moore is sometimes Irish, so I suppose he is one. You would not marry anyone who was not a Catholic? We’ve so often decided that it is madness to set out on a certainty that there’ll be something serious to differ upon, when it’s so hard, at best, for people to grow close together, so easy to differ. Besides, it’s wrong; for the children’s sake it’s wrong--but you always said that yourself, so I’m sure Rod Moore is a good Catholic. Dearest Cis, I never could tell you how I hope and pray for you! For I’m always fonder of you than of any other friend I have. Lovingly, Your same old, Nan.” “Wonder what she’d say if she knew Rod had been a Catholic and given it up? Nan would far rather he’d always been Protestant, of course; it would be better, too. Wonder what in all the world she’d say if she knew he was determined to get me to give it all up myself? Nan would take the first train on here, carrying a big jug of Holy Water, and she’d simply souse Rod and me to drive off the devil--bless her heart! But I’m not going to quit. To be sure I did miss Mass last Sunday, but I go pretty regularly; I’ll go every Sunday after I’m married, because it will be up to me to set a good example, bring Rod back. A person must have some religion, and it’s silly to have one made by Luther, or Henry the Eighth, or someone; I could make one myself as well as that bunch! I suppose it would be easier to convert a Protestant than turn Rod back; he’s awfully down on it, really! I wonder why? That’s not like being slack and lazy-minded! ‘For the children’s sake,’ Nan says! Well, I hope I’ll have children, certainly, but I’m not going to marry to please them, I’ll tell them that right now! They’ll have to take what they find, and if they’ll grow up as splendid as Rod is, Church or no Church, I’ll be proud of them! Funny little Nannie!” “Rory O’Moore,” Cis said that evening to Rodney, “I’ve got to ’fess to Mr. Lucas!” “You’ve got to do nothing of the sort!” Rod angrily exclaimed. “Cis, don’t be an idiot! What good would it do? Could you take back what you told me? You’d be a miserable sinner if you would, provided you could! Mr. Lucas is happy while he is ignorant; let him alone in that form of bliss! No harm is done, nobody wronged, nobody the wiser. What good would you do by telling on yourself? All you’d do is to mess up the situation. You’ll be married and out of the office soon. My wife isn’t going to keep on in business! Thanks to your tip, my dearest, we’ll have a nice little increase to our income.”