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and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
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                            THE HIGHER COURT

                         BY MARY STEWART DAGGETT

Author of "Mariposilla," "The Broad Aisle," "Chinese Sketches," etc.,
etc.


    RICHARD G. BADGER
    THE GORHAM PRESS
    BOSTON

    _Copyright, 1911, by Richard G. Badger_

    _All Rights Reserved_

    _The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A._


    To Comrades Three
      My Daughters
          R. D.
         H. D. H.
          M. D.




CHAPTER I


Father Barry's late interview with his bishop had been short, devoid of
controversy. Too angry to deny the convenient charge of "modernism," he
sought the street. Personal appeal seemed futile to the young priest
cast down by the will of a superior. To escape from holy, overheated
apartments had been his one impulse. Facing a January blizzard, his
power to think consecutively returned, while for a moment he faltered,
inclined to go back. The icy air struck him full in the face as he
staggered forward. "The only way--and one practically hopeless," he
choked. Appeal to the archbishop absorbed his mind as he pressed on,
weighing uncertain odds of ecclesiastical favor. Suddenly he realized
that he had strayed from main thoroughfares, was standing on a desolate
bluff that rose significantly above colorless bottom lands and two
frozen rivers. Wind sharpened to steel, with miles of ceaseless
sh