"The Ball and The Cross" is the story of conflict that arises between an ardent Roman Catholic and a militant atheist shopkeeper when the Roman Catholic becomes enraged by a blasphemous display in the latter's shop window. The two get into a scuffle and after being hauled away by the police agree to a duel. As they search the city for the perfect place to duel they meet numerous interesting characters that persistently interrupt their attempts to duel and in the process come to a realization that they have more in common than they first thought. "The Ball and The Cross", G. K. Chesterton's second novel, is a humorous and satirical look at the conflict between disparate philosophical and religious beliefs.