eighteenth birthday Jim Hartigan waged ceaseless warfare
within himself. During the early days he was an easy victim. Then came a
shock that changed the whole aspect of his life, and later one stood
beside him who taught him how to fight. But until those events took
place, the town of Links knew him for what he was, a reckless,
dare-devil youth, without viciousness or malice, but ripe for any
extravagance or adventure. His pranks were always begun in fun though it
was inevitable that they should lead to serious consequences. It was
admitted by his severest critics that he had never done a cruel or a
cowardly thing, yet the constant escapades and drinking bouts in which
he was ever the leader earned him the name of Wild Jim Hartigan.

After each fresh exploit his abject remorse was pitiful. And so, little
by little, a great nature was purged; his spirit was humbled by
successive and crushing defeats. At first the animal rebound was
sufficient to set him on his feet unashamed. But during the fourth year
after his coming of age, an unrest, a sickness of soul took possession
of Jim and no wildness sufficed to lift this gloom. And it was in
frantic rebellion against this depression that he entered upon his
memorable visit to the Methodist revival.

BOOK II

THE CONVERSION

CHAPTER VIII

The Conversion of Jim

There was much excitement in Methodist circles that autumn. A preacher
of power had come from the east. The church was filled to overflowing on
Sunday, and a prayer meeting of equal interest was promised for
Wednesday night.

The people came from miles around and there were no vacant seats. Even
the aisles were filled with chairs when the Rev. Obadiah Champ rose and
bawled aloud in rolling paragraphs about "Hopeless, helpless,
hell-damned sinners all. Come, come to-day. Come now and be saved." A
wave of religious hysteria spread over the packed-in human beings. A
wave that to those untouched was grotesque and incomprehensible.

"Sure, they ain't right waked up yet," said one of Jim's half-dozen
unregenerate friends who had come to sit with him on the fence outside,
and scoff at the worshippers. Jim was silent, but a devil of wild deeds
stirred irritatingly within him. He looked about him for some supreme
inspiration--some master stroke. The crowd was all in the church now,
and the doors were closed tight. But muffled sounds of shouting, of
murmurings, of halleluiahs were heard.

"They're goin'