anism, if a cog happens to slip--only one tiny
little cog--instantly the whole machinery stops!"

He paused a moment as if searching for words and proofs.

"Now let me tell you what happened to me a few years ago," he
resumed. "I then tried for the first time in my life to really live
by the teachings. Do you know what the result was? I was at that
time working in a factory. When my fellow-workmen found out what
manner of man I was, they let me do a good share of their work in
addition to my own. In thanks they took the job away from me by
conniving to throw the blame on me for a theft committed by one of
them. I was arrested, of course, and sent to the penitentiary."

"One doesn't ordinarily run across such bad people," returned
Halvor indifferently.

"Then said I to myself: It wouldn't be very hard to be a Christian
if one were only alone on this earth, and there were no fellow
humans to be reckoned with. I must confess that I really enjoyed
being in prison, for there I was allowed to lead a righteous life,
undisturbed and unmolested. But after a time I began to think that
this trying to be good in solitude was about as effective as the
automatic turning of a mill when there's no corn in the grinder.
Inasmuch as God had seen fit to place so many people in the world,"
I reasoned, "it must have been done with the idea that they should
be a help and a comfort to one another, and not a menace. It
occurred tome, finally, that Satan must have taken something away
from the Bible, so that Christianity should go to smash."

"But surely he never had the power to do that," said Halvor.

"Yes; he has taken out this precept: _Ye who would lead a Christian
life must seek help among your fellowmen_."

Halvor did not venture a reply, but Karin nodded approvingly. She
had listened very carefully, and had not missed a word.

"As soon as I was released from prison," Hellgum continued, "I went
to see an old friend, and asked him to help me lead a righteous
life. And, mind, when we were two about it, at once it became
easier. Soon a third party joined with us, then a fourth, and it
became easier and easier. Now there are thirty of us who live
together in a house in Chicago. All our interests are common
interests; we share and share alike. We watch over each other's
lives, and the way of righteousness lies before us, smooth and
even. We are able to deal with one another in a Christly manner,
for one brother does not abuse the kin