public
cemetery--a green area fenced in by the palisading tules. The words of
Gideon were brief but humble; the strongest partisan of the dead man
could find no fault in a confession of human frailty in which the
speaker humbly confessed his share; and when the hymn was started by
Hamlin and taken up by Gideon, the vast multitude, drawn by interest
and curiosity, joined as in a solemn Amen.

Later, when those two strangely-assorted friends had returned to Mr.
Hamlin's rooms previous to Gideon's departure, the former, in a manner
more serious than his habitual cynical good-humor, began: "I said I had
to talk business with you. The boys about here want to build a church
for you, and are ready to plank the money down if you'll say it's a go.
You understand they aren't asking you to run in opposition to that
Gospel sharp--excuse me--that's here now, nor do they want you to run a
side show in connection with it. They want you to be independent.
They don't pin you down to any kind of religion, you know; whatever you
care to give them--Methodist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian---is mighty
good enough for them, if you'll expound it. You might give a little of
each, or one on one day and one another--they'll never know the
difference if you only mix the drinks yourself. They'll give you a
house and guarantee you fifteen hundred dollars the first year."

He stopped and walked towards the window. The sunlight that fell upon
his handsome face seemed to call back the careless smile to his lips
and the reckless fire to his brown eyes. "I don't suppose there's a
man among them that wouldn't tell you all this in a great deal better
way than I do. But the darned fools--excuse me--would have ME break it
to you. Why, I don't know. I needn't tell you I like you--not only
for what you did for George--but I like you for your style--for
yourself. And I want you to accept. You could keep these rooms till
they got a house ready for you. Together--you and me--we'd make that
organ howl. But because I like it--because it's everything to us--and
nothing to you, it don't seem square for me to ask it. Does it?"

Gideon replied by taking Hamlin's hand. His face was perfectly pale,
but his look collected. He had not expected this offer, and yet when
it was made he felt as if he had known it before--as if he had been
warned of it--as if it was the great temptation of his life. Watching
him with an earnestness only slightly overlaid by