allegiance to Him who was at once the
ideal and the Saviour of men, Ike without any sort of hesitation came
forward and to Shock's amazement, and, indeed, to his dismay, offered
himself. For Ike was regarded through all that south country as the
most daringly reckless of all the cattle-men, and never had he been
known to weaken either in "takin' his pizen," in "playin' the limit" in
poker, or in "standin' up agin any man that thought he could dust his
pants." Of course he was "white." Everyone acknowledged that. But just
how far this quality of whiteness fitted him as a candidate for the
communion table Shock was at a loss to say.

He resolved to deal with Ike seriously, but the initial difficulty in
this was that Ike seemed to be quite unperplexed about the whole
matter, and entirely unafraid. Shock's difficulty and distress were
sensibly increased when on taking Ike over the "marks" of the
regenerate man, as he had heard them so fully and searchingly set forth
in the "Question Meetings" in the congregation of his childhood, he
discovered that Ike was apparently ignorant of all the deeper marks,
and what was worse, seemed to be quite undisturbed by their absence.

While Shock was proceeding with his examination he was exceedingly
anxious lest he should reveal to Ike any suspicion as to his unfitness
for the step he proposed to take. At the same time, he was filled with
anxiety lest through any unfaithfulness of his on account of friendship
a mistake in so solemn a matter should be made. It was only when he
observed that Ike was beginning to grow uneasy under his somewhat
searching examination, and even offered to withdraw his name, that
Shock decided to cast to the winds all his preconceived notions of what
constituted fitness for enrollment in the Church of the living God, and
proceeded to ask Ike some plain, common sense questions.

"You are sure you want to join this church, Ike?"

"That's what," said Ike.

"Why do you want to join?"

"Well, you gave us a clear invite, didn't you?"

"But I mean, is it for my sake? Because I asked you?"

"Why, sure. I want to stand at your back"

Shock was puzzled. He tried another line of approach.

"Do you know, Ike, what you are joining?"

"Well, it's your church, you said."

"Supposing I was not here at all, would you join?"

"Can't say. Guess not."

Shock felt himself blocked again.

"Ike, do you think you are really fit to do this?"

"Fit? Well, you didn't s