un
of righteousness. He himself had a mind to light a fire on that
Saint John's Night to the glory of God.

Topready looked thoughtful after church. 'If I adopt your
calendar loyally as far as may be, do you see your way to help me
against the system?' he asked of a sudden. His grey-blue eyes
were full of fight.

The Bishop nodded. He talked with him quietly a little while.

'The pact is made, then?' said Topready. 'No, I don't think we
have sold our convictions, either of us. I don't feel penitent
about my side of the bargain.'

'I feel it's a holy alliance,' said the Bishop, and his face
glowed. 'People will keep this night, and remember what was done
on it, may be, long after we are forgotten.'

That sunset a mighty crowd was there among the rocks. Much dead
wood had been brought. Fathers, mothers, and children in costumes
that ranged from skins to European fashions shouldered or headed
their faggots.' A grim thought obsessed the Bishop as he watched
them. These people, so quiet and yielding as to the selling of
sacrament, and levying of church vote how easily they might be
swayed to more sinister reminiscences of the Middle Ages! If he
and Topready and Azariah and the headman enjoined it, what would
save certain aged heathen neighbors from an auto-da-fe for
alleged witchcraft one of these nights? Were not some of those
old scenes at the stake much like this scene before him? Did not
country people come together much as these, with dark impassive
faces and bundles of firewood? Did not they listen and listen so,
until the time came to pile faggots to the glory of God?

He stood on a rock and looked down on the faces. Topready stood
close beneath him looking cheerful, the native teacher was near
looking dubious, next to him stood the headman with his white
beard, looking amused. Around them the crowd poised and posed
itself among the rocks with innate grace and imposing silence.
Even the babies in the goatskins were quiet.

The Bishop spoke of alms-giving. He said he did not like their
plan of raising a house for Christ. Let people who loved Christ
build churches if they wished to, but let them build churches
according to their power to give! Let them not seek the labor or
money of others, careless how it came! Rather let them worship in
the old and the small, than build a new and great church anyhow!
He, their Bishop, wished to buy their new church from them,
paying back those who had helped to build, givin