er been in
church, and he felt that the surroundings of the pool hall would be
much more congenial. He had little stomach for church. What if the
rest of the gang should learn he had been at church?

"I believe you're afraid to go," he said to himself. That settled it.
In a few minutes he was at the church door, where an oldish man, after
surveying him somewhat dubiously, gave him a formal handshake and
passed him into the hands of an usher. The usher led him down an aisle
and crowded him into a small pew with several others. There were many
unoccupied pews, so Dave concluded it must be a church policy to fill
them full as far as they went. He also observed that the building was
filling up from the rear, notwithstanding the efforts of the ushers to
cajole the people farther down the aisles. Dave reflected that the
custom here was quite different from the theatre, especially the "rush"
gallery, where every one scrambled for the front seats.

He was very conscious of being observed, and there was an atmosphere of
formality and, as it seemed to him, of strained goodness that made him
uncomfortable. But presently the organ commenced and diverted his
interest from himself. It was very wonderful. His position commanded
a view of the organist, and Dave marvelled at the manner in which that
gentleman's feet hopped about, and how his hands flourished up and
down, and occasionally jumped from the keyboard altogether to jerk out
a piece of the machine.

Then the choir filed in. They were all dressed alike, and the men had
on a kind of gown. Dave thought that was very silly. By some mental
freak he found himself picturing a man with a gown roping a steer, and
it was only by a sudden tightening of his jaws that he prevented an
explosion of amusement. He was still feeling very happy over this when
a tall man entered from a side door and ascended the steps to the
pulpit. He moved very solemnly, and, when he sat down, rested his head
on his hand for a minute. Then he looked over the audience, and Dave
thought that his expression was one of approval. Then he looked at the
ceiling.

"He feels safe in his seat," thought Dave. "No buckin' in this bunch.
Well--"

The organ had broken forth in a great burst of sound and every one was
standing up. Dave did so too, belatedly. Then everybody sang. They
seemed to know just what to sing. It was all new to Dave, but it
sounded all right. It made him feel just like the