enough as far as
it went, but it didn't go far enough. They realized the journey might
be very long and the ultimate destination uncertain. A Chapel had its
claims in their minds, but Church seemed much stronger, bigger, more
powerful to help them in those realms of darkness to which they must
all eventually descend. Of course, Cathedral would have been _the_
thing. With a cathedral in Rocky Springs they would have felt certain
of their hereafter. But the difficulties of laying hands on a bishop,
and claiming him for their own, seemed too overwhelming. So they
accepted Church as being the best they could do under the
circumstances.

Quite a number of men were standing idly around the structure,
watching others at work. It was a weakness of the citizens of Rocky
Springs to watch others work. They had no desire to help. They rarely
were beset with any desire to help anybody. They simply clustered
together in small groups, chewing tobacco, or smoking, and, to a man,
their hands were indolently thrust into the tops of their trousers,
which, in every case, were girdled with a well-laden ammunition belt,
from which was suspended at least one considerable revolver.

There was no doubt in Helen's mind but that these weapons were loaded
in every chamber, and the thought set her merry eyes dancing again.

These men wanted a church, and were there to see they had it. Woe
betide--but, was there ever such a gathering of unclean, unholy
humanity? She thought not.

Helen knew that every man and woman in the village had had some voice
in the erection of the new church. There was not a citizen--they all
possessed the courtesy title of "citizens"--in Rocky Springs, who had
not contributed something toward it. Those who had wherewithal to give
in money or kind, had given. Those who had nothing else to give gave
their labor. She guessed the present onlookers had already done their
share of giving, and were now there to see that their less fortunate
brethren did not attempt to shirk their responsibilities.

For a moment, as the girl drew near, she abandoned her study of the
men for a rapid survey of the building itself, and, in a way, it held
her flattering attention. As yet there was no roof on it, but the
walls were up, and the picturesqueness of the design of the building
was fully apparent. Then she remembered that Charlie Bryant had
designed the building, and somehow the thought lessened her interest.

The whole thing was constr