somber, then he shook his head and opened the door.

Douglas jumped from his horse and, giving the reins to Jimmy Day, he
followed the minister. The people within were seated quietly, and Doug
slid into a rear bench. His eyes were very bright and he watched the
preacher with eager interest. Mr. Fowler dropped his overcoat on a chair
and strode up to the platform, where he smiled half wistfully, half
benignly at his congregation. Then he raised his right hand.

"Let us pray!" he said. "O God, help me to speak truth to these people
who ten years ago laughed me from this room. Help me to open their eyes
that they may behold You! Show them that they lead a life of wickedness
from the babes in arms to the very aged, from--"

"Tain't any such thing!" interrupted Grandma Brown. "There you go again,
after all these years!"

"If you've come here to preach old-fashioned fire and brimstone, Fowler,"
said Charleton Falkner, "you might as well quit now. None of us believe a
word of it. We most of us think everything ends when they plant us in the
cemetery yonder, that is, if they put on enough rocks so the coyotes get
discouraged."

Douglas shivered. "I wonder if that's what I'll believe when I get to
thinking about such things," he thought. "Hanged if I'll think of 'em
till I'm old!"

"I'm with you, Charleton!" called Oscar Jefferson, rumpling his silvery
hair with his soft white cowman's hand.