"Yes--and he intends to kill YOU--and we're only to be married at
your deathbed!"

John Gale arose with a look of stern determination. "I have
suffered much and idiotically--but I draw a line at this. I shall
kick!"

Golly clapped her hands joyfully. "We will!"

"And we'll chuck him."

"We will."

They were choking with laughter.

"And go and get married in a natural, simple way like anybody else--
and try--to do our duty--to God--to each other--and to our fellow-
beings--and quit this--damned--nonsense--and in-fer-nal idiocy
forever!"

"Amen!"


PUBLISHER'S NOTE.--"In that supreme work of my life, 'The
Christian,'" said the gifted novelist to a reporter in speaking of
his methods, "I had endowed the characters of Golly and John Gale
with such superhuman vitality and absolute reality that--as is well
known in the experience of great writers--they became thinking
beings, and actually criticised my work, and even INTERFERED and