nfortunate for the mortgagee," slowly
observed the old man.

"Mr. Cross Moore?" Janice quickly rejoined. "Well! he could afford to
lose a little money if anybody could."

"Tut, tut!" exclaimed the elder, who had a vast respect for money.
"Don't say that, child. Nobody can afford to lose money."

Janice turned her car about soberly. She saw that the ramification of
this liquor selling business was far-reaching, indeed. Elder Concannon
spoke only too truly.

Where self-interest was concerned most people would lean toward the
side of liquor selling.

"The tentacles of the monster have insinuated themselves into our
social and business life, as well as into our homes," she thought.
"Why--why, what can _I_ do about it? Just _me_, a girl all alone."

CHAPTER VII

SWEPT ON BY THE CURRENT

Janice picked up Trimmins on the road to town. The lanky Southerner,
who lived as a squatter with his ever-increasing family back in the
woods, was a soft-spoken man with much innate politeness and a great
distaste for regular work. He said the elder had just offered him a
job in the woods that he was going to take if he could get a man to
help him.

"I heard you talking about it, Mr. Trimmins," the young girl said, with
her eyes on the road ahead and her foot on the gas pedal. "I hope you
will make a good thing out of it."

"Not likely. The elder's too close for that," responded the man, with
a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes. I suppose that Elder Concannon considers a small profit
sufficient. He got his money that way--by 'littles and dribbles'--and
I fancy he thinks small pay is all right."

"My glo-_ree_! You bet he does!" said Trimmins. "But the elder never
had but one--leastways, two--chillen to raise. He wouldn't ha' got
rich very fast with _my_ family--no, sir!"

"Perhaps that is so," Janice admitted.

"Tell ye what, Miss," the woodsman went on to say, "a man ought to git
paid accordin' to the mouths there is to home to feed. I was readin'
in a paper t'other day that it took ten dollars a week to take proper
care of a man and his wife, and there ought to be added to them ten
dollars two dollars a week ev'ry time they got a baby."

"Why! wouldn't that be fine?" cried Janice, laughing.

"It sure would be a help," said Trimmins, the twinkle in his eye again.
"I reckon both me an' Narnay would 'preciate it."

"Oh! you mean Jim Narnay?" asked Janice, with sudden solemnity.

"Yes ma'am. I'm goin' to s