gh, as a citizen, the doctor was convinced that a prohibitory
liquor law would be a good thing for Algonquin, personally he was not
inclined to look upon the beverage as foul death-breeding liquid.

Roderick McRae sat silently listening to the older man. He was
wondering what Alexander Graham would say, when he found his lawyer
arrayed on the side of the temperance forces. For he knew that his
wealthy client had heavy investments in breweries, and also owned
secretly, the bigger share of Algonquin's leading hotel and bar-room.

He was not long left in doubt. The ladies of the Presbyterian church
gave a turkey and pumpkin pie supper on Thanksgiving eve, with a
concert in the Sunday-school room after, all for the sum of twenty-five
cents, the proceeds to go to a new red carpet and cushions for the
choir gallery. Lawyer Ed was chairman at the concert, of course, and
J. P. Thornton was the chief speaker. And though his address was on
Imperialism, a subject through which he had grown quite famous, he
branched off into temperance and publicly announced that the local
option by-law would be submitted before long in Algonquin, and they had
better get ready.

Lawyer Ed, who always made a short speech between each item on the
programme, burst forth, almost before J. P. had sat down, with the
further announcement, accompanied by a great deal of oratory, that the
temperance forces would carry their banner to victory and mount over
every difficulty even as his Highland ancestors had stormed the heights
of Alma. For when Lawyer Ed got upon the platform, a strange
transformation always came over him. His Hibernianism fell from him
like a garment, and he was over the heather and away like any true born
Scot.

The next day, Miss Leslie Graham, in a new autumn suit of ruby velvet
and a big plumed hat, dropped in at the office of Brians and McRae and,
after chattering merrily for half-an-hour with Roderick, said that her
father wanted him to come up the following evening for dinner.

Roderick went, with, as usual, the faint hope that he might see Helen
Murray there. He had not succeeded in meeting her, except casually on
the street, since that magic night when he had paddled her home in the
moonlight. But he was, as usual, disappointed. There was only the
Graham family present. Miss Leslie was as gay and charming as ever,
and her mother was slightly less stiff with him. But Mr. Graham was
exceptionally kind and hospitable