Part 8 (2/2)
There's a market for 'em, and the logs lie jest right for hauling. You and your partner can make a profit, and so can I.”
Then he said to Janice: ”Good morning, child! You're as fresh to look at as a morning-glory.”
She had nodded and smiled at the patriarchal old gentleman; but her eyes were now on the long and lanky looking woodsman who stood by.
”Good day, Mr. Trimmins,” she said, when she had returned Elder Concannon's greeting. ”Is Mrs. Trimmins well? And my little Virginia and all the rest of them?”
”The fambly's right pert, Miss,” Trimmins said.
Janice had a question or two to ask the elder regarding the use of the church vestry for some exercises by the Girl's Guild of which she had been the founder and was still the leading spirit.
”Goodness, yes!” agreed the elder. ”Do anything you like, Janice, if you can keep those young ones interested in anything besides dancing and parties. Still, what can ye expect of the young gals when their mothers are given up to folly and dissipation?
”There's Mrs. Marvin Petrie and Mrs. Major Price want to be 'patronesses,' I believe they call themselves, of an a.s.sembly Ball, an'
want to hold the ball at Lem Parraday's hotel. It's bad enough to have them dances; but to have 'em at a place where liquor is sold, is a sin and a shame! I wish Lem Parraday had lost the hotel entirely, before he got a liquor license.”
”Oh, Elder! It is dreadful that liquor should be sold in Polktown,”
Janice said, from the seat of the automobile. ”I'm just beginning to see it.”
”That's what it is,” said the elder, st.u.r.dily.
”It's a shame Mr. Parraday was ever allowed to have a license at the Lake View Inn.”
”Wal--it does seem too bad,” the elder agreed, but with less confidence in his tone.
”I know they say the Inn scarcely paid him and his wife, and he might have had to give it up this Spring,” Janice said.
”Ahem! That would have been unfortunate 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. n.o.body 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
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