trivial, purposeless years were matched
these three times twelve months of industry and purpose that came at a
price, with the comradeship of one who had met life's foes and
vanquished them, who earned his increase, and served and sacrificed.

"What's the matter, Jerry?" Gene repeated. "Did I shock you? It is a
tragical sort of story, I know, but you used to love the romantic and
adventurous. Every big storm, and every flood, has such incidents. I
never remember them a minute, except the storm that took Uncle Cornie
and left me a fortune. They are so unpleasant. But there is a touch of
romance in this for you. They told me that a young Norwegian girl down
there was moving heaven and earth to find this poor lost devil, because
he had been so good to her always and had helped her when her brother
was badly hurt. I guess her brother went down-stream, bottom side up,
too. See the drift of it all? The time, the place, and the girl--there's
your romance, Cousin Jerry, only the actors are terribly common, you
know."

Who can forecast the trend of the human heart? Three days ago Jerry had
thought complacently of the convenience of this stout little Thelma for
Joe's future comfort. Now the thought that Thelma had seen him last, had
caught the last word, the last brave look, smote her heart with
anguish.

"Doesn't anybody know where Joe is?" she cried, wringing her hands.

"I don't know if his name is Joe. I don't know if anybody knows where he
is. I really don't care a sou about it all, Jerry." Gene drawled his
words intentionally. "The roads are awful down that way. They nearly
bumped me to pieces coming up, hours and hours, it seemed, in a wagon,
where a decent highway and an automobile would have brought me in such a
short time. It would be hard to find this Joe creature, dead or alive.
Let's talk about something more artistic."

"Gene, I can't talk now. I can't stay here a minute longer. I _must_ go
and find this man. I must! I must!"

In the frenzy of that moment, the strength of character in Jerry's face
made it wonderful to see.

"Jerry!" Eugene Wellington exclaimed, emphatically. "You perfectly shock
me! This horrid country has almost destroyed your culture. Go and find
this man--"

But Jerry was already hurrying up the street toward Ponk's Commercial
Hotel and Garage.

<tb>

"Miss Swaim, you can't never get by in a car down there," Ponk was
urging, five minutes later. "I know you can drive like--like you c