n who is addicted to its use--until he gets to that besotted
stage where his brain is so befuddled that his opinion would scarcely
be taken in a court of law on any subject.

Janice Day was determined not to listen to these temporizers in
Polktown who professed themselves satisfied if the license was taken
away from the Lake View Inn. Something more drastic was needed than
that.

"The business must be voted out of town. We all must take a stand upon
the question--on one side or the other," the girl had said earnestly,
in discussing this point with Elder Concannon.

"If you only shut up this bar, another license, located at some other
point, will be asked for. Each time the fight will have to be begun
again. Vote the town _dry_--that is the only way."

"Well, I reckon that's true enough, my girl," said the cautious elder.
"But I doubt if we can do it. They're too strong for us."

"We can try," Janice urged. "You don't _know_ that the wets will win,
Elder."

"And if we try the question in town meeting and get beaten, we'll be
worse off than we are now."

"Why shall we?" Janice demanded. "And, besides, I do not believe the
wets can carry the day."

"I'm afraid the idea of making the town dry isn't popular enough,"
pursued the elder.

"Why not?"

"We are Vermonters," said Elder Concannon, as though that were
conclusive. "We're sons of the Green Mountain Boys, and liberty is
greater to us than to any other people in the world."

"Including the liberty to get drunk--and the children to follow the
example of the grown men?" asked Janice, tartly. "Is _that_ liberty so
precious?"

"That's a harsh saying, Janice," said the old man, wagging his head.

"It's the truth, just the same," the girl declared, with doggedness.

"You can't make the voters do what you want--not always," said Elder
Concannon. "I don't want to see liquor sold here; but I think we'll be
more successful if we oppose each license as it comes up."

"What chance had you to oppose Lem Parraday's license?" demanded the
girl, sharply.

"Well! I allow that was sprung on us sudden. But Cross Moore was
interested in it, too."

"Somebody will always be particularly interested in the granting of the
license. I believe with Uncle Jason that it's foolish to give Old Nick
a fair show. He does not deserve the honors of war."

More than Elder Concannon did not believe that Polktown could be
carried for prohibition in Town Meeting. But ele