t one at
that!"

A merry laugh rang out and in spite of himself and his grave doubts
Greeley relaxed.

"If you don't mind doing for yourself," he ventured, "there's a cabin
over to Trouble Neck that you might get."

"Do for myself?" Miss Lowe cried energetically. "I'd just favour that
plan, I can tell you! I could get all the furniture I need at The Forge,
I am sure. The name of the place isn't exactly cheering, but then I've
waded through trouble and got on top all my life long. Who owns the
cabin over at Trouble Neck?"

Property rights in and around The Hollow were rarely discussed; it was a
delicate question, but what was not actually held down by another
generally was conceded to a certain Smith Crothers and to his credit Tod
Greeley now put the Trouble Neck cabin.

"Oh! He's the man who owns the factory a few miles from The Forge? I
drove past it yesterday at noon time. I thought it was an orphan asylum
at first. I never saw such babies put to work before. It's monstrous
and the law ought to shut down on your Smith Crothers!"

At this Greeley had a distinct sensation of pain in the region known as
the pit of his stomach. That Smith Crothers should fall under any law
had never been dreamed of by mortal man or woman in Greeley's presence
before. The right of free whiskey was one thing; the right of a man to
utilize the children of the district was another!

"He ain't my Smith Crothers!" Greeley inanely returned, feeling in a
dazed way that he did not want to put in any claim for Crothers with
those apparently innocent eyes upon him.

"Well, I'll try to buy the Trouble Neck place from Smith Crothers at
once. You see I've been very sick; they said I'd lost my health, but I
know I've only misplaced it."

Again the cheerful laugh set Greeley's nerves tingling.

"They-all say that when they-all come up here."

Greeley felt in honour bound to give the young woman a hint as to his
reading of her and her mission.

"It's a good spot, then, for weak lungs?"

"None better," Tod nodded sagely, "but they don't last long."

"What? The weak lungs? That's splendid! And now would you mind giving
my horse a drink? Isn't it funny what nice horses they manage to evolve
in the South on food that would end a cart-horse's existence up North?
But such vehicles! Do look at this buggy! And no springs to mention.
My! but my back will ache to-morrow."

By this time Greeley had procured a pail of water and wa