A man came staggering up axe in hand. "I—I'm after—a job; and you—you wa—want these trees cut down?"
"We do, Davis, but you're in no condition to wield an axe at present," returned Dale; and growling out an oath the fellow staggered away.
"It's perfectly dreadful the amount of drunkenness we have here of late!" remarked Mrs. Lamar looking after him.
"Yes, whiskey's too cheap," said Dale; "men, women and children are getting drunk."
"How is that?" enquired Kenneth, "there is no distillery in the vicinity?"
"No; but since keel boats have begun to run on the Scioto the Monongahela whiskey manufacturers have rushed their firewater in here in such quantities that the cabins are crowded with it and it has fallen in price to fifty cents a gallon."
"They'll be making work for you, doctor," said Mrs. Lamar, "and I hope you'll try to convince the people that whiskey taken in such quantities is ruinous to health."
"Ruinous to body and soul," he said. "You may rest assured, Mrs. Lamar, that my influence will be decidedly against its use."
"We will take a stroll round the town, Nell, before making our purchases," Clare said, moving on. "What a grave, quiet manner Dr. Clendenin has, for so young a man!"
It was a new phase of life now presenting itself to the young girl, and she found it interesting. Her attention was presently attracted by a squaw walking a little distance ahead of them, wearing a shawl completely covered with silver brooches.