that bear on the cost of doing business here,” replied Craigin. "We must be able to prove them. Seems to me we'd better take Basil Hunt with us, too; he 's a practical manufacturer."

"Now that I've got to build from the foundations," said Crawford, after thoroughly investigating the facts and figures, "I'll do it in a community that 's trying to build from the foundations too."

The money put in circulation by summer visitors and by the great steel-works helped the League immensely. As soon as it was known why the steelworks were coming to Apsleigh, the mighty voice of Mammon was heard on every street corner preaching from a new text.

VI

SEVEN DEVILS

OR. BRADFORD," said Craigin, one Monday morning, "I heard your sermon yesterday about the seven devils."

"Yes, I saw you there. I would n't want to proselyte, even among you unbelieving Unitarians, but I'm always delighted to see you at my church."

"Thanks! I'm glad to go now and then. My father was of your creed almost as long as he lived, and my ancestors were, from the time of the "Mayflower." But about those seven devils! The man had one devil. He pitched him out neck and heels, and cleaned up the house, and put everything in apple-pie order. Then, pretty soon, he got so lonesome all by himself he could n't stand it, and so he went out and picked up seven other devils and brought 'em home with him and was worse off than ever. He wanted to draw the line on that kind of company, but when it came to doing it, he was n't quite equal to it. That sort of thing's happening all the time, and we 've got to look out for it here."

"What are you driving at now?" inquired the clergyman.

"What I suggested when we formed the League. There are hundreds of men and grown-up boys in town who have places to eat and sleep, but no homes. A boarding-house is n't a home. A good many of them go into society of one kind or another and are on calling terms at private houses; more, perhaps, are members of secret fraternities, Chautauquan circles, the Y. M. C. A., and so forth; but still there are hundreds practically turned loose on the streets by the closing of the saloons and bar-rooms, with really no place to spend their evenings. We need a good substitute for the saloons."

"Such as what?"

"A place with all their attractiveness and freedom, without their evil influences-a place attractive, not to refined and educated people, but to that class of men, and especially the men that society, and the Masons, and Odd Fellows, and Knights of Pythias, and Chautauquans, and the Y. M. C. A., and the churches don't reach. It seems to me that we must have such a place, and that whether we can make a success of it depends mainly on you."

"On me! Why on me?"

"Because you 're at the head of a great church and are the leading orthodox minister in the city. No one else can put the brakes on those who will want such a place run on religious lines as you can do, if you only will. The men we need to reach won't stand it. They can go to lectures and churches and prayer-meetings and the Y. M. C. A., and all that sort of thing, if

they want to, but they don't want to. If we shoot too high we sha'n't hit our game. Lots of unselfish Christian men, like Pemberton, for instance, would make it a failure; and when it comes to such persons as Deacon Follett and Mrs. Hudson-you 're about the only one in town who can keep 'em from trying to save souls."

"I see what you mean, but it sounds odd."

"Yes? If they ever saved a soul it might be different. If these men feel free to enjoy themselves, no end of good may come of it; but if Deacon Follett and Mrs. Hudson get after 'em, they 'll run like sheep." "I've no doubt of it."

"The deacon would n't be allowed to infest the Apsleigh Club with his prayers and tracts and to talk down to the members as if they were outcasts of God. My idea is to have what must be in the main a poor man's club with all the unwritten social rights of a rich man's club-a place where they can enjoy themselves in their own way, so long as it 's innocent."

"That brings us to the question of what is innocent, and I'm afraid we can't agree among ourselves on that any more than we can with Denman on the liquor question."

"Perhaps so; but that's where you can help again more than any one else. We've got to have cards and billiards and tobacco."

"I don't see how such a club can be run without," replied Bradford, "but I don't know what Brother Pemberton will say. I'm afraid he 'll say they 're associated with gambling- and drinking-places." "So are oysters," observed Craigin.

"But oysters are associated with church festivals," remarked Bradford.

"Yes, in homeopathic doses. They say the rule for making church stews is one oyster to a barrel of stew. But, doctor, the devil holds his grip because so many people think what 's used for him should n't be used against him. Where's the common sense of giving him the best of everything? Take the theater! Take "Little Lord Fauntleroy,' for instance! The play, like the story, is an evangel, teaching the simple lovingkindness which made Christ, as I think, the greatest of men, or, as you think, the Son of God."

"I don't believe even Brother Pemberton would object to 'Little Lord Fauntleroy,'" said Bradford. "Perhaps he won't to cards and billiards under the circumstances. Suppose I ring him up and get him down here?"

Somewhat to their surprise, the Rev. Francis Pemberton did not object. "On general principles," he said, "I don't approve of cards and billiards. In most cases they 're stepping-stones to things that are bad, and are almost always a waste of time; but in this case they 're stepping-stones to things that are good. Of course I'd rather have these men Methodists and take them into my church, but I'll do all I can to help in your way, even if it is n't quite mine."

"I'm awfully glad you can see it as we do!" exclaimed Craigin, grasping his hand. "With you and Dr. Bradford for it, and Deacon Follett against it, there won't be the slightest trouble."

"It'll take considerable money, won't it?" inquired Bradford.