"Well, now, Joe--it's all arranged--you marry the widder an' in the course of time you'll have eleven mo'. That's another eighteen dollars--or thirty-six dollars a week clear in the mills." "Now, but I hadn't thought of that," said Joe enthusiastically--"that's a fact. When--when did you say the ceremony'd be performed?" "Hold on," said Jud, "now, we've studied this thing all out for you. You're a Mormon--the only one of us that is a Mormon--openly." They all laughed. "Openly--" he went on--"you've j'ined the Mormon church here up in the mountains." "But we don't practise polygamy--now"--said Joe. "That's only on account of the Grand Jury and the law--not yo' religion. You see--you'll marry an' go to Utah--but--es the kids come you'll sen' 'em all down here to the mills--every one a kinder livin' coupon. All any man's got to do in this country to git rich is to marry enough wives." "Can I do that--do the marryin' in Utah an' keep sendin' the--the chilluns down to the mill?" His eyes glittered. "Sart'inly"--said Jud--"sure!" "Then there's Miss Carewe"--he went on--"you haf'ter cal'clate on feedin' several wives in one, with her. But say eleven mo' by her. That's thirty-seven mo'." Joe jumped up. "Is she willin'?" "Done seen her," said Jud; "she say come on." "Hold on," said Travis with feigned anger. "Hold on. Joe is fixin' to start a cotton-mill of his own. That'll interfere with the Acme. No--no--we must vote it down. We mustn't let Joe do it." Joe had already attempted to rise and start after his wives. But in the roar of laughter that followed he sat down and began to weep again for Liza. It was nearly midnight. Only Travis, Charley Biggers and Jud remained sober enough to talk. Charley was telling of Tilly and her wondrous beauty. "Now--it's this way," he hiccoughed--"I've got to go off to school--but--but--I've thought of a plan to marry her first, with a bogus license and preacher." There was a whispered conversation among them, ending in a shout of applause. "What's the matter with you takin' yo' queen at the same time?" asked Jud of Travis. Travis, drunk as he was, winced to think that he would ever permit Jud Carpenter to suggest what he had intended should only be known to himself. His tongue was thick, his brain whirled, and there were gaps in his thoughts; but through the thickness and heaviness he thought how low he had fallen. Lower yet when, despite all his vanishing reserve, all his dignity and exclusiveness, he laughed sillily and said: "Just what I had decided to do--two queens and an ace." They all cheered drunkenly. CHAPTER VII MRS. WESTMORE TAKES A HAND "What are you playing, Alice?" The daughter arose from the piano and kissed her mother, holding for a moment the pretty face, crowned with white hair, between her two palms. "It--it is an old song which Tom and I used to love to sing."