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Old men farmers with daughters of their own would cheerfully forego the delights of either a prayer-meeting or a circus, and suddenly find some business to transact with Matalette, whenever there seemed a reasonable chance of seeing Helen; and such of them as had sons of a marriageable age would express to those young men their entire willingness to be promoted to the rank of fathers-in-law.
There were plenty of daughters among the families in Bonpas Bottoms, and many of them were very estimable girls; but Helen Matalette was very different from any of them. "Always knows just what to say and do," remarked Syle-Conover, one day, at the store, where the male gossips of the neighborhood met to exchange views.
"I Asbury Crewne the new circuit preacher," replied a voice. "I'm wet, cold and hungry can you give me shelter, in the name of my Master?" "Certainly!" cried Matalette, hastening to open the door, while the three hired men rapidly repocketed their pistols, and Helen gave vent to a sigh of relief.
They heard a heavy pack thrown on the floor, a hearty greeting from Matalette, and then they saw in the doorway a tall, straight young man, whose blue eyes, heavy, closely curling yellow hair and finely cut features made him extremely handsome, despite a solemn, puritanical look which not even a driving rain and a cold wind had been able to banish from his face.
Matalette had a sideboard, too, and the contents smelled and tasted very unlike the liquor which was sold at the only store in Bonpas Bottoms. When young Lauquer, who was making a gallant fight against a stumpy quarter section, had his only horse lie down and die just as the second corn-plowing season came on, it was Matalette who supplied the money which bought the new horse.
I'm the sheriff of this county, and Jim's a constable. And as for Matalette, he's a counterfeiter, and we're after him." Crewne dropped his bridle-rein, and his lower jaw, as he exclaimed: "Impossible!" "'Tis, eh?" said the sheriff. "Well, we've examined several lots of money he's paid out lately, and there isn't a good bill among 'em."
"Presses and plates are where nobody will be likely to find them. The Wabash won't tell secrets." "I'm so glad oh, so glad!" cried the girl. "It's a fortune thrown away," said one of the men, moodily. "Yes, and a bad name, too," said she, with flashing eyes. "We're beggars for life, anyhow," growled another of the men. "Nonsense!" exclaimed Matalette.
But this single fault of the Matalettes and their adherents was soon forgotten, for it did not require a long residence in Bonpas Bottoms to make the acquaintance of every person living in that favored section, and strangers except such passengers as occasionally strolled ashore while the steamboat landed supplies for the store, or shipped the grain which Matalette was continually buying and sending to New Orleans seldom found their way to Bonpas Bottoms.
When the inhabitants of the Bottoms wondered and talked and argued about the advisability of trying some new seed-wheat, which had the reputation of being very heavy, Matalette settled the whole question by ordering a large lot, and distributing it with his compliments. Lastly though the statement has not, strictly speaking, any agricultural bearing Matalette had a daughter.
It was rather chilling, until one knew Matalette well, to see him tremble and start violently on being merely slapped on the shoulder by some one whose approach he had not noticed; it was equally unpleasant for a newcomer, on suddenly confronting Helen, to see her turn pale, and look quickly and furtively about, as if preparing to run.
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