Mrs. Kelso laughed.  “It’s funny to hear a baby talking like that,” she said.  “We don’t know this young man.  He’s probably only fooling anyway.”

Bim rose and stood very erect.

“Mother, do you think I look like a baby?” she asked.  “I tell you I’m every inch a woman,” she added, mimicking her father in the speech of Lear.

“But there are not many inches in you yet.”

“How discouraging you are!” said Bim, sinking into her chair with a sigh.

Bim went often to the little tavern after that.  Of those meetings little is known, save that, with all the pretty arts of the cavalier, unknown to Harry Needles, the handsome youth flattered and delighted the girl.  This went on day by day for a fortnight.  The evening before Biggs was to leave for his home, Bim went over to eat supper with Ann at the tavern.

It happened that Jack Kelso had found Abe sitting alone with his Blackstone in Offut’s store that afternoon.

“Mr. Kelso, did you ever hear what Eb Zane said about the general subject of sons-in-law?” Abe asked.

“Never—­but I reckon it would be wise and possibly apropos,” said Kelso.

“He said that a son-in-law was a curious kind o’ property,” Abe began.  “‘Ye know,’ says Eb, ‘if ye have a hoss that’s tricky an’ dangerous an’ wuth less than nothin’, ye can give him away er kill him, but if ye have a son-in-law that’s wuthless, nobody else will have him an’ it’s ag’in’ the law to kill him.  Fust ye know ye’ve got a critter on yer hands that kicks an’ won’t work an’ has to be fed an’ liquored three times a day an’ is wuth a million dollars less than nothin’.’”

There was a moment of silence.

“When a man is figurin’ his assets, it’s better to add ten dollars than to subtract a million,” said Abe.  “That’s about as simple as adding up the weight o’ three small hogs.”

“What a well of wisdom you are, Abe!” said Kelso.  “Do you know anything about this young Missourian who is shining up to Bim?”

“I only know that he was a drinking man up to the time he landed here and that he threatened Traylor with his whip and got thrown against the side of a barn—­plenty hard.  He’s a kind of American king, and I don’t like kings.  They’re nice to look at, but generally those that have married ’em have had one h—­l of a time.”

Kelso rose and went home to supper.

Soon after the supper dishes had been laid away in the Kelso cabin, young Mr. Biggs rapped on its door and pulled the latch-string and entered and sat down with Mr. and Mrs. Kelso at the fireside.

“I have come to ask for your daughter’s hand,” he said, as soon as they were seated.  “I know it will seem sudden, but she happens to be the girl I want.  I’ve had her picture in my heart always.  I love your daughter.  I can give her a handsome home and everything she could desire.”

Kelso answered promptly:  “We are glad to welcome you here, but we can not entertain such a proposal, flattering as it is.  Our daughter is too young to think of marriage.  Then, sir, we know very little about you, and may I be pardoned if I add that it does not recommend you?”