sez, 'I've got it, and I know of an op'nin' for such a man in the next
county.' And you steps into THAT op'nin', and your creditors--'spesh'ly
Parker--slips into THIS, and in a week they offers to settle with ye ten
cents on the dollar."

Jeff started, flushed, trembled, recovered himself, and after a moment
said, doggedly: "I can't do it, Bill; I couldn't."

"In course," said Bill, putting his hands slowly into his pockets, and
stretching his legs out--"in course ye can't because of a woman!"

Jeff turned upon him like a hunted bear. Both men rose, but Bill already
had his hand on Jeff's shoulder.

"I reckoned a minute ago there was a sick gal in the house! Who's going
to make a row now! Who's going to stamp and tear round, eh?"

Jeff sank back on his chair.

"I said thar was a woman," continued Bill; "thar allus is one! Let a man
be hell-bent or heaven-bent, somewhere in his track is a woman's feet.
I don't say anythin' agin this gal, ez a gal. The best of 'em, Jeff, is
only guide-posts to p'int a fellow on his right road, and only a fool or
a drunken man holds on to 'em or leans agin em. Allowin' this gal is all
you think she is, how far is your guide-post goin' with ye, eh? Is she
goin' to leave her father and mother for ye? Is she goin' to give up
herself and her easy ways and her sicknesses for ye? Is she willin' to
take ye for a perpetooal landlord the rest of her life? And if she is,
Jeff, are ye the man to let her? Are ye willin' to run on her errants,
to fetch her dinners ez ye do? Thar ez men ez does it; not yer in