nful of apple-butter into a broad smile and
swallowed both as he looked at her with twinkling eyes.

The furrows deepened on the austere brow of the woman, and she drew her
under lip inward and pressed it between her teeth.

"I don't know exactly what you mean," she said, presently. "I supposed
she had things to buy for her farm, or--"

Henley laughed. "I may as well tell you the secret, Hettie. You ain't
any hand to gad about and talk, and I know it will be safe with you. The
truth, is I'm a match-maker. You've heard me speak of Jasper Long? Well,
he's dying to get married, and I've been a sort o' go-between with him
and Dixie. He wanted to meet her, and I took her over, and--"

"Oh!" The furrows were gone, the colorless face lighted up from within.
"I understand now." She walked round the table and leaned over the
dishes toward him and laughed. "Alfred," she tittered, "you certainly
are the most goody-goody old poke of a stick that ever wore man's
clothes, and you are blind, blind as a day-old kitten. You know men, all
grades and styles of 'em, but you are a born fool when it comes to
women. When that girl marries Jasper Long--I say, when Dixie Hart takes
him, let me know, will you?" and she turned from the room, leaving him
more than convinced that he didn't understand women, and certain that he
never should try to do so again.

CHAPTER XXI

One morning, in the early part of the following week, as Henley sat
working at his desk in the store, and Pomp and Cahews were busy
attending three or four elderly women in front, he became conscious that
some one was speaking in loud, angry tones near the door. And, rising,
that he might look over a stack of soap-boxes which obstructed his view,
he saw that a dispute of some sort was taking place between Cahews and
Hank Bradley over some cigars that the latter had failed to pay for on a
former occasion. Bradley was evidently under the influence of liquor,
and he began to swear loudly and threateningly. The women dropped the
purchases they were making and shrank back farther into the store.

With a flush of anger over the insult to his house and customers, Henley
strode hotly forward and thrust himself between the disputants.

"We'll talk about the account some other time," he said, glaring into
Bradley's face. "But right now you get out of this house. You sha'n't
stand here spouting vile oaths before these ladies."

"What have _you_ got to do with it?" Bradley f