"I will buy you a slate for your own affairs, Benjamin," said the Sheriff; "for I don't like to have the journal marked over in this manner."
"You needn't you needn't, Squire; for, seeing that I was likely to trade often with the woman while this barrel lasted, I've opened a fair account with Betty, and she keeps the marks on the back of her bar door, and I keeps the tally on this here bit of a stick."
As Benjamin concluded he produced a piece of wood, on which five very honest, large notches were apparent. The Sheriff cast his eyes on this new leger, for a moment, and continued—
"What have we here! Saturday, two P. M.—why here's a whole family piece! two wine-glasses up-side-down!"
"That's two women; the one this a-way is Miss 'Lizzy, and t'other is the parson's young'un."
"Cousin Bess and Miss Grant!" exclaimed the Sheriff, in amazement; "why, what have they to do with my journal?"
"They'd enough to do to get out of the jaws of that there painter, or panther," said the immoveable steward. "This here thingum'y, Squire, that maybe looks sum'mat like a rat, is the beast, d'ye see; and this here t'other thing, keel uppermost, is poor old Brave, who died nobly, all the same as an admiral fighting for his king and country; and that there"—
"Scarecrow," interrupted Richard.
"Ay, mayhap it do look a little wild or so," continued the steward; "but to my judgment, Squire, it's the best imager I've made, seeing it's most like the man himself;—well, that's Natty Bumppo, who shot this here painter, that killed that there dog, who would have eaten or done worse to them here young ladies."
