you."

"Oh, but I must see him," said the stranger. "I have business with him.
Why, they told me down in the valley that Hightower, in many respects,
is the best man in the county."

Abe smiled for the first time. It was the ghost of a smile.

"Shoo!" he exclaimed. "They don't know him down thar nigh as good as
he's know'd up here. An' that hain't all. Thish yer Mister Hightower you
er talkin' about is got a mighty bad case of measles at his house. You'd
be ableedze to ketch 'em ef you went thar."

"I've had the measles," said the stranger.

"But these here measles," persisted Abe, half shutting his eyes and
gazing at the young man steadily, "kin be cotched twicet. Thayer wuss 'n
the smallpox--lots wuss."

"My dear sir, what do you mean?" the young man inquired, observing the
significant emphasis of the mountaineer's language.

"Hit's thes like I tell you," said Abe. "Looks like folks has mighty bad
luck when they go a-rippitin' hether an' yan on the mounting. It hain't
been sech a monst'us long time sense one er them revenue fellers come
a-paradin' up thish yer same road, a-makin' inquirements fer Hightower.
_He_ cotch the measles; bless you, he took an' cotch 'em by the time he
got in hailin' distance of Hightower's, an' he had to be toted down. I
disremember his name, but he wuz a mighty nice-lookin' young feller,
peart an' soople, an' thes about your size an' weight."

"It was no doubt a great pity about the revenue chap," said the young
man sarcastically.

"Lor', yes!" exclaimed Abe seriously; "lots er nice folks must 'a' cried
about that man!"

"Well," said the other, smiling, "I must see Hightower. I guess he's a
nicer man than his neighbors think he is."

"Shoo!" said Abe, "he hain't a bit nicer'n what I am, an' I lay he
hain't no purtier. What mought be your name, mister?"

"My name is Chichester, and I'm buying land for some Boston people. I
want to buy some land right on this mountain if I can get it cheap
enough."

"Jesso," said Abe, "but wharbouts in thar do Hightower come in?"

"Oh, he knows all about the mountain, and I want to ask his advice and
get his opinions," said Chichester.

Something about Mr. Chichester seemed to attract Abe Hightower. Perhaps
it was the young fellow's fresh, handsome appearance; perhaps it was his
free-and-easy attitude, suggestive of the commercial tourist, that met
the approbation of the mountaineer. At any rate, Abe smiled upon the
young man in a fatherly