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.