The Culloms was kind o' kings in them days, an' folks wa'n't so one-man's-good's-anotherish as they be now.

They thought Billy P.done wrong, though they didn't have nothin' to say 'gainst the girl neither--an' she's very much respected, Mis' Cullom is, an' as fur's I'm concerned, I've alwus guessed she kept Billy P.goin' full as long 's any one could.

But 't wa'n't no use--that is to say, the sure thing come to pass.

He had a nom'nal title to a good deal o' prop'ty, but the equity in most on't if it had ben to be put up wa'n't enough to pay fer the papers.

You see, the' ain't never ben no real cash value in farm prop'ty in these parts.