that way you'll make yourself more unpopular than you are already."

"Oh, I'll be careful, Martha. I'll just think it, and perhaps put two or
three of the leading intellects like Abe and Sally on their guard. But
come, come, Martha! You know as well as I do, he's a rascal. Don't you
believe it?"

"I believe in giving everybody a chance. Don't your own law books say a
man's innocent till he's proved guilty?"

"Something like that. And I'm not trying Brother Dylks in open court at
present. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt if he's ever brought
before my judgment seat. But you've got to allow that his long hair and
black broadcloth and his snort and shout are against him."

"I don't believe in them any more than you do," she owned. "But don't you
persecute him because he's religious, Matthew."

"Oh, I don't object to him because he's religious, though I think there's
more religion in Leatherwood already than any ten towns would know what to
do with. He's got to do more than preach his brand of religion before I'd
want to trouble him."

They were at the hewn log which formed the step to the porch between the
rooms of their cabin. A lank hound rose from the floor, and pulled himself
back from his forward-planted paws, and whimpered a welcome to them; a
captive coon rattled his chain from his corner under the porch roof.

"Why don't you let that poor thing go, Matthew?" Mrs. Braile asked.