"'Yes,' said she, 'I remember you well. You are Tommy Linken. What has brought you back to Kentuck'?' "'Well, Sally,' said I, 'my wife is dead.' "'Is that so,' said she, all attention. "'Yes; wife died more than a year ago, and a good wife she was; and I've just come back to look for another.' "She sat like a statue, Sally did, and never spoke a word. So I said: "'Do you like me, Sally Johnson?' "'Yes, Tommy Linken.' "'You do?' "'Yes, Tommy Linken, I like you well enough to marry you, but I could never think of such a thing--at least not now.' "'Why?' "'Because I'm in debt, and I would never ask a man who had offered to marry me to pay my debts.' "'Let me hear all about it,' said I. "She brought me her account-book from the cupboard. Well, good folks, how much do you suppose Sally owed? Twelve dollars! It was a heap of money for a woman to owe in those days. "Well, I put that account-book straight into my pocket and _run_. When I came back, all of her debts were paid. I told her so. "'Will you marry me now?' said I. "'Yes,' said she. "And, good folks all, the next morning at nine o'clock we were married, and we packed up all her things and started on our weddin' tour to Indiany, and here we be now. Now that is what I call an honest woman.--Johnnie Kongapod, can you beat that? Come, now, Johnnie Kongapod." The Indian still stood in the shadow, with young Abraham beside him. He did not answer. "Johnnie is great on telling stories of good Injuns," said Mr. Lincoln, "and we think that kind o' Injuns have about all gone up to the moonlit huntin'-grounds." The tall form of the Indian moved into the light of the doorway. His eyes gleamed. "Thomas Linken, that story that I told you was true." "What! that an Injun up to Prairie du Chien was condemned to die, and that he asked to go home and see his family all alone, and promised to return on his honor?" "Yes, Thomas Linken." "And that they let him go home all alone, and that he spent his night with his family in weepin' and wailin', and returned the next mornin' to be shot?" "Yes, Thomas Linken." "And that they shot him?" "Yes, Thomas Linken." "Well, Johnnie, if I could believe that, I could believe anything." "An Injun has honor as well as a white man, Thomas Linken." "Who taught it to him?" "His own heart--_here_. The Great Spirit's voice is in every man's heart; his will is born in all men; his love and care are over us all. You may laugh at my poetry, but the Great Spirit will do by Johnnie Kongapod as he would have Johnnie Kongapod do by him if Johnnie Kongapod held the heavens. That story was true, and I know it to be true, and the Great Spirit knows it to be true. Johnnie Kongapod is an honest Injun."