`` When I was in these parts a good many years ago he was considered a well-to-do man . '' `` Well , so he was , '' replied William Jeffers . `` But he began to get in debt when his wife took sick . He spent no end of money on doctors and medicines for her . And then he seemed to have a streak of bad luck besides -- crops failed and cows died and all that sort of thing . He 's been going behind ever since . He kind of lost heart when his wife died . And now Moore is going to foreclose . It 's my opinion poor old Stephen wo n't live any time if he 's turned out of his home . '' `` Do you know what the mortgage comes to ? '' `` Near three thousand , counting overdue interest . '' `` Well , I 'm sorry for old Stephen , '' said Gabe , returning to his game . `` If anybody deserves a peaceful old age he does . He 's helped more people than you could count , and he was the best Christian in Greenvale , or out of it . '' `` He was too good , '' said a Greenvale man crustily . `` He just let himself be imposed upon all his life . There 's dozens of people owes him and he 's never asked for a cent from them . And he 's always had some shiftless critter or other hanging round and devouring his substance . '' `` D'ye mind that Ben Butler who used to be in Greenvale twenty years ago ? '' asked a third man .
`` If ever there was an imp XXXXX Satan 't was him -- old Ezra Butler 's son from the valley .
Near behind besides if in of since than to upon