Cleveland County herald., 1919-05-01
By IRVING BACHELLER
CHAPTER XV-continued.
Copyright by Irving Bacheller

H.
 'Where ye goin'?"
 Up to the Van Heusen place."
 "Where do ye hail from?'
 "Cobleskiu."
 "On business for Judge Westbrook?"
 "Yes."
 "Writs to server"
 "Yes," I answered with no thought of my imprudence
 Say, young man, by hokey nettie advise you to turn right around and go back"
 'Why?"
 @'Cause if ye try to serve any writs yell git into trouble"
 That's interesting" I answered. "I am not seeking a quarrel, but I do want to see how the people feel about the payment of their rents."
 Say mister, look down into that val ley there," the stranger began. "See all them houses-they're the little houses O the poor. See how smooth the land is? Who built them houses? Who cleaned that land? Was it MT. Livingston? By hokey nettie I guess not. The men who live there built the houses an cleaned the land. We ain't got nothin' elSe-not dollar! It's all gone to the landlord. I am for the men who made every rod O that land an who own not a single rod of it. Years an years ago a king gave it to a man who never cut one tree or laid one stone on another. The deeds say that we must pay a rent O so many bushels O wheat year but the land is nc good for wheat an aint been for a hundred years. Why, ye see, mis- ter, good many things have happened in three hundred years. The land was wlllin' to give wheat then an a good many folks was willin' to be slaves. By hokey nettiel they had got used to it. Kings an magistrates an slavery didn't look so bad to lem as they do now. Our brains have changed-that's what's the matter-Same as the soil has changed. We want to be free like other folks in this country. America - baSrgrowed up around us but here We d1% Twin back in old Holland three hundred years ago. It don't set good. We see lots O people that don't have to be slaves. They own their land an they ain't worked any harder than we have or been any more Savin'. That's why I say we can't pay the rents no more an ye mustn't try to make us. By hokey nettie! You'll have trouble If ye do."
 The truth had flashed upon me out of the words of this simple man. Un- til then I had heard only one side of the case. If I were to be the servant of justice. as MT. Wright had advised. what was I to do? These tenants had Deen Grimshawed and were being Grimshawed out of the just fruits of their toll by the feudaI chief whose remote ancestor had been a kings fa- vorite. For half a moment I watched the wavering needle of my compass and then:
 "If what you say is true I think you are right" I said.
 "I don't agree with you," said young Iatour. "The patroons have a clear title to this land. If the tenants don't want to pay the rents they ought to get out and make way for others"
 Look here, young man, my name is Josiah Curtis," said the stranger. q live in the first house on the right hand side O the road. You may tell the judge that I won't pay rent no more-not as long as I live-and won't git ont. either"
 'Mr, Latour you and Purvis may 20 on slowly-Ill overtake you soon." I said.
 They went on and left me alone with Curtis. He was getting excited and I wished to allay his fears.
 Don't let him try to serve no writs or there'll be hell to pay in this val ley" said Curtis.
 "In that case I shall not try to serve the writs. I don't want to stir up the neighborhood, but want to know the facts. I shall try to see other tenants and report what they say. It may lead to settlement"
 We went on together to the top of the hill near which we had been stand ing. Far ahead I saw a cloud of dust but no signs of Latour and Purvis. They must have spurred their horses into run. The fear came to me that Latour would try to serve the writs in spite of me. They were in his pocket. What a fool had been not to call for them. My companion saw the look of concern in my face.
 q don't like that young feller," said Curtis. He's in fer trouble"
 He ran toward his house, which was cnly a few rods beyond us, while I started on in pursuit of the two men at top speed; Before my horse had taken a dozen jumps I heard horn blowing behind me and its echo in the hills. Within half moment dozen horns were sounding in the valleys around me. What contrast to the quiet in which we had been riding was this pandemonium which had broken loose in the countryside. A little ahead co,ld coo mon rrnninp Out of the