KNUCKLING UNDER
Simon Stubbles was very angry at what had taken place the previous
evening. He was troubled, as well, over his financial difficulties,
for he knew that if he could not raise the ten thousand dollars he was
a ruined man. Even now he was aware that his influence in Rixton was
waning, and what would it be if the crash should come? He had
dominated the people because of his position and supposed wealth. They
had bowed to his slightest will, and had allowed him to rule. But now
they were taking matters into their own hands, and had inflicted a most
humiliating punishment upon his only son.
Squire Hawkins was in the room with him this morning, and had related
in detail what had happened to Ben.
"It is most disgraceful, sir, and you must punish the ringleaders at
once," he told him. "That will teach the others a lesson."
"And who are the ringleaders?" Stubbles asked.
"Why, you know, don't you? They are Jake Jukes and Tom Totten; both
very dangerous men."
"And who put them up to the job?"
"Did any one?"
"Certainly. It was Jake's hired man; he's the one who did it."
"But he was in the city, so I understand, and didn't get back until the
deed was about done."
"H'm," and Stubbles gave a grunt of disgust, "he was the chief mover in
the affair, mark my word. I've had my eye on that fellow ever since he
came to the place. He's a stirrer up of trouble. I knew it from the
first, and did my best to get rid of him, but he defied me and has
remained, notwithstanding my orders for him to leave."
"Then it will be necessary to make an example of him, sir," the Squire
replied. "Just say the word, and I shall have him brought before me."
At that instant the door-bell rang, and a few seconds later Douglas and
Charles Garton were ushered into the room. Both Stubbles and the
Squire sprang to their feet when they beheld the very man they had been
denouncing. Stubbles was about to launch forth in hot, angry words
when his eye rested upon the lawyer. In an instant his manner changed,
and, ignoring Douglas, he rushed forward and seized Garton by the hand.
"This is a very pleasant surprise," he cried. "I had no idea that you
were in the place. Allow me to introduce my friend, Squire Hawkins."
Though outwardly affable, both Stubbles and the Squire were very uneasy
at the arrival of Jake's hired man in company with the ablest lawyer in
the city. What does it mean? each asked himself, and anxiously awaited
further developments.
"I have come to see you on special business, Mr. Stubbles," the lawyer
began, "and as my time is limited, I wish to discuss the matter with
you at once."
"Why, certainly," Stubbles returned. "We can be as private here as
anywhere, sir. Your--er--companion can wait for you at the store."
"No, I wish him to stay where he is," Garton replied.
"Do you wish Squire Hawkins to remain, too?" Stubbles anxiously
enquired.
"That is for you to decide. It is immaterial to me, at present,
whether he goes or stay, though I wish to speak to him later."
"He might as well remain, then," Stubbles replied. "We have been bosom
friends for years, and I always take him into my confidence. He is a
man to be relied upon."
"I shall come to the point at once, Mr. Stubbles," the lawyer began.
"You have written to me telling of your financial difficulties, and
asking for a loan of ten thousand dollars."
Squire Harkins stared in amazement at these words. His weak lower jaw
dropped, and his mouth flew suddenly open. This was certainly a
remarkable revelation.
"But before I go further," the lawyer continued, "I would like to know
the cause of your unfortunate situation. It is a great surprise, for
you have been doing a big business."
"I know it," and Stubbles' eyes dropped. "I would not be in this
position to-day but for my family. My daughters, I regret to say, have
not been as careful as they might have been, but my son is really the
one who has ruined me. He has spent my money lavishly and
extravagantly, and though I have reasoned with him many a time, it was
to no avail. I know I have been weak, and the money that should have
been used in connection with my business has gone to him. There, you
have my confession, sir," and the unhappy man mopped his forehead with
his handkerchief.
"And ten thousand dollars will tide you over the trouble, do you
think?" Garton asked.
"I am sure of it."
"And what about your son? Will any of it go to him?"
"Not a cent. I am done with him as far as money matters are concerned.
He must look out for himself after this. I have been taught a severe
lesson."
"And suppose I do not get the money for you, what then?"
"I am ruined."
"Can you not get it elsewhere?"
"No, not that amount. I have tried and failed. Six thousand was the
best any one would do. I hope you can favour me, sir," and Stubbles
turned his eyes beseechingly upon the lawyer's face.
"It all depends upon my young friend here," Garton replied, "and that
is the reason why I have asked him to remain in the room."
"It depends upon him!" Stubbles exclaimed in astonishment, as he looked
toward Douglas. "I do not understand your meaning, sir."
"You know him, then?"
"Yes, I have met him several times. He is Jake Jukes' hired man, so I
understand."
"And he is the man you have been persecuting ever since he came to this
place. Why was that?"
"There was no persecution, I assure you," Stubbles hotly defended. "He
made himself most obnoxious to people in general, and for the welfare
of the community I ordered him to leave the parish."
"In what way did he make himself obnoxious?"
"He insulted my son one night at a quiet dance in the hall at the
Corner, and broke up the gathering."
"And what was your son doing? How did he behave that night? Did you
ever think of that?"
As Stubbles did not reply but dropped his eyes to the floor, Douglas
turned upon him.
"It was your son, Ben, who made the trouble that night, Mr. Stubbles,"
he charged. "He acted more like a beast than a human being, and
because I interfered and checked him, he started out to have revenge.
And how did he do it? In a manly way? Oh, no. He persuaded you to
order me from the place, and when I refused to obey, he set men to
waylay me at night along the road. He even gave the men liquor to
induce them to carry out his evil designs, and then at the trial he
blasphemously denied it all. And you," he added, turning to Squire
Hawkins, "allowed British justice to be perverted."
"Are you not afraid to make such a charge as that, young man?" the
Squire pompously asked. "Do you not already realise the danger you are
in from last night's affair? How can you account for that?"
"Yes, that's what I want to know," Stubbles questioned. "Did you not
stir up Jake Jukes and others to set upon my son and treat him in a
most shameful manner?"
"I knew nothing at all about it," Douglas explained, "until my arrival
from the city last night."
"You lie!" and Stubbles stamped furiously upon the floor. "Do you
expect me or any one else to believe such a thing as that?"
"Ask Jake and the rest of the men. They know that I had nothing to do
with the affair."
"I wouldn't believe what they said if they swore to it on all the
Bibles in the world. They are nothing but a pack of curs, and I'll fix
them, see if I don't."
"You will do nothing of the kind, Mr. Stubbles," the lawyer quietly
remarked. "If you do, not a cent of money do you get from me."
"Keep your money, then," Stubbles retorted. "I'm not going to be
brow-beaten by you or any one else, and especially by a farm-hand. I
shall get along somehow, but I will have satisfaction for the injury
that was committed last night. Ben is my son, and I am going to stand
by him no matter what happens."
"Steady, Mr. Stubbles, steady," the lawyer advised. "You must not talk
that way. You are not out of deep water yet."
"I will stay in, then, and you can all go to blazes. You want me to
back down and say I have been in the fault. But you've got the wrong
bull by the horns this time."
"Am I to understand, then, that you will not need the ten thousand
dollars from me?" Garton asked.
"No, not under your conditions. You want me to apologise to him," and
he nodded toward Douglas. "If I do, you'll let me have the money. Is
that it?"
"Mr.--er--Handyman, can speak for himself," Garton replied.
"I am not thinking so much of myself, Mr. Stubbles," Douglas told him,
"as of the parish in general. If you agree not to act like a tyrant in
the future and not to meddle in Church matters, and stop persecuting
every clergyman who comes here unless he bows to your slightest wish,
then I am satisfied."
"Do you think I am a fool?" Stubbles flung back. "What impudence!
Why, I never heard the like of it before! And I won't allow it! You
can go, both of you. I'll attend to my own affairs, sink or swim."
Stubbles rose to his feet, signifying that the discussion was at an end.
"So you don't want the money, then?" Garton asked.
"No, and that's the end of it."
"Very well," and the lawyer rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner,
"that's settled. And you intend to prosecute the men who took part in
last night's affair?"
"Yes, to the limit of the law, especially that man there," and Stubbles
pointed his finger scornfully at Douglas. "He was at the bottom of the
trouble, and he shall suffer for it."
"Well, look here, Mr. Stubbles," and Garton rose suddenly to his feet
as he spoke, "I warn you that the moment you do that, I shall have your
son arrested for attempted murder."
Had Simon Stubbles received a direct blow in the face, he would not
have been more surprised than at these words. His eyes bulged in
amazement, and he became as pale as death.
"What, what are you saying?" he gasped. "Surely you must be mistaken.
Ben, my son! attempted murder!"
"Yes, that was what he did. He pushed a woman over Long Wharf in the
city, and left her to her fate. And she would have been drowned but
for timely assistance."
"Oh, Lord!" and Stubbles buried his face in his hands. "I knew that
Ben was wild, but I had no idea he would do anything like that."
Presently he lifted his eyes to the lawyer's face.
"Are you sure it was Ben?" he asked. "There may have been a mistake.
Perhaps it was some one else."
"No, there has been no mistake. It was your son who did it; we have
good proof of that."
"And who was the woman? Much depends upon who she is. It may be a
case of black-mail."
"It was a girl from your own place, a neighbour of yours, Jean Benton."
With a gurgled groan of abandoned hope, Stubbles sank back and remained
huddled in his chair, a pitiable object of misery. The man who had
acted the tyrant for years, who hardly knew the meaning of mercy, and
had crushed all who opposed him, was now being paid back tenfold. As
he had sown, so was he reaping.
"We must go now," the lawyer reminded him, after a few seconds of
silence. "But remember, Mr. Stubbles, the instant you lay a charge
against Mr. Handyman here, or any of the men who took part in last
night's affair, you will know what to expect. And as for you, Mr.
Hawkins," and he turned to the Squire, "I shall deal with you later for
wilfully perverting justice. You acted with cowardice and partiality
at the trial, and you must put up with the consequences."
"Don't do anything, for God's sake!" Hawkins cried, now smitten with a
terrible fear. "I will do what you say, but don't take action, I
beseech you. It will ruin my business."
This was just what Garton wanted, and an amused twinkle danced in his
eyes. He hesitated, however, for a few seconds as if lost in deep
thought.
"Very well, then, Mr. Hawkins," he at length replied, "if you are
willing to make a public acknowledgment of your wrong decision, I will
take no notice this time. As you know from my record, I am not easily
turned aside when I once make up my mind. However, I will make an
exception this time, if you obey me at once."
"I will, sir, I certainly will. What shall I do?"
"Write out a plain confession of your wrong decision at the trial and
post it on the door of your store, or in some other public place, where
all can see it. That is what I demand."
"I shall do it at once, sir," came the low response. It was quite
evident that the Squire was feeling keenly his humiliation, but there
was nothing else for him to do, as he had a great fear and respect for
the lawyer standing before him.
"I am glad you are acting like a sensible man," Garton told him. "It
will save you a great deal of trouble. I must hurry away now, as it is
getting late."
"Wait a minute, sir," Stubbles ordered, as he lifted his haggard face.
"I have heard your instructions to the Squire, now what do you want me
to do?"
"Why, I thought you didn't want anything more to do with me," the
lawyer exclaimed in surprise.
"Oh, that was before I heard what Ben did at Long Wharf. I have
changed my mind in the last few minutes, and see things in a different
light. He can look out for himself and fight his own battles after
this. It's no use for me to cut off my nose to spite my face. My wife
and I will be worse than beggars, and my daughters will be thrown upon
the world helpless, if I fail in business. Extravagance has brought me
to this, and I have been taught a scorching lesson. I need that money,
sir, so go ahead and tell me what I must do. It will mean humiliation
in either case, so I might as well make the best of a nasty job."
Had Douglas been animated merely by the spirit of revenge, he would
have been more than satisfied at the outcome of this interview. But it
was only justice he wanted, and the assurance that Simon Stubbles and
Squire Hawkins would behave themselves in the future. He felt sure
that they would after this severe lesson.
"Suppose we let the matter end," he suggested to the lawyer, when
Stubbles had acknowledged his defeat. "If these men are willing to
conduct themselves properly in the future, why not give them another
chance? I am satisfied if you are."
"Just as you say," the lawyer indifferently replied, as he glanced at
his watch. "It's up to you."
"Well, let it rest at that, then. I don't wish to carry the matter any
further. Give Mr. Stubbles the money, and save him from failure."
At these words Stubbles sprang to his feet, while a new light of hope
gleamed in his eyes.
"And you won't humiliate me?" he asked. "You won't demand a public
confession?"
"Not if you agree to our wishes, and I think you understand now what
they are."
"I do, I surely do, and I shall see that they are fulfilled," he cried.
"Let us shake on it, then," and Douglas reached out his hand.
Stubbles seized it, and as he did so tears came into his eyes and
rolled down his cheeks. It was the spirit of forgiveness that had
moved him and caused his emotion.
"That is good," and Garton smiled approvingly. "I hope I shall never
be called to this parish on such a business again."
"You never will," Stubbles emphatically replied. "But come and visit
me again, sir, and bring Mr. Handyman with you. I don't think you will
find anything amiss then, eh, Hawkins?"
"Sure, sure," the Squire fervently replied, as he held out his hand to
bid Garton and Douglas good-bye. "I think that things will be
different in Rixton after this."