"Oh, I'll be on time. When we get through with Stubbles, I want to have a few words with Squire Hawkins. We mustn't let him off too easily."
CHAPTER XXVII
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
It had taken the people of Rixton a long time to oppose the overbearing tyranny of Simon Stubbles and his family. It really began that afternoon at the close of the so-called trial. The men were incensed as never before, and talked and threatened in an alarming manner. Even then, nothing of a definite nature might have been done but for the leadership of Jake Jukes. He was slow to arouse to a pitch of fury, but when once stirred he was a formidable opponent, and this all knew. His affection for Douglas was something remarkable, and his wife had at times bantered him about thinking more of his hired help than he did of her. Douglas' courage in facing the Stubbles, combined with his ability as a wrestler, was what appealed to Jake, and when he saw what a miserable farce Squire Hawkins was making of the trial, and listened to Ben Stubbles' blasphemous denial of all connection with the night attack, his anger rose to white heat.
For a while he remained silent at the close of the trial, and merely listened to what the men were saying. He heard all kinds of suggestions and wild talk. Some advocated burning out the Stubbles, mill and house, and driving them from the parish. Others were for horse-whipping Ben and Squire Hawkins, while one went so far as to suggest that they hang Ben to the limb of a tree. Jake knew that all this talk would amount to nothing without a leader, and if no one else would act, he would. Quickly mounting a bench, he ordered the men to be silent.
"Ye'r all talkin' like a bunch of kids," he chided. "Let's git down to business, an' do something. I don't want this to end in nuthin' but talk as in the past. It's now or never. I'm willin' to lead an' take the hull blame, if yez don't funk on me at the last minute."
"Good fer you, Jake," several shouted. "We'll stand by ye, never fear."
"All right, then," Jake replied, "I'll bank on yez all. But yez better go home now an' think this all over, an' what is more important, keep ye'r tongues still an' don't blab this all over the place. When I want yez, I'll send fer yez, an' not before."
The Stubbles family were at their late breakfast the next morning when news reached them about the indignation meeting in the hall the previous evening. It was Squire Hawkins who told them. He had received the information from an early caller at the store. All the Stubbles considered the affair a huge joke excepting Miss Mehetibel. She was angry and expressed her views in a most caustic manner.
"It's that horrid fiddler," she declared, "who is at the bottom of all this. Pa, I don't understand why you allow him to remain in the parish."