"Oh, he'll be out of the place soon," Stubbles senior replied. "You'll attend to him, Squire, won't you?" and he winked at Hawkins across the room.
The storekeeper grinned in reply. He was greatly pleased at the way he had managed affairs at the trial, and had no fear of the people so long as he had the Stubbles with him.
"They're all beasts and should be soundly whipped," Miss Mehetibel proclaimed. "Oh, if I were only a man!"
"Cut your hair and change your clothes, Hettie," her brother sarcastically replied, "and you'll pass for a man any time."
"I'd be ashamed to be like you, Ben," was the retort. "You haven't enough spunk to be in the catalogue of men."
"Maybe not, but I get there just the same. What about last night?"
"Oh, that's not ended yet. That indignation meeting may amount to something after all."
"Not a bit of it. It'll all end in talk. Why, the people in this parish haven't the spunk of chickens when a hawk is after them. Dad's the hawk in this case, and they're frightened to death of him. Come, girls, let's go for a spin."
If Ben Stubbles had only known what was really taking place in Rixton he would not have spoken so contemptuously about the people of the parish. The intense feeling which pervaded the community that day was ominous. Neighbours neglected their work as never before, and met in twos and threes near their line fences to discuss the one big question of the day. That they were determined to stand by Jake was most evident, and they impatiently waited for word that would stir them to action.
Their anger was further roused when they learned of what Ben had done to Jean Benton at Long Wharf. This was due to Empty, and the startling news spread from house to house with mysterious rapidity. No one doubted it for an instant, for Empty himself had heard it from Jean's own lips, and that settled it so far as the people were concerned. It was this which removed the last particle of hesitation in the mind of any one as to the necessity of action. When at last word came from Jake to be ready that night, the men were as one in their grim determination to take matters into their own hands.