"Jenkins does not go out till March, and in the meanwhile he is claiming compensation for damages."
"We can easily deal with him. He won't go to law; he is too poor, and has too genuine a horror of lawyers. So he will submit his claim to arbitration."
"But even with Jenkins out of the way, and ourselves installed as farmers, we are still in a very awkward plight. Suppose St. Goram really contests this right of way—which was never hinted at till now—he can virtually ruin us with law costs."
"He would never be so mean as to attempt it."
Ralph laughed bitterly.
"My dear fellow," he said, "I can see clearly enough there is going to be an organised attempt to crush us. As for the question of meanness, that will never be considered for a moment. We are regarded as interlopers who have been guilty of sharp practice. Hence, we must not only be checkmated, but ground into powder."
"They haven't done it yet," William said, with a cheerful smile, "and I'm not going to say die till I'm dead."
Ralph laughed again, and a little less bitterly than before. William's hopefulness was not without its influence upon him.
For a while there was silence, then William spoke again.
"Look here, Ralph," he said; "strength will have to be met with strength. The strong too often know nothing of either mercy or justice. One does not like to say such a thing, or even think it, but this is no time for sentiment."