The Unknown Wrestler Part 44

"Certainly. But let us do nothing hastily. Let me think this over to-night, and we can discuss it again in the morning. You have told me so much that I am anxious to consider every point very carefully. Will that do?"

Further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Mrs. Garton.

She was delighted to see Douglas, and at once began to question him about his adventures at Rixton.

"Let us have a cup of cocoa first, Kit," her husband suggested. "And a piece of your nice cake, too," he added.

"Starving as usual," Mrs. Garton smilingly replied. "Didn't you have your dinner?"

"Why, yes, but it's nearly eleven now, and you promised to be home at ten."

When the cocoa had been made and brought into the study, Mrs. Garton looked quizzically at Douglas.

"If I met you on the street I would not recognise you," she remarked.

"So that's the way you treat your friends, is it!" her husband bantered.

"Oh, I don't mean that, Charles," she protested. "But I never saw Mr.

Stanton dressed that way before."

"No wonder you wouldn't recognise me," Douglas smilingly replied. "It is a splendid disguise at times. Even Dr. Rannage didn't know me when he came to Rixton."

"What, were you at that meeting?" Garton asked.

"So you heard of it, then?"

"Sure. Why, Dr. Rannage was furious when he came home, and at a recent session of the Board of Missions he expressed his opinion in no uncertain manner, so I understand."

"And he is not over it yet," Mrs. Garton remarked. "I was talking to him for a while to-night, and he told me about his terrible experience up there. He said that it was not a fit place to send any man, and that the people were most ignorant and uncouth."

"They were too much for Dr. Rannage, though," Douglas replied. He then told them in detail about the meeting that night at the Corner. "Dr.

Rannage made a fool of himself," he said in conclusion. "He was not the proper person to send there."

"Won't you tell me something about Rixton?" Mrs. Garton asked, "and what you have been doing since you left the city?"

"Tell her about your wrestling bout with Jake Jukes," Garton suggested, "and the widow and her news-bag of a son, and also about the old shoemaker and his wayward daughter. Yes, and about the old professor and his daughters."

"You have given me a big contract," Douglas laughingly replied.

"I know I have, but Kit must hear it."

It was late when the three at last rose to retire. But Douglas did not mind, for he was glad to have such interested listeners. But the part of his story that was nearest his heart he did not tell. Not even to the Gartons would he reveal his love for Nell, and all that she meant to him.

Douglas walked with Garton down the street the next morning toward the lawyer's office.

"Well, what is your decision as to the Stubbles' affair?" the latter asked. "I suppose you have it all cut and dried."

"Not altogether," was the reply. "I spent much of the night thinking it over, but am not fully decided yet. But there is one thing I would like you to do."

"What is that?"

"Come to Rixton and let us both meet Stubbles and have it out with him.

What do you think of the idea?"

"It is a good one, and it has been in my mind ever since you told me your story last night."

"When can you come? To-day? I am going back this afternoon."

"I cannot go until to-morrow. I shall go in my auto in the morning and not bother with the train."

"Come right to Jake Jukes' house and I shall get Mrs. Jukes to have dinner ready. I know it will be a good one, so bring your appet.i.te with you. Don't be too late."

"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."

"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 pa.s.s for a man any time."

"I'd be ashamed to be like you, Ben," was the retort. "You haven't enough s.p.u.n.k to be in the catalogue of men."

"Maybe not, but I get there just the same. What about last night?"