ious judges tried everything in
their power in the way of counsel, advising Cabesang Tales to pay
the rent demanded. But Tales, like all simple souls, once he had
seen what was just, went straight toward it. He demanded proofs,
documents, papers, title-deeds, but the friars had none of these,
resting their case on his concessions in the past.

Cabesang Tales' constant reply was: "If every day I give alms to a
beggar to escape annoyance, who will oblige me to continue my gifts
if he abuses my generosity?"

From this stand no one could draw him, nor were there any threats that
could intimidate him. In vain Governor M---- made a trip expressly
to talk to him and frighten him. His reply to it all was: "You may
do what you like, Mr. Governor, I'm ignorant and powerless. But I've
cultivated those fields, my wife and daughter died while helping me
clear them, and I won't give them up to any one but him who can do
more with them than I've done. Let him first irrigate them with his
blood and bury in them his wife and daughter!"

The upshot of this obstinacy was that the honorable judges gave the
decision to the friars, and everybody laughed at him, saying that
lawsuits are not won by justice. But Cabesang Tales appealed, loaded
his shotgun, and patrolled his fields with deliberation.

During this period his life seemed to be a wild dream. His son,
Tano, a youth as tall as his father and as good as his sister, was
conscripted, but he let the boy go rather than purchase a substitute.

"I have to pay the lawyers," he told his weeping daughter. "If I win
the case I'll find a way to get him back, and if I lose it I won't
have any need for sons."

So the son went away and nothing more was heard of him except that his
hair had been cropped and that he slept under a cart. Six months later
it was rumored that he had been seen embarking for the Carolines;
another report was that he had been seen in the uniform of the
Civil Guard.

"Tano in the Civil Guard! _'Susmariosep_!" exclaimed several, clasping
their hands. "Tano, who was so good and so honest! _Requimternam!_"

The grandfather went many days without speaking to the father, Juli
fell sick, but Cabesang Tales did not shed a single tear, although for
two days he never left the house, as if he feared the looks of reproach
from the whole village or that he would be called the executioner of
his son. But on the third day he again sallied forth with his shotgun.

Murderous inte