uld get the legislature and have things put into some
condition where we'd know what's what. Through your work some land
pirate has got hold of those town orders. There isn't a cent in the town
treasury. You know it."

He whirled away from Harnden and shook the gun at the deputy sheriff.

"I sha'n't believe your law, Dowd, till I've been and talked with Squire
Hexter."

"Go and talk! But in the meantime a good lawyer has told me what to
do and has given me the documents, and I'm not trying the case in your
dooryard. I have levied on those oxen and I shall take 'em along."

"Do you hear that, Harnden? That's what you have done to your town,"
bellowed the infuriated selectman. "He says there's a law allowing a
creditor to levy on the property of any citizen of a town to satisfy
a judgment. Judgment has been secured on those town orders. They are
jumping on me first."

"It's what the lawyer told me to do," insisted the officer. "'Start with
the selectman,' says he. 'That shows the others where they get off.'
Grant, I'm here with the papers and the right to act." He advanced close
to the selectman, waggling admonitory forefinger. "I've been excusing
your feelings. I don't blame you! This is tough. It's the penalty you
pay for living in such a town. But I don't propose to stand for any more
of that gunplay. Hand it over!"

Grant hesitated. The officer snatched away the gun, broke it down,
and pulled out the undischarged shell. He put that into his pocket and
shoved the gun under the seat of a wagon. "You can have this gun back
after the war is over. Now to business! You claim that the oxen are
exempt because you have no horses. All right! I see you have a dozen
cows. I'll take three of those. I'm fair, you see! You're only entitled
to one cow. But keep nine. I'm going to spread the thing around town
till I have enough to satisfy this judgment. It's for one hundred and
ninety dollars. What say, now? Do you want to pay a fine for obstructing
an officer?"

Selectman Grant shook his head. The flame of his rage had died down into
sullen rancor. He went along to Harnden's carriage and suddenly nipped
that gentleman's nose between toil-calloused index and middle fingers.
"They tell me there's no law against doing this," he said between his
yellow, hard-set teeth, as he twisted at the nose, while Harnden's eyes
ran water. "If there is a law, I hope you'll stay handy by in this
town and prosecute while we're heating the tar a