on
horseback, and had just dined at the Abbey with Sir Arthur Somers.
The Abbey had until lately belonged to Sir Arthur's elder brother,
but now that he was dead, Sir Arthur owned the estate.

Attorney Case had looked after the property for the elder brother, and
was anxious to be employed by Sir Arthur. There were many farms on the
estate, and it had been part of the Attorney's work to look after the
repairs and to collect the rents. Unfortunately, he had an unpleasant
way of dealing with the farmers, ordering them as he had no right to
do, and being harsh with those who, through misfortune, had not enough
money to to pay their rent in full. As the Attorney met Farmer Price
he stopped him, saying, "A word with you, Farmer Price, if you please.
Walk alongside my horse, and listen. You know the field with the pink
hawthorn where the village children play? I am going to add it to my
garden. I hear you say it does not belong to me. What do you mean by
that?"

"I mean what I say," said Price; "the field is not yours." So angry
was the Attorney on hearing this, that he at once made up his mind to
hurt the farmer as much as he could.

"My good man," he said, "you will remember that a fortnight ago I lent
you nine guineas. To-morrow morning you must return them to me."

"Those guineas," replied the farmer, "I paid, as you know, to the man
who said he would go instead of me to be trained as a soldier. But he
has not yet gone, and I can still get the guineas back from him and go
myself to be trained."

The Attorney was not prepared for this answer. "I do not want to drive
you to that," he said, pretending to be kind. "Now about the
field--you do not want to add it to the farm, do you?"

"Certainly not, for it is not mine."

"Then why object to my having it?"

"Because it is not yours. The children who play there have the right.
It belongs to the village. Truth is truth."

"And a debt is a debt," shouted the angry Attorney, "and must be paid.
Bring me my nine guineas!"

With a heavy heart Farmer Price walked on. He passed the door of his
cottage and went in search of the man to whom he had paid the money.
The man was quite willing to return it, as there were many others, he
said, who would be willing to give him the same sum or more for his
services. The moment Price got the money he took it straight to Mr.
Case, laid it on his desk and was going away, when the Attorney called
out, "Not so fast, you have forgotten yo