"Very well," I said, "it"s for you and your neighbors to show now how much grit and manhood you have. I shall start for Bagley"s house at nine to-morrow. Of course I shall be glad to have company, and if he sees that the people will not stand any more of his rascality, he"ll be more apt to behave himself or else clear out."
"He"ll have to do one or the other," said Mr. Jones, grimly. "I"ll go right down to Rolling"s. Come, Junior, we may want you."
At eight o"clock the next morning, a dozen men, including the constable, were in our yard. My wife whispered, "Do be prudent, Robert." She was much rea.s.sured, however, by the largeness of our force.
We soon reached the dilapidated hovel, and were so fortunate as to find Bagley and all his family at home. Although it was the busiest season, he was idle. As I led my forces straight toward the door, it was evident that he was surprised and disconcerted, in spite of his attempt to maintain a sullen and defiant aspect. I saw his evil eye resting on one and another of our group, as if he was storing up grudges to be well paid on future dark nights. His eldest son stood with the dog at the corner of the house, and as I approached, the cur, set on by the boy, came toward me with a stealthy step. I carried a heavy cane, and just as the brute was about to take me by the leg, I struck him a blow on the head that sent him howling away.
The man for a moment acted almost as if he had been struck himself. His bloated visage became inflamed, and he sprang toward me.
"Stop!" I thundered. My neighbors closed around me, and he instinctively drew back.
"Bagley," I cried, "look me in the eye." And he fixed upon me a gaze full of impotent anger. "Now," I resumed, "I wish you and your family to understand that you"ve come to the end of your rope. You must become decent, law-abiding people, like the rest of us, or we shall put you where you can"t harm us. I, for one, am going to give you a last chance. Your children were stealing my fruit last night, and acting shamefully afterward. You also trespa.s.sed, and you threatened these two boys; you are idle in the busiest time, and think you can live by plunder. Now, you and yours must turn the sharpest corner you ever saw.
Your two eldest children can come and pick berries for me at the usual wages, if they obey my orders and behave themselves. One of the neighbors here says he"ll give you work, if you try to do it well. If you accept these terms, I"ll let the past go. If you don"t, I"ll have the constable arrest your boy at once, and I"ll see that he gets the heaviest sentence the law allows, while if you or your children make any further trouble, I"ll meet you promptly in every way the law permits. But, little as you deserve it, I am going to give you and your family one chance to reform, before proceeding against you. Only understand one thing, I am not afraid of you. I"ve had my say."
"I haven"t had mine," said Rollins, stepping forward excitedly. "You, or your scapegrace boy there, robbed my hen-roost the other night, and you"ve robbed it before. There isn"t a man in this region but believes that it was you who burned the barns and hay-stacks. We won"t stand this nonsense another hour. You"ve got to come to my hay-fields and work out the price of those chickens, and after that I"ll give you fair wages. But if there"s any more trouble, we"ll clean you out as we would a family of weasels."
"Yes, neighbor Bagley," added Mr. Jones, in his dry, caustic way, "think soberly. I hope you are sober. I"m not one of the threatening barkin" sort, but I"ve reached the p"int where I"ll bite. The law will protect us, an" the hull neighborhood has resolved, with Mr. Durham here, that you and your children shall make no more trouble than he and his children. See?"
"Look-a-here," began the man, bl.u.s.teringly, "you needn"t come threatenin" in this blood-and-thunder style. The law"ll protect me as well as--"
Ominous murmurs were arising from all my neighbors, and Mr. Jones now came out strong.
"Neighbors," he said, "keep cool. The time to act hasn"t come yet. See here, Bagley, it"s hayin" and harvest. Our time"s vallyble, whether yours is or not. You kin have just three minutes to decide whether you"ll take your oath to stop your maraudin" and that of your children;" and he pulled out his watch.
"Let me add my word," said a little man, stepping forward. "I own this house, and the rent is long overdue. Follow neighbor Jones"s advice or we"ll see that the sheriff puts your traps out in the middle of the road."
"Oh, of course," began Bagley. "What kin one feller do against a crowd?"
"Sw"ar, as I told you," said Mr. Jones, sharply and emphatically. "What do you mean by hangin" fire so? Do you s"pose this is child"s play and make-believe? Don"t ye know that when quiet, peaceable neighbors git riled up to our pitch, they mean what they say? Sw"ar, as I said, and be mighty sudden about it."
"Don"t be a fool," added his wife, who stood trembling behind him.
"Can"t you see?"
"Very well, I sw"ar it," said the man, in some trepidation.
"Now, Bagley," said Mr. Jones, putting back his watch, "we want to convert you thoroughly this mornin". The first bit of mischief that takes place in this borough will bring the weight of the law on you;"
and, wheeling on his heel, he left the yard, followed by the others.
CHAPTER x.x.xIV
GIVEN A CHANCE
"Come in, Mr. Bagley," I said, "and bring the children. I want to talk with you all. Merton, you go home with Junior."
"But, papa--" he objected.
"Do as I bid you," I said, firmly, and I entered the squalid abode.
The man and the children followed me wonderingly. I sat down and looked the man steadily in the eye for a moment.
"Let us settle one thing first," I began. "Do you think I am afraid of you?"
"S"pose not, with sich backin" as yer got," was the somewhat nervous reply.
"I told Mr. Jones after I came home last night that I should fight this thing alone if no one stood by me. But you see that your neighbors have reached the limit of forbearance. Now, Mr. Bagley, I didn"t remain to threaten you. There has been enough of that, and from very resolute, angry men, too. I wish to give you and yours a chance. You"ve come to a place where two roads branch; you must take one or the other. You can"t help yourself. You and your children won"t be allowed to steal or prowl about any more. That"s settled. If you go away and begin the same wretched life elsewhere, you"ll soon reach the same result; you and your son will be lodged in jail and put at hard labor. Would you not better make up your mind to work for yourself and family, like an honest man? Look at these children. How are you bringing them up?--Take the road to the right. Do your level best, and I"ll help you. I"ll let bygones be bygones, and aid you in becoming a respectable citizen."
"Oh, Hank, do be a man, now that Mr. Durham gives you a chance," sobbed his wife; "you know we"ve been living badly."
"That"s it, Bagley. These are the questions you must decide. If you"ll try to be a man, I"ll give you my hand to stand by you. My religion, such as it is, requires that I shall not let a man go wrong if I can help it. If you"ll take the road to the right and do your level best, there"s my hand."
The man showed his emotion by a slight tremor only, and after a moment"s thoughtful hesitation he took my hand and said, in a hoa.r.s.e, choking voice: "You"ve got a claim on me now which all the rest couldn"t git, even if they put a rope around my neck. I s"pose I have lived like a brute, but I"ve been treated like one, too."
"If you"ll do as I say, I"ll guarantee that within six months you"ll be receiving all the kindness that a self-respecting man wants," I answered.
Then, turning to his wife, I asked, "What have you in the house to eat?"
"Next to nothin"," she said, drying her eyes with her ap.r.o.n, and then throwing open their bare cupboard.
"Put on your coat, Bagley, and come with me," I said.
He and his wife began to be profuse with thanks.
"No, no!" I said, firmly. "I"m not going to give you a penny"s worth of anything while you are able to earn a living. You shall have food at once; but I shall expect you to pay for it in work. I am going to treat you like a man and a woman, and not like beggars."
A few minutes later, some of the neighbors were much surprised to see Bagley and myself going up the road together.
My wife, Merton, and tender-hearted Mousie were at the head of the lane watching for me. Rea.s.sured, as we approached, they returned wonderingly to the house, and met us at the door.
"This is Mrs. Durham," I said. "My dear, please give Mr. Bagley ten pounds of flour and a piece of pork. After you"re had your dinner, Mr.
Bagley, I shall expect you, as we"ve agreed. And if you"ll chain up that dog of yours, or, better still, knock it on the head with an axe, Mrs. Durham will go down and see your wife about fixing up your children."
Winifred gave me a pleased, intelligent look, and said, "Come in, Mr.
Bagley;" while Merton and I hastened away to catch up with neglected work.
"Your husband"s been good to me," said the man, abruptly.
"That"s because he believes you are going to be good to yourself and your family," was her smiling reply.
"Will you come and see my wife?" he asked.
"Certainly, if I don"t have to face your dog," replied Winifred.
"I"ll kill the critter soon"s I go home," muttered Bagley.
"It hardly pays to keep a big, useless dog," was my wife"s practical comment.