The landlord soon arrived, and the company were shown into a private room; Witherington, upon pretence of being a friend of one of the farmers, and a lawyer, accompanied them. He requested a sight of the last receipts, and examined them with great care, and then addressing the landlord, “Sir,” said he, “these honest men, my friends, have been your tenants for a long time, and have paid their rents very regularly; but why they should be so fond of your farms at so high a rent I am unable to comprehend, when they may get other lands much cheaper; and that you should be so unreasonable as not to allow a reduction in their rents in a season like this, when they must lose instead of gaining by their farms. It is your duty, sir, to encourage them, and not to grind them so unmercifully, else they will soon be obliged to leave your farms altogether.” The landlord endeavored to argue the point; and the farmers seeing the drift of Witherington, refrained from interfering. “It is unnecessary,” resumed Witherington, “to have more parley about it; I insist, on behalf of my friends here, that you remit them a hundred and fifty pounds of the three hundred you expect them to pay you, for I am told you have more than enough to support yourself and family.” “Not a sous,” replied the landlord. “We’ll try that presently. But pray, sir, take your pen, ink, and paper, in the mean time, and write out their receipts, and the money shall be forthcoming immediately.” “Not a letter, till the money is in my hands.” “It must be so, then,” answered Witherington; “you will force a good-natured man to use extremities with you;” and so saying, he laid a brace of loaded pistols on the table. In a moment the landlord was on his knees, crying, “Oh! dear sir, sweet sir, kind sir, merciful sir, for God of Heaven’s sake, sir, don’t take away the life of an innocent man, sir, who never intended harm to any one, sir.” “Why, what harm do I intend you, friend? Cannot I lay the pistols I travel with on the table, but you must throw yourself into this unnecessary fear? Pray, proceed with the receipts, and write them in full of all demands to this time, or else--”--“Oh, God, sir! Oh, dear sir! you have an intention--pray, dear sir, have no intention against my life.” “To the receipts then, or by Jupiter Ammon! I’ll--”--“O yes, I will, sir.” With this the old landlord wrote full receipts, and delivered them to the respective farmers. “Come,” said Witherington, “this is honest, and to show you that you have to deal with honest people, here is the hundred and fifty pounds; and I promise you, in the name of these honest men, that if things succeed well, you shall have the other half next quarter-day.” The farmers paid the money, and departed astonished, and not a little afraid, at the consequences of this proceeding. Witherington ordered his horse, and inquired of the ostler the road the old gentleman had to travel, and presently took his departure.