As the enemy drew off, hundreds climbed down into the road and crowded around the pools of blood, gazing but saying little. XII. The assailants returned to Nansclowan, where the Sheriff opened his mind to Sir John in a bitter harangue and rode homeward in dudgeon. The soldiers were marched back to Pendennis. And so, to the scandal of the law, for four months the quarrel rested. It sounds incredible. Sir James reached his house and spent a week in drawing up a report alleging that he and his twenty soldiers had been met by a crowd of over a thousand people, all partisans of Stephen; and that on attempting a forcible entry of Steens he had been murderously fired upon, with the loss of two killed and one wounded. There was not an incorrect statement in the report; and no one could read it without gathering that the whole of West Cornwall was up in arms and in open rebellion against the Crown. Walpole read it in due course, and sent for Sir John Piers, who had returned to London for a short visit on parliamentary business. The two men (you will remember) were deadly political foes, and Sir John's first thought on receiving the message was, "Walpole is weakening, but he must be hard put to it when he sends for _me_, to bribe me!" However, he waited on the Minister. Walpole greeted him with a pleasant bow: he had always a soft spot in his heart for the chubby-faced little Cornish baronet who always fought fair. "Let us be friends for ten minutes and talk like men of sense," said he. "Cast your eye over this paper and tell me, for the love of Heaven, what it means." Sir John read it through and burst out laughing. "The poor man has lost his head, hey? I guessed so," said Walpole. "A reed shaken by the wind. As such he advertised an exhibition and the folks came out to see--that is all. To be sure, they feel for this Stephen as an ill-used man; and so for that matter do I." "You were present. Tell me the whole story, if you will." So Sir John told it and put it back into its true colours. "As for open rebellion, I'll engage to set down what I've told you in a report which shall be signed by every Justice between Truro and the Land's End." "I don't need it," said Walpole. "But, when all's said, the fellow has defied the law and slaughtered two men. We must make an example of him. You agree, of course?" "In due time I shall plead for mercy. But of course I agree." "Well, then, what do you advise?" "Wait." "Hey?" "He won't run. I--well, in fact, I could have shipped him off before this happened, and tried to persuade him to go." "The deuce you did!" "Yes, but he refused. And he won't budge now. My advice is--wait, and pick a strong sheriff for next year. There's a neighbour of Tillie's-- William Symons, of Hatt--you had best choose someone who doesn't belong to our neighbourhood, for many reasons." The minister nodded. "Symons won't drop the business until he has pushed it through."