When Harnden wheeled the horse and returned he perceived a dooryard group which he had affected not to see a few moments before. There were Jared Sparks Grant, his son, his womenfolks, his hired man; Mr. Harnden recognized all of them, of course. He also recognized Deputy-sheriff Wagner Dowd from the shire town. Dowd had a couple of helpers with him. It was plain that the shotgun which had halted Mr. Harnden had been very nigh at hand and ready for use; there was a look about the folks in the dooryard which suggested an armed truce, now prolonged, for the handling of the new arrival. “Don't you realize what's going on here?” demanded Selectman Grant, his weapon in the hook of his arm. “No!” asserted Mr. Harnden. “I know a blamed sight better! You can't look at this deputy sheriff without turning redder than one of the apples in that fake picture book of yours. You know what you have been doing in this town.” The selectman's tone was offensively harsh and loud. Mr. Harnden was moved to show a little spirit, having been cornered--and feeling protected by the presence of an officer of the law. “I have been doing business!” “Scooping in town orders, you mean!” “Taking them in the due course of my business, Mr. Selectman. I had a right to do it!” “And what did you do with those orders?” “I passed them on--still in the course of my business.” “And you don't know into whose hands they have come?” “Oh no!” The selectman stepped close to the carriage and brandished his gun. “While this town was staggering along, trying to find a way out, only a hellion would take and make a club out of those orders and hit us the last and final clip with 'em. You've done it, Harnden! For the sake of the dirty money you've done it. They were letting those orders rest easy till we could 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.”