Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/177

 "At this Brother Remmy broke loose, and beginning with Mount Sinai flapped every legal precept that ever emerged from a bench in the court's face, and begged to inform the court, sir, that when Ethan Allen indulged in a little joke on Fort Ticonderoga the Remmy forebears were not lurking in the background. With this personal prelude he wound up with mention of the Green Mountain Boys, then quoted a section from Tom Paine's Age of Reason, and finally declared Hiram was a scalawag and a blood relation to Ananias.

"‘My clients,' he added, in a soft, hushed voice, 'are only guilty of regaining their own. For years back they trusted, to use our homely village phrase, Silas Higbutton with certain edibles and groceries and divers staples of life. As said Silas showed no inclination to liquidate his indebtedness, they levied, if it please the court, upon his live-stock just a few days before he passed on to the Final Arraignment. But justly did my clients seize upon his stock and mingle them with their own kine. Needless to say, no will or any paper has been taken, and we demand the warrant be dismissed.'

"Then Mr. Bilger thrust one hand in the bosom of his coat, and turning his watery eyes on Tib, laughed hoarsely at his fellow's audacity. 'Who spoke of papers?' he asked, shrilly, dusting his breast with his free hand. 'Who spoke of papers