The Buccaneer Farmer, page 79 by Harold Bindloss
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he imagined he could rob us as he liked, and since he has forced us into the quarrel, my notion is we ought to fight it out."
Peter looked surprised, but did not speak, and there was silence for a few moments. Then one said:
"I'm with Kit. We'll hoad on until Bell comes doon seven-and-six. If he does, we'll talk aboot it again."
After some argument, the rest agreed, and when they went away Peter turned to his son.
"Mayhappen you've sent them t' right road, but I dinna ken! I'm none fond o' fratching, unless I'm forced."
"We are forced," Kit answered moodily.
Peter gave him a keen glance and then spread out his hands.
"It's possible. For aw that, it wadn't ha' done much harm to give t' man his chance o' makin' peace."
Kit did not answer, but went out, and Askew sat by the fire with a thoughtful look. Something had happened to the lad, and Peter wondered what it was. He felt vaguely disturbed, but could see no light.
CHAPTER XI
OSBORN'S PRIDE GETS HURT
Soon after the farmers met at Ashness, Bell, feeling sore and resentful, sat one evening in the Tarnside library. Osborn, after fixing a time for his visit, had kept him waiting twenty minutes, and Bell had come to think himself a man of a little importance. The spacious library was very cold and the end of a small log smouldered among the ashes in the grate. Bell knew he had been brought into the library because it was Osborn's business room; but the latter might have ordered the fire to be made up.
His neglect rankled, although Bell had something else to think about. He had lowered his price for coal another shilling, without attracting buyers, and now admitted that the dales folks' resistance was getting dangerous. To some extent, the Askews were accountable for this, but Osborn got a large share of the profit Bell had hoped to make. One did not pay a high rent for nothing. By and by Bell looked at Hayes, who stood