Higgins argued, and justly, that although the Major was in all probability a fraud, not even a lawyer could get water out of a stone, and that when a man had nothing, suing him was a waste of time and cash.
"Besides," he said, "there's just a chance that he may have attorneys and property somewheres else.

Let's write him a letter and every one of us sign it, tellin' him that we'll call on him Tuesday night expectin' to be paid in full.

If we call and don't get any satisfaction, why, we ain't any worse off, and then we can--well, run him out of town, if nothin' more." So the letter was written and signed by every man there.

It was a long list of signatures and an alarming total of indebtedness.

The letter was posted that night.
The days that followed seemed long to Obed.