"Let me explain," said Cole. "Granny, what you have there is called a promissory note. I recognized it the moment I saw it. The note promises that the Continental Congress would pay your ancestor twenty dollars a head for twenty horses. And it was signed by General George Washington."
"We knowed that all ready," said Cletus.
"Well, Mr. Mcellhenny," said Mort, "once the Revolutionary War ended and the colonies became the United States of America, the new federal government absorbed all the outstanding debts of the former Continental Congress. When General Washington signed this note he was a duly authorized representative of the Continental Congress and as such this is considered a legally binding contract on the United States Government."
"So you're saying," said Leo, "that the federal government is legally obligated to honor this debt? Even though it was incurred before the United States even existed."
"Precisely," said Mort. "The United States government is legally obligated to pay you, the descendents of Gregory Mcellhenny, the original amount of five hundred dollars for the horses which General Washington bought. In addition, the outstanding note accrues interest every year it hasn't been paid. I've taken the liberty to calculate the interest based on the standard five and a quarter percent normally affixed to outstanding loans."
"I ain't shore I unnerstand this," said granny. "You saying cause my great, great, great, whatever granddaddy sole some horses to General Washington the gov'ment now owes us seventeen million dollars?"
"Yes," said Mort. "Assuming you agree to the arrangements Mr. Turner has worked out for you, I have a check here for five hundred thousand dollars. And every year you'll receive a similar check from the federal government until the debt is paid in full."
"What about my farm?" Cletus questioned. "Kin I use this here money to buy back my farm?"
"You don't have to," said Cole. "Part of the arrangements I made with the IRS is that the back taxes on your farm have all ready been taken out of the money they owe you. In addition, until the debt is repaid to you, whatever taxes you owe in the future will be automatically paid. You'll get a statement from the IRS every year, along with your check, until the debt is paid."
"And it seems that's going to take quite a while," said Mort. "Mr. Mcellhenny, you will never again have to worry about anyone taking your farm."
"Cole, why didn't you say anything?" questioned Phoebe.
"I wasn't sure," said Cole. "This is federal law and that's not my field of expertise. But as a lawyer I did know that the promissory note was legally binding on the federal government even after so many years. So I took the liberty of representing Cletus in this matter."
"Do that mean we kin go home?" Maribelle asked.
"Yes, it does," said Cole. "And you and your descendents can live there as long as you want."
"Let me see if'n I got this straight," said Cletus. "All I gots to do is sign this here paper and I get my farm back?"
"That and much more," said Mort. "The government will send you a check every year for five hundred thousand dollars until the debt is paid off."
"And I ain't gots to do nothing else?" asked Cletus. "And no more gov'ment men will be trying to take my farm from me?"
"That's about the size of it," said Cole.
"Well now," said Cletus, "never thought I'd heered myself saying this but I reckon youse all right fer a gov'ment man. Where's these here papers I gots to sign?"
Mort pulled out some papers and showed Cletus exactly where to sign. Each of the sisters also signed as witnesses and Mort then notarized each form. When he was finished he handed several of the papers to Cletus.
"These are your copies," said Mort. "Keep them in a safe place in case there's every a question about them. I don't understand something, though. Mr. Turner told me that you couldn't read or write. I noticed you signed your name, though."
"I learned him that," said Angus Todd. "I teached pa, granny, and Maribelle to sign they own names."
"I see," said Mort. "Well, I'll get these filed first thing in the morning and I'm sure by the time you get back to Arkansas everything will be cleared up." He handed Cletus a card. "If you have any problems, call me. I'll straighten it out for you."
"Thank you, kindly," said Cletus. "Never thought I'd be glad to seed a gov'ment man."
"I'm glad I could help," said Mort. "I suppose I should be going now. Mr. Turner, I assume this makes us even?"
"I reckon," said Cole, mimicking Cletus and the others.
Mort gathered up his belongings and left the manor as everyone sat staring at the certified check he had given Cletus.