The von Gradwitz family won the ownership of the contested land in the narrative of "The Interlopers."
However, the judgment of the court that
...wrested it from the illegal possession of a neighboring family of petty landowners
was never accepted by the neighboring family, the Znaeyms. Described as "petty landowners," the others have continued to commit numerous offenses of hunting illegally on this property awarded to the von Gradwitz family. Furthermore, the feud among neighbors has grown into a personal one since Ulrich von Gradwitz has become head of the family because Ulrich and Georg Znaeym have wanted to kill each other since they were boys.
As a result of this rancor between the two men, Ulrich patrols his land constantly in the hope of accosting his despised enemy. Hoping to catch Znaeym poaching on his land one evening when the deer run incautiously because of an approaching thunderstorm, Ulrich patrols his land with his men, believing his enemies will be hunting these frightened roes. Further, after straying from the others, Ulrich moves carefully around the trunk of a mammoth beech tree, and finds himself suddenly confronted by the face of his mortal enemy. Ironically, in their slight moment of civilized hesitation, Ulrich and Georg lose the brief opportunity to shoot each other because lightning strikes the beech, splitting the massive tree and sending branches thundering down upon them.
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