CHAPTER XII

SOMETHING ABOUT A PASTURE FENCE

That afternoon Hiram hitched up the old horse and drove into
town.

He went to see the lawyer who had transacted Uncle Jeptha
Atterson's small business in the old man's lifetime, and had made
his will--Mr. Strickland. Hiram judged that this gentleman would
know as much about the Atterson place as anybody.

"No--Mr. Atterson never said anything to me about giving a
neighbor water-rights," the lawyer said. "Indeed, Mr. Atterson
was not a man likely to give anything away--until he had got
through with it himself.

"Dickerson once tried to buy a right at that corner of the
Atterson pasture; but he and the old gentleman couldn't come to
terms.

"Dickerson has no water on his place, saving his well and his
rights on the river. It makes it bad for him, I suppose; but I
do not advise Mrs. Atterson to let that fence stand. Give that
sort of a man an inch and he'll take a mile."

"But what shall I do?"