“You gotter move--jest when you've got rightly settled on that place?” he demanded. “Well, that's 'tarnal bad! And from what Henry tells me, you're a young feller with idees, too.” “I don't care so much for myself,” Hiram hastened to say. “It's Mrs. Atterson I'm thinking about. And she had just made up her mind that she was anchored for the rest of her life. Besides, I don't think it is a wise thing to sell the property at that price.” “No. I wouldn't sell if I was her, for no sixteen hundred dollars.” “But she's got to, you see, Mr. Pollock. Pepper has the option signed by her Uncle Jeptha----” “Jeptha Atterson was no fool,” interrupted Pollock. “I can't understand his giving an option on the farm, with all this talk of the railroad crossing the river.” “But, Mr. Pollock!” exclaimed Hiram, eagerly, “you must know all about this option. You signed as a witness to Uncle Jeptha's signature.” “No! you don't mean that?” exclaimed the farmer. “My name to it, too?” “Yes. And it was signed before Caleb Schell the notary public.” “So it was--so it was, boy!” declared the other, suddenly smiting his knee. “I remember I witnessed Uncle Jeptha's signature once. But that was way back there in the winter--before he was took sick.” “Yes, sir?” said Hiram, eagerly. “That was an option on the old farm. So it was. But goodness me, boy, Pepper must have got him to renew it, or something. That option wouldn't have run till now.” Hiram told him the date the paper was executed. “That's right, by Jo! It was in February.” “And it was for a year?” Mr. Pollock stared at him in silence, evidently thinking deeply. “If you remember all about it, then,” Hiram continued, “it's hardly worth while going to Mr. Schell, I suppose.” “I remember, all right,” said Pollock, slowly. “It was all done right there in Cale Schell's store. It was one rainy afternoon. There was several of us sitting around Cale's stove. Pepper was one of us. In comes Uncle Jeptha. Pepper got after him right away, but sort of on the quiet, to one side. “I heard 'em. Pepper had made him an offer for the farm that was 'way down low, and the old man laughed at him. “We hadn't none of us heard then the talk that came later about the railroad. But Pepper has a brother-in-law who's in the office of the company, and he thinks he gits inside information. “So, for some reason, he thought the railroad was going to touch Uncle Jeptha's farm. O' course, it ain't. It's goin' over the river by Ayertown. “I don't see what Pepper wants to take up the option for, anyway. Unless he sees that you're likely to make suthin' out o' the old place, and mebbe he's got a city feller on the string, to buy it.” “It doesn't matter what his reason is. Mrs. Atterson doesn't want to sell, and if that option is all right, she must,” said Hiram. “And you are sure Uncle Jeptha gave it for twelve months?”