"No, it's not about my will I've come. That can wait, I think. In fact I may have to vary my instructions. I'm not quite satisfied with my niece's conduct lately. But we won't go into that at present. It's another, a more important one." Nehemiah settled himself in his chair and gave all his mind to his client; but Jabez seemed for the nonce to have lost his usual promptitude and decision. He had to pick his words. "It's a question of water-right," he said at last. "H'm, ticklish things, very," said Nehemiah. "Nothing more so." "So I've always understood," said Jabez--"and costly." "Yes, costly. You might almost pave Holmfirth with the gold that's been spent on law over disputes about water. But let me have the facts. Perhaps it may not be a complicated case at all." But his client seemed in no hurry to state the facts. He seemed to be more interested in the question of cost. "Suppose I have a complaint to make against a firm higher up the stream, what are the proceedings to be taken?" "What do you complain about, fouling or improperly tapping your supply?" Mr. Tinker took time to reply. "I don't quite follow you," he said. "Why," said Nehemiah, "water-right cases are usually complaints that a man has fouled the stream with dye-water or chemicals or by diverting ochre-water from above his own head-goit so that it may enter the river below his own mill but above his neighbour's. That's one class of case, and a comparatively easy one. The other is when a mill-owner fancies that the water that has passed over his neighbour's water-wheel is not returned to the stream for his own use lower down the stream. Now that's always a very delicate question, and one for experts. And it's well known that for one surveyor you get to swear on your side, another can be got to swear on the other. They're as bad as vets, in a horse-warranty case. Now which class of infringement do you complain of?" Again Mr. Tinker had to pause for a reply. "O both," he said. "Yes, certainly, both." "Why," exclaimed Wimpenny, "whose mill is it?" "The Co-op Mill," said his client, somewhat shamefacedly, as the lawyer thought. "What! That fellow, Pinder! By Jove, I'm glad of this. Gad! I'm as pleased as if you'd told me I was own brother to the Prince of Wales. But"--and his face fell. "But what?" asked Jabez, sharply. "It'll be lean picking, even if we win. I don't suppose the whole concern's worth powder and shot." "And why are you anxious powder and shot should be spent on Pinder?" asked Tinker, suspiciously. "Oh, well I don't mind telling you, Mr. Tinker. The fact is, I was rather hard hit by your beautiful niece, if you'll excuse my saying so." "Well?" said Mr. Tinker, stiffly. "But she seemed to prefer that low fellow Pinder's company to mine, and if she's no better taste than that, well, I'm not the one to enter the running against a screw."