he
option," went on Hiram, eagerly.

"Oh, Pollock! Pah!" returned Schell. "I don't suppose he even read it."

"But you did?"

"Assuredly. I always read every paper. If they don't want me to know
what the agreement is, they can take it to some other Notary," declared
the storekeeper with a jolly laugh.

"And you are sure that the option was to run a year?"

"Of course the option's all right--Hold on! A year, did you say?
Why--seems to me--let's look this thing up," concluded Caleb Schell,
suddenly.

He dived into his little office and produced a ledger from the safe.
This he slapped down on the counter between them.

"I'm a careful man, I am," he told Hiram. "And I flatter myself I've got
a good memory, too. Pepper was in here yesterday sputtering about the
option and I remember now that he spoke of its running a year.

"But it seems to me," said Schell, pawing over the leaves of his ledger,
"that the talk between him and old Uncle Jeptha was for a short time.
The old man was mighty cautious--mighty cautious."

"That's what Mr. Pollock says," cried Hiram, eagerly.

"But you've seen the option?

"Yes."

"And it reads a year?

"Oh, yes."

"Then how you going to get around that?" demanded Schell, with
conviction.

"But perhaps Uncle Jeptha signed the option thinking it was for a
shorter time."

"That wouldn't help you none. The paper was signed. And why should
Pepper have buncoed him--at that time?"

"Why should he be so eager to get the farm now?" asked Hiram.

"Well, I'll tell you. It ain't out yet. But two or three days ago the
railroad board abandoned the route through Ayertown and it is agreed
that the new bridge will be built along there by your farm somewhere.

"The river is as narrow there as it is anywhere for miles up and down,
and they will stretch a bridge from the high bank on your side, across
the meadows, to the high bank on the other side. It will cut out grades,
you see. That's what has started Pepper up to grab off the farm while
the option is valid."

"But, Mr. Schell, is the option valid?" cried Hiram, anxiously.

"I don't see how you're going to get around it. Ah! here's the place.
When I have sealed a paper I make a note of it--what the matter was
about and who the contracting parties were. I've done that for years.
Let--me--see."

He adjusted his spectacles. He squinted at the page, covered closely
with writing. Hiram saw him whispering the words he read to himself.
Sudd