Jerome took an old wallet from his pocket.  “Because two hundred and sixty-five dollars is all the money I’ve got saved,” he replied, “and—­”

“You haven’t brought it here to close the bargain on the spot?” interrupted the lawyer.

“Yes; I knew you could make out the deed.”

Means puffed hard at his pipe, but his face twitched as if with laughter.

“I want it on both sides of the brook,” Jerome said, “because I don’t want anybody else to get it.  I want to build a saw-mill, and I want to control all the water-power.”

“I thought you said that was all the money you had.”

“It is.”

“How are you going to build a saw-mill, then?  That money won’t pay for enough land, let alone the mill.”

“I am going to wait until I save more money; then I shall buy more land and build the mill,” replied Jerome.

“Why not borrow the money?”

Jerome shook his head.

“Suppose I let you have some money at six per cent.; suppose you build the mill, and I take a mortgage on that and the land.”

“No, sir.”

“Why not?  If I am willing to trust a young fellow like you with money, what is your objection to taking it?”

“I would rather wait until I can pay cash down, sir,” replied Jerome, sturdily.

“You’ll be gray as a badger before you get the money.”

“Then I’ll be gray,” said Jerome.  His handsome young face, full of that stern ardor which was a principle of his nature, confronted the lawyer’s, lean and dry, deepening its shrewdly quizzical lines about mouth and eyes.

Means looked sharply at Jerome.  “What has started you in this?  What makes you think it will be a good thing?” he asked.

“No saw-mill nearer than Westbrook, good water-power, straight course of brook, below the falls can float logs down to the mill from above, then down to Dale.  People in Dale are paying heavy prices for lumber on account of freight; then the railroad will go through Dale within five years, and they will want sleepers, and—­”

“Perhaps they won’t take them from you, young man.”

“I have been to Squire Lennox, in Dale; he is the prime mover in the railroad, and will be a director, if not the president; he has given me the refusal of the job.”

“Where will you get your logs?”

“I have bargained with two parties.”

“Five years is a long time ahead.”

“It won’t be, if I wait long enough.”

“You are a damned fool not to borrow the money.  The railroad may go through in another year, and all the standing wood in the county may burn down,” said Means, quietly.

“Let it then,” said Jerome, looking at him.

The lawyer laughed, silently.