e for
groceries."

"Just so, just so. Come into the house, neighbor Walton."

The squire guessed his visitor's business in advance, and wanted to take
time to talk it over. He would first find out how great his neighbor's
necessity was, and then he accommodated him, would charge him
accordingly.

CHAPTER III. HIRAM'S MOTTO

There was a little room just off the kitchen, where the squire had an
old-fashioned desk. Here it was that he transacted his business, and in
the desk he kept his papers. It was into this room that he introduced
Mr. Walton.

"Set down, set down, neighbor Walton," he said. "We'll talk this thing
over. So you've got to have a cow?"

"Yes, I must have one."

The squire fixed his eyes cunningly on his intended victim, and said,
"Goin' to buy one in town?"

"I don't know of any that's for sale."

"How much do you calc'late to pay?"

"I suppose I'll have to pay thirty dollars."

Squire Green shook his head.

"More'n that, neighbor Walton. You can't get a decent cow for thirty
dollars. I hain't got one that isn't wuth more, though I've got ten in
my barn."

"Thirty dollars is all I can afford to pay, squire."

"Take my advice, and get a good cow while you're about it. It don't pay
to get a poor one."

"I'm a poor man, squire. I must take what I can get."

"I ain't sure but I've got a cow that will suit you, a red with white
spots. She's a fust-rate milker."

"How old is she?"

"She's turned of five."

"How much do you ask for her?"

"Are you going to pay cash down?" asked the squire, half shutting his
eyes, and looking into the face of his visitor.

"I can't do that. I'm very short of money."

"So am I," chimed in the squire. He had two hundred dollars in his desk
at that moment waiting for profitable investment; but then he didn't
call it exactly a lie to misrepresent for a purpose. "So am I. Money's
tight, neighbor."

"Money's always tight with me, squire," returned Hiram Walton, with a
sigh.

"Was you a-meanin' to pay anything down?" inquired the squire.

"I don't see how I can."

"That alters the case, you know. I might as well keep the cow, as to
sell her without the money down."

"I am willing to pay interest on the money."

"Of course that's fair. Wall, neighbor, what do you say to goin' out to
see the cow?"

"Is she in the barn?"

"No, she's in the pastur'. 'Tain't fur."

"I'll go along with you."

They made their way by a short cut across a c