"It's higher than it's ever been. That dam is not safe. Why don't you
let your water out so that, if Minturn should break, she'd have free
sweep here and so do less damage below? Let this small flood out and
when the greater one comes there'll be less danger of a disaster."

"And how do I know the Minturn dam will burst, Dr. Davison?" asked Mr.
Potter, tartly.

"You don't know it. I'm only advising that precaution."

"And if it don't burst I'll have my pains for my trouble-- and no
water for the summer, perhaps. They wouldn't let me have water later,
if I needed it."

"But you're risking your own property here."

"And it's mine to risk, Dr. Davison," said Potter, in his sullen way.

"But there are other people to think of--"

I don't agree with you," interrupted the miller. "I have enough to do
to attend to my own concerns. I don't bother about other people's
business."

"Meaning that I do when I speak to you about the water; eh?" said the
old doctor, cheerfully. "Well, I've done my duty. You'll learn some
time, Jabez."

He let out the impatient mare then, and the mud spattered from his
wheels as he flew up the road toward Cheslow.