97-062

 No. 97-062

 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

 

1997

RICHARD E. REICHLE and LINDA REICHLE,

 Plaintiffs and Respondents.

 v.

M. McKEE ANDERSON and JUDY Y. ANDERSON,

RICHARD J. RANKIN and DONNA R. RANKIN,

 Defendants and Appellants.

APPEAL FROM: District Court of the Fifth Judicial District,

 In and for the County of Beaverhead,

 The Honorable Frank M. Davis, Judge presiding.

COUNSEL OF RECORD:

 For Appellants:

 W. Cecil Jones and Calvin J. Erb, Attorneys at Law,

 Dillon, Montana (for Andersons)

 Mark David Hoffman; Hoffman & Suenram, Dillon,

 Montana (for Rankins)

 For Respondents:

 Christine D. Somers; Haxby & Somers, Butte, Montana

 Submitted on Briefs: June 12, 1997

 Decided: September 8, 1997

Filed:

 __________________________________________

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 Clerk

Justice W. William Leaphart delivered the Opinion of the Court.

 Appellants M. McKee Anderson and Judy Y. Anderson (Andersons) appeal from

the Judgment of the Fifth Judicial District Court, Beaverhead County, holding that 

the

Respondents, Richard E. and Linda Reichle (Reichles), are the owners of a thirty foot

right-of-way easement through Andersons' property. We affirm.

 We address the following issues on appeal:

 1) Whether the District Court erred when it determined that language in the

Rankin-Anderson contract for deed was sufficient to create an easement?

 2) Whether the District Court erred when it refused to allow Andersons to 

inspect

or review a file that a witness used on the witness stand to refresh his memory? 

Factual and Procedural Background 

 In June of 1980, Andersons entered into a buy-sell agreement with Richard J. and

Donna R. Rankin (Rankins) to purchase a piece of property in Beaverhead County. The

buy-sell agreement specifically stated as follows:

 Sellers are keeping an easement 30' Wide across the South side of this tract

 of land for access to property that lies on the west side of the tract being

 sold to the Andersons.

The buy-sell agreement called for a survey to be performed to establish the boundary 

of

the property to be sold to the Andersons. A certificate of survey was prepared and

recorded but does not contain any reference to, or description of, an easement 

reserved

by the Rankins.The Andersons entered into a contract for deed with the Rankins in

November of 1980 (Rankin-Anderson contract for deed). The Rankin-Anderson contract

for deed was ten pages long with an attached Exhibit "A," which described the real

property being transferred. Exhibit "A" stated that the property was purchased "[s]

ubject

however, to reservation of an easement of right of way with ingress and egress by

Richard J. Rankin and Donna R. Rankin, which easement is more particularly described

as follows . . . ." The Rankin-Anderson contract for deed also stated that the 

parties

shall be bound by the terms and conditions contained in the buy-sell agreement and 

that

the agreement was to be incorporated by reference and made a part of the contract for

deed in all particulars.

 A notice of purchaser's interest signed by both Rankins and Andersons and

recorded in the Beaverhead County Clerk's Office also contains the same Exhibit "A,"

describing the real property and including the same "[s]ubject however, to 

reservation of

an easement" language. In 1986, a warranty deed from Rankins to Andersons was filed

after Andersons prepaid pursuant to the terms of the Rankin-Anderson contract for 

deed. 

This deed states that the Rankins reserved an easement of right-of-way for ingress 

and

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egress through the Andersons' newly acquired property. At the same time, the

Andersons recorded a homestead exemption for their property that again specifically

reserved a thirty foot right-of-way easement for the Rankins.

 In October of 1992, Reichles entered into a buy-sell agreement with the Rankins

to purchase a ten acre piece of land located on the west side of a canal running 

between

the ten acre piece of land and property already owned by the Reichles on the east 

side of

the canal. The Reichles buy-sell agreement states: "Buyer to receive a 30' easement 

from

public railroad crossing to tract A retained by Seller across McKee Anderson south

property line."

The buy-sell agreement also has language typed in under the "special provisions" 

section

which states: "Buyer shall be able to use bridge and road on Seller's ground to 

reach tract

A until Buyer is able to build own bridge." This language was included because the

Reichles needed use of the Rankins' bridge to access the ten acre piece until they

constructed a bridge from the easement access to the ten acre piece. The ten acre 

piece

of property was conveyed to Reichles by warranty deed on March 24, 1993. The

warranty deed specifically describes a private road easement through Andersons' 

property

by metes and bounds.

 Reichles used Rankins' existing road and bridge from the time of their purchase

until December 1993, when they informed the Andersons that they, Reichles, intended

to fence off the purported easement and graze llamas on the property. Thereafter,

Rankins notified Reichles' attorney that Reichles would not be allowed any further 

use

of the easement. Reichles then filed a declaratory judgment action against 

Andersons and

Rankins. Reichles' complaint requested judicial enforcement of a right-of-way 

easement

for ingress and egress that they claimed was expressly granted to them by the terms 

of

their warranty deed. The complaint was answered by both defendants, and cross-claims

were filed by both defendants against each other.

 A bench trial was held and judgment was entered on August 10, 1995, in which

the District Court ordered that the Reichles were entitled to a thirty foot rightof-way

easement for ingress and egress through the southern boundary of Andersons' property

as expressly recited in their warranty deed and as originally reserved by the Rankins

when they sold the property to the Andersons in 1986.

 Andersons filed a motion for reconsideration in August of 1996, requesting that

the court reconsider it's judgment based upon this Court's decision in Ruana v. 

Grigonis

(1996), 275 Mont. 441, 913 P.2d 1247. The District Court denied the motion, and

Andersons thereafter filed this appeal.

Discussion 

 1) Whether the District Court erred when it determined that language in the

 Rankin-Anderson contract for deed was sufficient to create an easement?

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 The District Court's determination that the language in the Rankin-Anderson

contract for deed created an easement is a conclusion of law. The standard of 

review of

a district court's conclusions of law is whether the court's interpretation of the 

law is

correct. Carbon County v. Union Reserve Coal Co. (1995), 271 Mont. 459, 469, 898

P.2d 680, 686. In this case, the District Court held that the language in the 

RankinAnderson contract for deed, stating that the conveyed property was "[s]ubject 

however,

to reservation of an easement," clearly established the reservation of an easement 

over

Andersons' property.

 Andersons rely on our decisions in Wild Rivers Adventures, Inc. v. Board of

Trustees of School Dist. No. 8 (1991), 248 Mont. 397, 812 P.2d 344 and Ruana, 913

P.2d at 1253, for their proposition that "subject to" language in a deed is not 

enough to

create an easement where the certificate of survey does not also contain a 

description of

the easement. 

 However, in both Wild Rivers and Ruana, the actual intent of the grantors was 

not

clear from the deed language itself. In Wild Rivers, 812 P.2d at 346, the appellants

claimed the following language in a deed created the alleged easement: "subject to 

and

together with a 40 foot private road easement." In determining whether this language

could create an easement, we held: 

 The words "subject to" used in their ordinary sense, mean subordinate to,

 subservient to or limited by. There is nothing in the use of the words

 "subject to", in their ordinary use, which would even hint at the creation

 of affirmative rights or connote a reservation or retention of property rights.

 Wild Rivers, 812 P.2d at 346-47. Because the language in the deed purporting to 

create

an easement contained no affirmative reservation or retention of rights and because 

the

grantors could not have reserved an easement at that time, we held that no easement 

had

been reserved. Wild Rivers, 812 P.2d at 347. 

 We relied on Wild Rivers in Ruana in determining that language in a deed

conveying land "subject to an access easement" did not create an easement. We went 

on

to note that "an easement by reservation can be established when, in conjunction 

with a

division of land, the subject easement is shown on the certificate of survey and the

certificate of survey is referred to and incorporated in the deed of conveyance." 

Ruana,

913 P.2d at 1253 (emphasis added). We held that an easement had not been granted or

reserved when the original grantors subdivided the land because neither the language 

of

the deed nor the certificate of survey established the easement. Ruana, 913 P.2d at 

1253.

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 In the instant case, although there is no mention of the easement in the 

certificate

of survey, the language in Exhibit "A" of the Rankin-Anderson contract for deed 

clearly

reserves an easement and states: "Subject however, to reservation of an easement of 

right

of way." As we held in Wild Rivers, " ' [a] conveyor who, in terms, "excepts" or

"reserves" an easement, is permitted to have the rights thereby intended to be 

enjoyed by

him. . . ." Wild Rivers, 812 P.2d at 346 (quoting 3 Powell on Real Property, 

407, pp. 34-39 to 34-42) (emphasis added). Rankins, in terms, reserved an easement

through the language "[s]ubject however, to reservation of an easement right of 

way." 

 In neither Wild Rivers nor Ruana did the deeds in question contain the word

"reservation;" they simply stated that the conveyed property was "subject to" the

purported easement. In these cases, because the deeds themselves did not clearly 

reserve

an easement, we looked for other indications that an easement had been created. In 

Wild

Rivers, we looked to the grantors' intent; in Ruana, we looked to a certificate of 

survey. 

In the instant case, we need look no further than the deed itself. Rankins clearly 

reserved

an easement when they conveyed the property to Andersons. Therefore, we affirm the

District Court's conclusion that Rankins reserved an easement in the deed to 

Andersons

and could thereby convey the easement to Reichles. 

 2) Whether the District Court erred when it refused to allow Andersons to

 inspect or review a file that a witness used on the witness stand to refresh

 his memory?

 The standard of review of discretionary trial court rulings is abuse of 

discretion. 

May v. First Nat'l Pawn Brokers, Ltd. (1995), 270 Mont. 132, 134, 890 P.2d 386, 388. 

At trial, Andersons introduced a copy of the contract for deed between themselves and

Rankins. This copy was allegedly made by McKee Anderson at the closing before Judy

Anderson had signed the contract. The material provisions of the contract for deed

"copy" were the same as found in the original, except for the absence of Judy 

Anderson's

signature and the absence of any reference to a reservation of an easement by the 

Rankins

in Exhibit "A." Andersons claimed that the original contract for deed had been in 

the

sole possession of Rankins from 1980 until 1983 and that Exhibit "A" could have been

altered during that time.

 During trial, the attorney for Rankins who prepared the contract for deed 

testified

and was asked to compare the language in the original contract for deed with the 

language

in the Anderson copy. Rankins' attorney referred to a copy of the contract for deed 

in

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his possession to refresh his memory. Counsel for Andersons asked to review the

witness' entire "file" for purposes of cross-examination. The District Court denied 

the

request. Andersons argue on appeal that the District Court abused its discretion 

under

Rule 612, M.R.Evid., in refusing their request to review the file and in failing to

preserve the file for appellate review. Rule 612 governs writings used to refresh 

memory

and provides:

 If a witness uses a writing to refresh memory for the purpose of testifying,

 either

 

 (1) while testifying, or

 (2) before testifying, if the court in its discretion determines

 it is necessary in the interests of justice, an adverse party is

 entitled to have the writing produced at the hearing, to inspect

 it, to cross-examine the witness thereon, and to introduce into

 evidence those portions which relate to the testimony of the

 witness. If it is claimed that the writing contains matters not

 related to the subject matter of the testimony the court shall

 examine the writing in camera, excise any portions not so

 related, and order delivery of the remainder to the party

 entitled thereto. Any portion withheld over objection shall be

 preserved and made available to the appellate court in the

 event of an appeal. If a writing is not produced or delivered

 pursuant to order under this rule, the court shall make any

 order justice requires, except that in criminal cases when the

 prosecution elects not to comply, the order shall be one

 striking the testimony or, if the court in its discretion

 determines that the interests of justice so require, declaring a

 mistrial.

Rule 612, M.R.Evid.

 Andersons claim the District Court's decision not to allow them to review the 

file

foreclosed their opportunity to effectively cross-examine the witness as to the 

contents of

the file. Additionally, they claim the court's failure to preserve the file for 

appeal has

forever denied them access to the file.

 Questions concerning the admissibility of evidence must be left to the sound

discretion of the trial judge, subject to review only in situations that indicate a 

manifest

abuse of discretion. Cech v. State (1979), 184 Mont. 522, 604 P.2d 97. No such

manifest abuse of discretion exists here. The Rankin-Anderson buy-sell agreement, the

notice of purchaser's interest, and the warranty deed each contain a reference to the

easement in question. The "copy" of the Rankin-Anderson contract for deed appeared

only days before trial despite the fact that the notice of purchaser's interest, 

which

included the easement language, was recorded fourteen years earlier and the warranty

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deed, also including the easement language, was recorded nine years earlier. 

Additionally, at the time the warranty deed was recorded, Andersons recorded a

homestead exemption for their property which included an Exhibit "A" (with the

easement language) identical to the Exhibit "A" that Andersons were challenging at 

trial. 

Therefore, the District Court could easily have concluded that the "interests of 

justice"

did not require inspection of the witness' copies of these documents. Accordingly, 

the

District Court did not abuse its discretion in refusing Andersons' request to review 

the

witness' file. Affirmed.

 /S/ W. WILLIAM LEAPHART

We concur:

/S/ J. A. TURNAGE

/S/ JAMES C. NELSON

/S/ JIM REGNIER 

/S/ WILLIAM E. HUNT, SR.

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