ust
remain a question no longer. But she obtained little satisfaction from
her talk with the money-lender. Mr. Cobb's first remark concerned the
Holliday Kendrick offer to buy the "Cap'n Abner place."

"Did he mean it, do you think?" he demanded. "Is he really so sot on
buyin' as folks say he is?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Huh! And he's hired his lawyer--that young cousin of his--Bailey
Kendrick's son--to make you sell out to him?"

"Yes."

"What's the young feller done about it; anything?"

"No; nothin' that I know of."

"Humph! Sure of that, be ye? I hear he's been spendin' consider'ble time
over to Ostable lately, hangin' round the courthouse, and the probate
clerk's office. Know what he's doin' that for?"

"No, I didn't know he had. How did you know it?"

"I knew. Ain't much goin' on that I don't know; I make it my business to
know. Why don't you sell out to old Holliday?"

"I don't want to sell. My boardin'-house has just got a good start and
why should I give it up? I won't sell."

"Oh, you won't! Pretty independent for anybody with a mortgage hangin'
over 'em, ain't ye?"

"Solomon, are you goin' to renew that mortgage when it comes due?"

Mr. Cobb pulled his whiskers. "I don't know's I am and I don't know's I
ain't," he said. "This Kendrick business kind of mixes things up. Might
be a good idea for me to foreclose that mortgage and sell the place to
him at my own price. Eh? What do you think of that?"

"You wouldn't do it! You couldn't be so--"

"So what? Business is business and if he's goin' to put you out anyhow,
I don't see why I shouldn't get my share of the pickin's."

"But he ain't goin' to put me out."

"He says he is. Now--now--clear out and don't bother me. When that
mortgage falls due I'll let you know what I intend doin' with it. If
you pester me now I won't renew anyhow. Go along home and quit your
frettin'. Long's you're there, you BE there. What more do you want?"

There was a good deal more of this sort of thing, but it was all quite
as unsatisfactory. Thankful gave it up at last.

"I shan't come here again," she declared desperately. "If you want to
see me you can come to my place."

"Humph!"

"Well, you will, or not see me. Why haven't you been there? Time and
time again you have promised to come, but you never have. I shall begin
to believe there is some reason why you don't want to go into that
house."

She was on her way to the door, but Solomon called after her.

"He