hat, a closet?"

He was pointing to the closed door of the little room, the one which
Miss Timpson had intended using as a study. Thankful had, after her last
night of fruitless spook hunting, closed the door and locked it.

"What's this door locked for?" asked Mr. Cobb, who had walked over and
was trying the knob.

"Oh, nothing; it's just another empty room, that's all. There's nothin'
in it."

"Humph! Is that so? What do you lock up a room with nothin' in it for?"
He turned the key and flung the door open. "Ugh!" he grunted, in evident
disappointment. "'Tis empty, ain't it? Well, good night."

Emily, whose face expressed a decided opinion concerning the visitor,
walked out into the hall. Thankful remained.

"Solomon," she said, in a whisper, "tell me. Have you made up your mind
about that mortgage?"

"Um? No, I ain't. Part of what I came over here today for was to find
out a little more about this property and about Holliday Kendrick's
offer for it. I may have a talk with him afore I decide about renewin'
that mortgage. It looks to me as if 'twould be pretty good business to
dicker with him. He's got money, and if I can get some of it, so much
the better for me."

"Solomon, you don't mean--"

"I don't know what I mean yet, I tell ye. But I do tell you this: I'm
a business man and I know the value of money. I worked hard for what I
got; 'twa'n't left me by nobody, like some folks's I hear of. Don't
ask me no more questions. I'll see old Kendrick tomorrow, maybe; he's
expected down."

"He is? Mr. Holliday Kendrick? How do you know?"

"I know 'cause I found out, same as I usually find out things. Chris
Badger got a telegram through his office from Holliday to John Kendrick
sayin' he'd come on the noon train."

"But why should he come? And on Christmas day?"

"I don't know. Probably he ain't so silly about Christmas as the average
run of idiots. He's a business man, too. There! Good night, good night.
Leave me alone so's I can say my prayers and turn in. I'm pretty nigh
beat out."

"And you won't tell me about that mortgage?"

"No. I'll tell you when my mind's made up; that ain't yet."

Thankful turned to go. At the threshold she spoke once more.

"I wonder what you say in those prayers of yours, Solomon," she
observed. "I should imagine the Lord might find 'em interestin'."

"I'm glad I said it, Emily," she told her cousin, who was awaiting her
in her bedroom. "I presume likely it'll do more harm t