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"Why, not exactly, Emily," she replied."It ain't.You see, he thought three years was a little mite too long, and so--and so we fixed up for a shorter time.It's all right, though.""Is it? You are sure? Aunt Thankful, tell me truly: how long a term is that mortgage?""Well, it's--it's only for a year, but--""A year? Why, then it will fall due next spring.You can't pay that mortgage next spring, can you?""I don't know's I can, but--but it'll be all right, anyhow.He'll renew it, if I ask him to, I presume likely.""Of course he will.He will have to.Auntie, you must go and see him at once.If you don't I shall."If there was one point on which Thankful was determined, it was that Emily should not meet Solomon Cobb.The money-lender had visited the High Cliff premises but once during the summer and then Miss Howes was providentially absent.

"No, no!" declared Mrs.Barnes, hastily."You shan't do any such thing.The idea! I guess I can 'tend to borrowin' money from my own relation without draggin' other folks into it.I'll drive over and see him pretty soon.""You must go at once.I shan't permit you to wait another week.

It is almost time for me to go back to my schoolwork, and I shan't go until I am certain that mortgage is to be renewed and that your financial affairs are all right.Do go, Auntie, please.Arrange to have the mortgage renewed and try to get another loan.Promise me you will go tomorrow."So Thankful was obliged to promise, and the following morning she drove George Washington over the long road, now wet and soggy from the rain, to Trumet.

Mr.Solomon Cobb's "henhouse" looked quite as dingy and dirty as when she visited it before.Solomon himself was just as shabby and he pulled at his whiskers with his accustomed energy.

"Hello!" he said, peering over his spectacles."What do you want?...Oh, it's you, is it? What's the matter?"Thankful came forward."Matter?" she repeated."What in the world--what made you think anything was the matter?"Solomon stared at her fixedly.

"What did you come here for?" he asked.

"To see you.That's worth comin' for, isn't it?"The joke was wasted, as all jokes seemed to be upon Mr.Cobb.He did not smile.

"What made you come to see me?" he asked, still staring.

"What made me?"

"Yes.What made you? Have you found--has anybody told you--er--anything?"

"Anybody told me! My soul and body! That's what you said when Iwas here before.Do you say it to everybody? What on earth do you mean by it? Who would tell me anything? And what would they tell?"Solomon pulled his whiskers."Nothin', I guess," he said, after a moment."Only there's so much fool talk runnin' loose I didn't know but you might have heard I was--was dead, or somethin'.Iain't."

"I can see that, I hope.And if you was I shouldn't be traipsin'

ten miles just to look at your remains.Time enough for that at the funeral.Dead! The idea!""Um--well, all right; I ain't dead, yet.Set down, won't ye?"Thankful sat down.Mr.Cobb swung about in his own chair, so that his face was in the shadow.

"Hear you've been doin' pretty well with that boardin'-house of yours," he observed."Hear it's been full up all summer.""Who told you so?"

"Oh, I heard.I hear about all that's goin' on, one way or another.I was over there a fortni't ago.""You were? Why didn't you stop in and see me? You haven't been there but once since the place started.""Yes, I have.I've been by a good many times.Didn't stop, though.Too many of them city dudes around to suit me.Did you fetch your October interest money.""No, I didn't.It ain't due till week after next.When it is I'll send it, same as I have the rest.""All right, all right, I ain't askin' you for it.What did you come for?"And then Thankful told him.He listened without comment until she had finished, peering over his spectacles and keeping up the eternal "weeding.""There," concluded Mrs.Barnes, "that's what I came for.Will you do it?"The answer was prompt enough this time.

"No, I won't," said Solomon, with decision.

Thankful was staggered.

"You won't?" she repeated."You won't--""I won't lend you no more money.Why should I?""You shouldn't, I suppose, if you don't want to.But, the way Ilook at it, it would be a perfectly safe loan for you.My prospects are fine; everybody says so.""Everybody says a whole lot of things.If I'd put up money on what everybody said I'd be puttin' up at the poorhouse, myself.But Iain't puttin' up there and I ain't puttin' up the money neither.""All right; keep it then--keep it and sleep on it, if you want to.

I can get along without it, I guess; or, if I can't, I can borrow it of somebody else.""Humph! You're pretty sassy, seems to me, for anybody that's askin' favors.""I'm not askin' favors.I told you that when I first come to you.

What I asked was just business and nothin' else.""Is that so? As I understand it you're askin' to have a mortgage renewed.That may be business, or it may be a favor, 'cordin' to how you look at it."Thankful fought down her temper.The renewal of the mortgage was a vital matter to her.If it was not renewed what should she do?

What could she do? All she had in the world and all her hopes for the future centered about her property in East Wellmouth.If that were taken from her--"Well," she admitted, "perhaps it is a favor, then.""Perhaps 'tis.Why should I renew that mortgage? I don't cal'late to renew mortgages, as a general thing.Did I say anything about renewin' it when I took it? I don't remember that I did.""No, no--I guess you didn't.But I hope you will.If you don't--I--I--Solomon Cobb, that boardin'-house means everything to me.

I've put all I've got in it.It has got the best kind of a start and in another year--I--I-- Please, Oh PLEASE don't close me out.""Humph!"

"Please don't.You told me when I was here before what a lot you thought of my Uncle Abner.You knew how much he thought of me.