"
Her relative waved both hands this time.
"Shh!" he ordered, desperately. "Don't say no more now; I don't want the
whole creation to know my business and yours. Go on home. I--I'll come
over and see you by and by."
So, because she saw there was no use remaining, Mrs. Barnes went. The
drive home, through the dismal grayness of the cloudy afternoon, seemed
longer and more trying than the trip over. The dream of raising money
for the spring additions and alterations was over; the High Cliff House
must do its best as it was for another year at least. As to the renewal
of the mortgage, there was a faint hope. Mr. Cobb's final remarks had
inspired that hope. He had been on the point of refusing to renew,
Thankful was sure of that. Then something was said which caused him
to hesitate. Mrs. Barnes looked out between the ears of jogging George
Washington and spoke her thought aloud.
"It's somethin' to do with Uncle Abner," she soliloquized. "He don't
like to have Uncle Abner mentioned. Hum! I wonder what the reason is. I
only wish I knew."
To Emily, who was eagerly waiting to hear the result of her cousin's
visit to Solomon Cobb, Thankful told but a portion of the truth. She
did say, however, that the additional loan appeared to be out of the
question and she guessed they would have to get on without the needed
alterations for another year. Emily thought they should not.
"If this place is to become really profitable, Auntie," she insisted,
"those changes should be made.
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