"And you will go after it, I presume?"

"I most certainly shall. You are smiling, Mr. Green. I suppose it sounds
like a joke, a girl like myself making such statements about things men
are supposed to understand and women not to understand at all. It isn't
a joke in this case, because I think I understand my uncles business
better than they do. I think I can collect what is owed us, pay what we
owe, and make money there in South Harniss. But to do that I must have
time and, by and by, credit, for we need goods. And that is what I came
to talk to you about."

She had brought with her copies of the Hamilton and Company trial
balance, also a list of the firm's debtors and creditors. These she
put upon the desk before Mr. Green and ran a finger down the pages
with explanatory remarks such as, "This is good, I know," "This can be
collected but it may take a lawyer to get it," or, as in the case of
'Rastus Young's long-standing indebtedness, "This isn't worth anything
and shouldn't be counted."

"You see," she said, in conclusion, "we aren't in such a VERY bad state;
it isn't hopeless, anyway. Now here are the accounts we owe. Yours is
the largest. Here are the others. All these bills are going to be paid,
just as I said, but they can't be paid at all unless I have time. I have
been thinking, thinking very hard, Mr. Green--"

Green nodded. "I can see that," he put in, good-naturedly.

"Yes. Well, this is what I want to ask you: Will you give us six months
more to pay the whole of this bill in? I don't think we shall need so