The man of business stared harder than ever. He took off his spectacles,
rubbed them with his handkerchief, put them on and stared again.

"No, ma'am, I don't," he said. "You don't live in Trumet, I know that.
You ain't seen me for twenty year, eh? Twenty year is quite a spell. And
yet there's somethin' sort of--sort of familiar about you, now that I
look closer. Who be you?"

"My name is Thankful Barnes--now. It didn't used to be. When you knew
me 'twas Thankful Cahoon. My grandmother, on my father's side, was your
mother's own cousin. Her name was Matilda Myrick. That makes you and me
sort of distant relations, Mr. Cobb."

If she expected this statement to have the effect of making the little
man more cordial she was disappointed. In fact, if it had any effect at
all, it was the opposite, judging by his manner and expression. His only
comments on the disclosure of kinship were a "Humph!" and a brief "Want
to know!" He stared at Thankful and she at him. Then he said:

"Well?"

Mrs. Barnes was astonished.

"Well?" she repeated. "What's well? What do you mean by that?"

"Nothin's I know of. You said you came to see me about some business or
other. What sort of business?"

"I came to see you about gettin' some money. I need some money just now
and--"