�What do you mean by fixing it? Do you mean that I can induce you to change your mind about the extension? Oh, Mrs. Black, listen to me. I have two thousand dollars in the bank and I could manage, I know I could manage, to give you a thousand if—� Mrs. Manstey paused; the tears were rolling down her cheeks.
�There, there, Mrs. Manstey, don�t you worry,� repeated Mrs. Black, soothingly. �I am sure we can settle it. I am sorry that I can�t stay and talk about it any longer, but this is such a busy time of day, with supper to get—�
Her hand was on the door-knob, but with sudden vigor Mrs. Manstey seized her wrist.
�You are not giving me a definite answer. Do you mean to say that you accept my proposition?�
�Why, I�ll think it over, Mrs. Manstey, certainly I will. I wouldn�t annoy you for the world—�
�But the work is to begin to-morrow, I am told,� Mrs. Manstey persisted.
Mrs. Black hesitated. �It shan�t begin, I promise you that; I�ll send word to the builder this very night.� Mrs. Manstey tightened her hold.
�You are not deceiving me, are you?� she said.
�No—no,� stammered Mrs. Black. �How can you think such a thing of me, Mrs. Manstey?�
Slowly Mrs. Manstey�s clutch relaxed, and she passed through the open door. �One thousand dollars,� she repeated, pausing in the hall; then she let herself out of the house and hobbled down the steps, supporting herself on the cast-iron railing.