"I live there myself; me an' my fambly, in the back part. One o' the front rooms I rents to Ol' Swallertail, an' he pays the rent reg'lar. The other front room Miss Huckins, the dressmaker, lives in."
"Oh. I'm a dressmaker, too. Guess I'll go up and see her. Is she in?"
"When she's out, she leaves the key with me, an' the key ain't here. Say, girl, what's yer name?"
"Josie."
"Josie what?"
"Jessup. Pa was a drayman. Ever hear of him?"
"No. But about the Hathaways; what has—"
"And you've got no red thread? Or green?"
"Only black an' white. Does the Colonel—"
"Can't use black or white," said the girl, deliberately getting off the barrel. "Guess I'll go up and ask Miss Huckins if she has any red."