"Didn't expect me at all, did you?"
"If I had I should not have remained here."
He cleared his throat. "I know all about bees, but I didn't know befo' that a butterfly could sting. But I'd ruther be stung than to have no attention paid to me at all." She arose to go away, but he intercepted her. "Beggin' yo' pardon, ma'm, for what I've said an' what I am about to say, will you let me talk business to you for about a minit?"
"I know nothing about business," she replied.
"But you know somethin' about love, don't you? Putty much the same thing."
"How dare you talk to—"
"Now, don't be fretted. I've got my own way of gittin' at a p'int. I'm a thorn bush by the road-side. The sheep comes along an' I pick off some of their wool. An' towards me there comes an old sheep, with his eyes shet, a shakin' of his head. An' he'll lose all his wool. But you could turn him aside."
"I don't know what you mean, sir."
"Starbuck is the old sheep. You'd better help turn him aside. A word from you'll do it. I told him I wanted to borry a thousand dollars. He'll understand. You tell him to lend it to me."
"I will do nothing of the sort, you—"