ad bargain. Can you lend
me the brass? But whisht's the word, for Ross is sneaking after
them."

"Very sorry, Stean," said Jacob, "but Ross has been here before you,
and I've just lent him the money."

Ross himself came next, and said, "I borrowed five-and-twenty pound
from Stean a bit back, and he's not above threatening to sell me up
for a dirty little debt like that. Maybe ye'd tide me over the
trouble and say nothing to Stean."

"Make your mind easy, Ross," said Jacob, "Stean told me himself, and
I've paid him all you owe him."

So these two went their ways and thereafter eyed each other
threateningly, but neither dare explode, for both had their secret
fear. And last of all came Thurstan, made well drunk for the better
support of his courage, and he maudled and cried, "What d'ye think?
Poor Ballabeg is dead--him that used to play the fiddle at
church--and the old parson wants me to take Ballabeg's place up in
the gallery-loft. Says I'd be wonderful good at the viol-bass. I
wouldn't mind doing it neither, only it costs such a power of money,
a viol-bass does--twenty pound maybe."

"Well, what of that?" said Jacob, interrupting him, "the parson says
he'll lend you the money. He told me so himself."

With such shrewd answers did Jacob escape from the danger of lending
to his brothers, whom he could not trust. But he lost no time in
going down to Marky the Lord and offering his money to be lent out on
interest with good security. Knowing nothing of this, Asher, Stean,
Ross, and Thurstan each in his turn stole down to Marky the Lord to
borrow the sum he needed. And Marky the Lord kept his own worthy
counsel, and showed no unwise eagerness. First he said to Jacob, "I
can lend out your money on good security."

"Who to?" said Jacob.

"That I've given my word not to tell. What interest do you want?"

"Not less than twelve per cent." said the temperate Jacob.

"I'll get it," said Marky the Lord, and Jacob went away with a sly
smile.

Then said Marky the Lord to each of the borrowers in turn, "I can
find you the money."

"Whose is it?" asked Asher, who came the first.

"That I've sworn not to tell," said Marky the Lord.

"What interest?"

"Only four per cent. to my friend."

"Well, and that's reasonable, and he's a right honest, well-meaning
man, whoever he is," said Asher.

"That he is, friend," said Marky the Lord, "but as he had not got the
money himself he had to borrow it of an acquaintance, and