“Father, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m 282 not your enemy!” she cried. “I’m only your little Beth trying so hard to see why you must do this terrible thing.”
“Come to me,” he begged.
She took her place on the footstool, and took his hand.
“I shall try to tell you all about it, if you will listen. I didn’t intend to, but it is more than I can bear to have my own daughter question my honesty and integrity. Harold’s unjust insinuations are almost more than I can bear. Now, if you–––”
“Don’t say it, Father! I have not doubted your word yet. I don’t want to now. I won’t doubt you. Tell me all, and I’ll try to see this from your point of view.”
“You guessed rightly about what I have to do. The mortgage on Josiah’s place–––”
“You can certainly extend that, if only for six months. You don’t need the money.”
“Don’t interrupt me again, please. It’s a far more serious thing than the small loan I made to Josiah to repair his place with. The old homestead was willed to Josiah’s half-brother, providing he should outlive Josiah. 283 Josiah knew nothing about that fact, and when he was so informed by his friends years ago, refused to listen to any of us. The half-brother left the country rather than quarrel with him over the estate. Later, this half-brother was in serious financial trouble, and I happened to come across him when he was in dire need of money. Knowing of the will, I loaned him all he needed, and took out a first mortgage on his property. Owing to peculiar circumstances, I put in a provision that there was to be no foreclosure so long as the interest was paid. I even went beyond the request which the man made, by including another clause which prevents me or my heirs from foreclosing before the expiration of two years after the last payment of interest. Have you followed me closely?”
She nodded.
“Well, each year the interest has been paid in full up to the last two. As long as it was forthcoming I said nothing. I have not mentioned a word of this transaction between the half-brother and me, for I knew his hot temper would get the better of him. He thinks the 284 man was drowned at sea, and it is best that he continue to think so. I have misled him into the belief that I was foreclosing because of the small loan I made last spring, and I trusted to his usual secrecy and apparent ignorance to say nothing about it to any one. But from the arrogant manner he maintained toward me last night I fear he has said more than is good for him. And I have every reason to think that the meddler is the minister. I doubt not but that is the reason why he has gone to the city to-night, and I don’t think he has gone alone.”