"I don't know," replied Albert. "I rather think not."
"Then why are you glad to get the offer?" asked Mary Erskine.
"Oh, it shows that my credit is good in the village. It must be very good, indeed, to lead such a man as Mr. Keep to offer to lend me money, of his own accord. It is a considerable comfort to know that I can get money, whenever I want it, even if I never take it."
"Yes," said Mary Erskine, "so it is."
"And it is all owing to you," said Albert.
"To me?" said Mary Erskine.
"Yes," said he; "to your prudence and economy, and to your contented and happy disposition. That is one thing that I always liked you for. It is so easy to make you happy. There is many a wife, in your situation, who could not have been happy unless their husband would build them a handsome house and fill it with handsome furniture—even if he had to go in debt for his land to pay for it."
Mary Erskine did not reply, though it gratified her very much to hear her husband commend her.
"Well," said she at length, "I am very glad that you have got good credit. What should you do with the money, if you borrowed it?"
"Why, one thing that I could do," said Albert, "would be to build a new house."