“No, I won’t. But why doesn’t the minister pay off the mortgage?”
“For the very good reason that he cannot borrow the money.”
“I thought perhaps Mr. Ainsworth would lend him. He seems to be a great friend of the minister.”
“It’s all Ainsworth can do to get the money to pay his own bills. The only man in the village that’s got any spare cash is——”
“Well, who?”
“Deacon Crane,” answered Noah’s father, with a wintry smile; “and he isn’t lendin’.”
“Ho! ho!” laughed Noah. “When is Guy Fenwick expected back?”
“I shouldn’t wonder if he’d be here this afternoon, though the minister didn’t say. I don’t suppose there’s anything to keep him in New York.”
“That is, if he’s got money enough to get home. It would be a joke if he had to walk.”
“I guess he’ll have money enough to get home, but I reckon it’ll be a good while before he gets a chance to go away again.”