"Will you give me two months to pay the balance of interest?" asked Mark Nelson.
"What better prospect have you of being able to pay me then?"
"As soon as Tom has any money to send, he will remit to me. I think it probable that I shall hear from him in the course of two months."
"If that is your reliance," said the squire, shrugging his shoulders, "I am afraid you are leaning upon a broken reed. I know boys pretty well, and I fancy Tom will find a use for all the money he earns."
"You don't know him, Squire Hudson. He is a very conscientious boy, and understands very well the sacrifice I made in raising money to send him to California. He is not very likely to forget that."
"It seems to me that the sacrifice was mine," said the squire, with a half sneer. "If I remember rightly, I advanced the money which he took away with him."
Mark Nelson flushed, and he answered warmly, "You did advance the money, Squire Hudson, but I gave you security for it."
"And the very first interest that has come due you are not prepared to meet. You can't blame me for feeling a little doubt as to the wisdom of my advance."
"Are you very much in need of the thirty dollars?" asked Mr. Nelson, nettled at the squire's tone.
"What do you mean, sir?"