“I will lend you four hundred dollars at six per cent. interest, and take a mortgage on the house and lot.”
“That is less than half the value of the place,” said the widow.
“What can you be thinking of, Mrs. Thatcher? Pray at what sum do you value this property?”
“It ought to be worth a thousand dollars.”
John Simpson shook his head.
“It wouldn’t bring over six hundred,” he said.
“That can’t be possible,” said Mrs. Thatcher, anxiously.
“It is not only possible, but true,” said the rich man, positively. “Property has depreciated dreadfully, dreadfully.”
“Then I don’t know what is going to become of us if Tom doesn’t come back,” said Mrs. Thatcher, in a tone of discouragement.
“Oh, something will turn up,” said Simpson, carelessly. “Well, widow, about the mortgage, what do you say?”