And with that Eliphalet Means, who was old enough to be the Squire's father, and loved him as he would have loved a son, went back to his seat and dealt the cards over.
Chapter XI
Innocence and ignorance can be as easily hood-winked by kindness as by contumely.
This little Jerome, who had leaped, under the spur of necessity, to an independence of understanding beyond his years, allowed himself to be quite misled by the Squire as to his attitude in the matter of the mortgage. In spite of the momentary light reflected from the doctor's shrewder intelligence which had flashed upon his scheme, the Squire was able to delude him with a renewed belief in it, after he had informed him of the transfer of the mortgage-deed, which took place the next morning.
“I decided to buy that wood-lot of your father's, as your mother was willing,” said the Squire; “and as I had not the money in hand to pay down, I gave my note to your mother for it, as you proposed the doctor should do, and allowed six per cent. interest.”
Jerome looked at him in a bewildered way.
“Well, what is the matter? Aren't you as willing to take my note as the doctor's?” asked the Squire.
“Is it fair?” asked Jerome, hesitatingly.
“Fair to you?”
“No; to you.”