"Love!" the old man broke in, winking at me.
"I'll tell you, if you'll wait a moment. Then you may place your own estimate upon it."
I told him of the broken engagement, of Chyd's indifference, of the old couple's plan to leave the community, and I unfolded my sentimental resolve to buy the old house. "And now I must ask a favor," I continued. "Old man Perdue told me that he would pay me for the time—time I have not taught, but as I am not going to fill out the term it wouldn't be right to take the money."
"Ah, and it is law you want to study?"
"Why, of course. Didn't I make that plain?"
"Oh, yes. And you don't think it would be right to take the money? Go ahead, though."
"I know it wouldn't be right. And what I want to ask of you is this: The investment will require about two hundred dollars. Won't you lend me that amount?"
He scratched his head, scratched his chin, bit off a chew of tobacco, stretched himself and said: "Well, I have been lending money all my life, and I don't see why I should stop now. Did you ever hear of anybody paying back borrowed money except in a poker game? I never did. Do people really pay back? I don't know what the custom is over in the part of the country you came from, but the rules are very strict here, and they are not violated very often—they rarely pay back. And they never violate the rule with me."
"My dear sir, I will pay you——"
"Yes, I know. Oh, you've got the formula down pretty fine. Make a good lawyer. I've got some money in that safe, that is, if nobody has robbed me. Let me see if I've been robbed."