"Make your mind easy, Ross," said Jacob, "Stean told me himself, and I've paid him all you owe him."
So these two went their ways and thereafter eyed each other threateningly, but neither dare explode, for both had their secret fear. And last of all came Thurstan, made well drunk for the better support of his courage, and he maudled and cried, "What d'ye think? Poor Ballabeg is dead—him that used to play the fiddle at church—and the old parson wants me to take Ballabeg's place up in the gallery-loft. Says I'd be wonderful good at the viol-bass. I wouldn't mind doing it neither, only it costs such a power of money, a viol-bass does—twenty pound maybe."
"Well, what of that?" said Jacob, interrupting him, "the parson says he'll lend you the money. He told me so himself."
With such shrewd answers did Jacob escape from the danger of lending to his brothers, whom he could not trust. But he lost no time in going down to Marky the Lord and offering his money to be lent out on interest with good security. Knowing nothing of this, Asher, Stean, Ross, and Thurstan each in his turn stole down to Marky the Lord to borrow the sum he needed. And Marky the Lord kept his own worthy counsel, and showed no unwise eagerness. First he said to Jacob, "I can lend out your money on good security."
"Who to?" said Jacob.
"That I've given my word not to tell. What interest do you want?"
"Not less than twelve per cent." said the temperate Jacob.
"I'll get it," said Marky the Lord, and Jacob went away with a sly smile.
Then said Marky the Lord to each of the borrowers in turn, "I can find you the money."
"Whose is it?" asked Asher, who came the first.