“As I said before, sir, Duckworth will take two thousand pounds for the Croft, cash down. Now I, sir, will engage to raise two thousand pounds for you by to-morrow, at noon, with which to buy the piece of ground in question. The purchase can be effected, and the necessary deeds made out and completed, by ten o’clock the following morning. If you will entrust those deeds into my possession, I will guarantee to effect a mortgage for six thousand pounds, in your name, on the Croft.”
If the Squire had looked suspicious with regard to Tom’s sanity before, he now seemed to have no doubt whatever on the point. He quietly took up the poker again, as if he were afraid that Tom might spring at him unexpectedly.
“So you could lend me two thousand pounds could you?” said the Squire drily.
“I did not say that, sir. I said that I could raise two thousand pounds for you, which is a very different matter from lending it out of my own pocket.”
“Humph! And who, sir, do you think would be such a consummate ass as to advance six thousand pounds on a plot of ground that had just been bought for two thousand?”
“Strange as such a transaction may seem to you, sir, I give you my word of honour that I should find no difficulty in carrying it out. Have I your permission to do so?”
“I suppose that the two thousand raised by you would have to be repaid out of the six thousand raised by mortgage, leaving me with a balance of four thousand in hand?” said the Squire, without heeding Tom’s question, a smile of incredulity playing round his mouth.
“No, sir,” answered Tom. “The two thousand pounds could remain on interest at five per cent. for whatever term might suit your convenience. Again, sir, I ask, have I your permission to negotiate the transaction for you?”
Mr. Culpepper gazed steadily for a moment or two into Tom’s clear, cold eyes. There were no symptoms of insanity visible there, at any rate. “And do you mean to tell me in sober seriousness,” he said, “that you can raise this money in the way you speak of?”
“In sober seriousness, I mean to tell you that I can. Try me.”