“Certainly. We know that; anyone would know it that knew you, dominie. Well, I've no scruples about borrowing and lending; it is my business, I'm a banker. I'll make a guess that Lucille Hardcome came to you with the loan idea, and that you didn't go to her; and I'll make another guess that before you were willing to borrow the money from her you heard her say she was going to increase her subscription, maybe five hundred dollars, and maybe a thousand. Am I right? I thought so! Because it wouldn't be like you to borrow unless you saw where you could pay it back, and I told you that if Lucille raised her subscription you'd get your share. It's all right! The only thing--you won't mind if I say it?” “I can imagine what it is,” said David. “Yes. If this man Welsh knows what he is talking about--if he isn't just guessing--he can be very nasty about it. I can't imagine why he is picking on you, but if he wants to keep it up, and knows you borrowed money from Lucille Hardcome, he can make it--well, he'll make it sound as if there was something wrong about it. He'll twist some false meaning into it--invalid wife and gay widow and money passing. I hate to say this, but people are always looking for a chance to jump on a minister--some people are, that is. I don't know how we can get at Welsh--he's so low he's threat-proof. I was going to suggest that you let me put in an application for a loan at our bank, say for the amount you borrowed from Lucille Hardcome. Borrow the money from us and pay her, and then let us get after Welsh.” David thought a moment. “It might offend her,” he said. “She was extremely insistent. I might almost say she predicated her possible increase of subscription on my accepting the loan. I felt so or I would have refused her.” “Let me handle her,” urged Burton. “I'll say nothing until the bank agrees to the loan, anyway. You'll let me make the application for you!” David agreed. It was, if the bank was willing, the wisest course, or so it seemed at the moment. David went about his duties as usual, and it was not for several days that he heard from Burton. The bank's discount committee had declined the loan.