The month for which Burton had borrowed the two hundred and fifty pounds passed rapidly—­as months always do to borrowers—­and expedient after expedient for raising the money was tried in vain.  This money must be repaid, Kirkshaw had emphatically told him, on the day stipulated.  Burton applied to the bank at Leeds, with which he usually did business, to discount an acceptance, guaranteed by one or two persons whose names he mentioned.  The answer was the usual civil refusal to accept the proffered security for repayment—­“the bank was just then full of discounts.”  Burton ventured, as a last resource, to call on Hornby with a request that, as the rapid advance in the market-value of land consequent on the high war-prices obtained for its produce, had greatly increased the worth of Grange Farm, he would add the required sum to the already-existing mortgage.  He was met by a prompt refusal.  Mr. Hornby intended to foreclose as speedily as possible the mortgages he already held, and invest his capital in more profitable securities.  “Well, then—­would he lend the amount at any interest he chose?”

“The usury laws,” replied Hornby, with his usual saturnine sneer, “would prevent my acceptance of your obliging offer, even if I had the present means, which I have not.  My spare cash happens just now to be temporarily locked up.”

Burton, half-crazed with anxiety, went the following day to the Leeds bank with the proffer of a fresh name agreed to be lent him by its owner.  Useless!  “They did not know the party.”  The applicant mused a few moments, and then said, “Would you discount the note of Mr. James Hornby of Pool?”

“Certainly; with a great deal of pleasure.”  Burton hurried away; had his horse instantly saddled, and gallopped off to Pool.  Hornby was at home.

“You hinted the other day,” said Burton, “that if you had not been short of present means you might have obliged me with the loan I required”

“Did I?”

“At least I so understood you.  I am of course not ignorant, Mr. Hornby, that there is no good blood between us two; but I also know that you are fond of money, and that you are fully aware that I am quite safe for a few hundred pounds.  I am come, therefore, to offer you ten pounds bonus for your acceptance at one month for two hundred and fifty pounds.”

“What?” exclaimed Hornby with strange vehemence.  “What”

Burton repeated his offer, and Hornby turned away towards the window without speaking.

When he again faced Burton, his countenance wore its usual color; but the expression of his eyes, the applicant afterwards remembered, was wild and exulting.

“Have you a bill stamp?”

“Yes.”

“Then draw the bill at once, and I will accept it.”

Burton did not require to be twice told.  The bill was quickly drawn; Hornby took it to another table at the further end of the apartment, slowly wrote his name across it, folded, and returned it to Burton, who tendered the ten pounds he had offered, and a written acknowledgment that the bill had been drawn and accepted for his (Burton’s) accommodation.