Amended and Restated
                           Revolving Credit Agreement
                                  by and among
                          World Acceptance Corporation,
                         Harris Trust and Savings Bank,
                            individually and as Agent
                                       and
                                    the Banks
                            which are parties hereto
                            Dated as of June 30, 1997











                                TABLE OF CONTENTS 
                                                                                                                PAGE
                                                                                                            
SECTION 1.                 THE CREDIT                                                                              1
Section 1.1.             The Revolving Credit                                                                      1
SECTION 2.                 GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL LOANS                                              2
Section 2.1.             Applicable Interest Rates                                                                 2
Section 2.2.             Minimum Borrowing Amounts                                                                 3
Section 2.3.             Borrowing Procedures                                                                      3
Section 2.4.             Interest Periods                                                                          4
Section 2.5.             Maturity of Loans                                                                         5
Section 2.6.             Prepayments                                                                               5
Section 2.7.             Default Rate                                                                              6
Section 2.8.             The Notes                                                                                 6
Section 2.9.             Commitment Terminations                                                                   6
Section 2.10.            Funding Indemnity                                                                         7
SECTION 3.                 FEES, EXTENSIONS AND APPLICATIONS                                                       7
Section 3.1.             Commitment Fee                                                                            7
Section 3.2.             Closing Fee                                                                               8
Section 3.3.             Agent's Fees                                                                              8
Section 3.4.             Extension of the Commitments.                                                             8
Section 3.5.             Place and Application of Payments                                                         9
SECTION 4.                 THE COLLATERAL AND GUARANTIES                                                          10
Section 4.1.             The Collateral                                                                           10
Section 4.2.             Subsidiary Guaranties.                                                                   10
SECTION 5.                 DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION                                                            10
Section 5.1.             Definitions                                                                              10
Section 5.2.             Interpretation                                                                           24
SECTION 6.                 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES                                                         25
Section 6.1.             Organization and Qualification                                                           25
Section 6.2.             Subsidiaries                                                                             25
Section 6.3.             Corporate Authority and Validity of Obligations                                          25
Section 6.4.             Not an Investment Company                                                                26
Section 6.5.             Use of Proceeds; Margin Stock                                                            26
Section 6.6.             Financial Reports                                                                        26
Section 6.7.             No Material Adverse Change                                                               26
Section 6.8.             Litigation                                                                               26
Section 6.9.             Taxes                                                                                    27
Section 6.10.            Approvals                                                                                27
Section 6.11.            Indebtedness and Liens                                                                   27
Section 6.12.            ERISA                                                                                    27
Section 6.13.            Material Agreements                                                                      28
Section 6.14.            Compliance with Laws                                                                     28
Section 6.15.            Full Disclosure.                                                                         29
Section 6.16.            No Defaults.                                                                             29
Section 6.17.            Note Purchase Agreements                                                                 29
SECTION 7.                 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT                                                                   29
Section 7.1.             Initial Borrowing                                                                        29






Section 7.2.             All Loans                                                                                30
SECTION 8.                 COVENANTS                                                                              31
Section 8.1.             Existence, Etc.                                                                          31
Section 8.2.             Insurance                                                                                31
Section 8.3.             Taxes, Claims for Labor and Materials                                                    31
Section 8.4.             Compliance with Laws                                                                     31
Section 8.5.             Maintenance, Etc                                                                         32
Section 8.6.             Nature of Business                                                                       32
Section 8.7.             Consolidated Net Worth                                                                   32
Section 8.8.             Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio; Loan Loss Reserves                                          32
Section 8.9.             Permitted Indebtedness                                                                   32
Section 8.10.            Limitations on Indebtedness                                                              33
Section 8.11.            Limitation on Liens                                                                      34
Section 8.12.            Dividends, Stock Purchases                                                               35
Section 8.13.            Mergers, Consolidations and Sales or Transfers of Assets                                 36
Section 8.14.            Lease-Backs                                                                              38
Section 8.15.            Guaranties                                                                               39
Section 8.16.            Limitation on Restrictions                                                               39
Section 8.17.            Transactions with Affiliates                                                             39
Section 8.18.            Investments                                                                              39
Section 8.19.            Termination of Pension Plans                                                             40
Section 8.20.            Reports and Rights of Inspection                                                         40
SECTION 9.                 EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES                                                         44
Section 9.1.             Events of Default                                                                        44
Section 9.2.             Notice to Banks                                                                          46
Section 9.3.             Non-Bankruptcy Defaults                                                                  46
Section 9.4.             Bankruptcy Defaults                                                                      47
Section 9.5.             Expenses                                                                                 47
SECTION 10.                CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES                                                                47
Section 10.1.            Change of Law                                                                            47
Section 10.2.            Unavailability of Deposits or Inability to Ascertain, or Inadequacy of, LIBOR            48
Section 10.3.            Increased Cost and Reduced Return                                                        48
Section 10.4.            Lending Offices                                                                          49
Section 10.5.            Discretion of Bank as to Manner of Funding                                               49
SECTION 11.                THE AGENT                                                                              49
Section 11.1.            Appointment and Authorization                                                            49
Section 11.2.            Agent and Affiliates                                                                     50
Section 11.3.            Action by Agent                                                                          50
Section 11.4.            Consultation with Experts                                                                50
Section 11.5.            Liability of Agent                                                                       50
Section 11.6.            Indemnification                                                                          51
Section 11.7.            Credit Decision                                                                          51
Section 11.8.            Resignation of the Agent                                                                 51
Section 11.9.            Payments                                                                                 51
SECTION 12.                MISCELLANEOUS                                                                          52
Section 12.1.            No Waiver of Rights                                                                      52




Section 12.2.            Non-Business Day                                                                         52
Section 12.3.            Documentary Taxes                                                                        52
Section 12.4.            Survival of Representations                                                              52
Section 12.5.            Survival of Indemnities                                                                  53
Section 12.6.            Sharing of Set-Off                                                                       53
Section 12.7.            Notices                                                                                  53
Section 12.8.            Counterparts                                                                             54
Section 12.9.            Successors and Assigns                                                                   54
Section 12.10.           Amendments                                                                               55
Section 12.11.           Non-Reliance on Margin Stock                                                             55
Section 12.12.           Fees and Indemnification                                                                 55
Section 12.13.           Governing Law                                                                            56
Section 12.14.           Headings                                                                                 56
Section 12.15.           Entire Agreement                                                                         56
Section 12.16.           Terms of Collateral Documents not Superseded                                             56
Section 12.17.           Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial                                         56
Signature Page                                                                                                    57
Exhibit A            --        Revolving Credit Note
Exhibit B-1          --        Permitted Senior Subordinated Debt
Exhibit B-2          --        Permitted Junior Subordinated Debt
Exhibit C            --        Borrowing Base Certificate
Schedule 6.2         --        Subsidiaries
Schedule 6.8         --        Pending Litigation
Schedule 6.9         --        Pending Tax Disputes
Schedule 6.11        --        Existing Indebtedness for Borrowed Money
Schedule 8.11        --        Existing Liens






                 AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
To each of the Banks which are or become parties hereto:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
         The  undersigned,   World  Acceptance  Corporation,  a  South  Carolina
corporation (the "BORROWER"),  refers to that certain Revolving Credit Agreement
dated as December 1, 1992,  as amended,  currently in effect among the Borrower,
Harris  Trust and  Savings  Bank,  as agent,  and the banks party  thereto  (the
"ORIGINAL  CREDIT  AGREEMENT").  The Borrower hereby requests that the aggregate
commitments  available  under the Original Credit  Agreement be increased,  that
certain additional  amendments be made to the Original Credit Agreement and, for
the sake of clarity and  convenience,  that the  Original  Credit  Agreement  be
restated in its  entirety  as so  amended.  This  Amended  and  Restated  Credit
Agreement amends and replaces in its entirety the Original Credit Agreement, and
from the Effective Date all references made to the Original Credit  Agreement in
any Loan Document or in any other instrument or document shall, without more, be
deemed to refer to this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.  This Amended and
Restated  Credit  Agreement  shall  become  effective  as of July 3,  1997  (the
"EFFECTIVE  DATE"),  and  supersedes  all  provisions  of  the  Original  Credit
Agreement  as of such date,  upon the  execution  of this  Amended and  Restated
Credit  Agreement  by each of the  parties  hereto  and the  fulfillment  of the
conditions precedent contained in Section 7.1 hereof.
 .SECTION 1. THE CREDIT;.
         .SECTION  1.1.  THE  REVOLVING  CREDIT;.  Subject  to the  terms and
conditions  hereof, the Banks agree to extend a revolving credit (the "REVOLVING
CREDIT")  to the  Borrower  in an  aggregate  principal  amount  at any one time
outstanding  not to  exceed  the  lesser  of (i) the  Commitments  or  (ii)  the
Available  Borrowing Base as then determined and computed,  which may be availed
of by the  Borrower  in its  discretion  from time to time,  be repaid  and used
again, to but not including the Termination Date. The Revolving Credit,  subject
to all of the terms and  conditions  hereof,  may be utilized by the Borrower in
the  form of  Domestic  Rate  Loans  or  Eurodollar  Loans,  all as  more  fully
hereinafter  set forth.  The maximum  amount of the Revolving  Credit which each
Bank agrees to extend to the Borrower shall be as set forth opposite its name on
the  applicable  signature page hereof or as otherwise set forth in the relevant
Assignment Agreement delivered pursuant to Section 12.9 hereof (its "COMMITMENT"
and cumulatively for all the Banks the "COMMITMENTS") (subject to any reductions
thereof  pursuant to the terms hereof).  The  obligations of the Banks hereunder
are  several  and not  joint,  and no Bank  shall  under  any  circumstances  be
obligated to extend credit hereunder in excess of its Commitment. Each Borrowing
of Loans shall be made ratably from the Banks in proportion to their  respective
Commitments.  On the Effective  Date, the Borrower hereby promises to prepay all
Eurodollar Loans  outstanding under the Original Credit Agreement (and each Bank
currently  a  party  to the  Original  Credit  Agreement  agrees  to  waive  any
compensation otherwise required by Section 2.10 of the Original Credit Agreement
with respect to, and only with  respect to, the  prepayment  of such  Eurodollar
Loans currently outstanding under the Original Credit Agreement) and thereafter,
subject  to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  there  shall be such  nonratable
Borrowings of Loans and  repayments  thereof as shall be necessary so that after
giving effect  thereto the Banks each hold their ratable share of all Loans then
outstanding  in proportion to their  respective  Commitments  (which Loans shall
initially constitute Domestic Rate Loans).
 .SECTION 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL LOANS;.
         .SECTION 2.1. APPLICABLE INTEREST RATES;. (a) DOMESTIC RATE LOANS;.
Each Domestic Rate Loan made by a Bank shall bear interest (computed on the
basis of a year of 360 days and actual days elapsed) on the unpaid principal
amount thereof from the date such Loan is made until maturity (whether by
acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum equal to the Domestic Rate from
time to time in effect, payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each
March, June, September and December in each year (commencing September 30, 1997)
and at maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise).
         "DOMESTIC RATE" means for any day the greater of: (i) the rate of
interest announced by the Agent from time to time as its prime commercial rate,
or equivalent, as in effect on such day (it being understood and agreed that
such rate may not be the Agent's best or lowest rate); (ii) the average (rounded
upwards, 



if  necessary,  to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) of the rates per annum quoted to
the Agent at approximately  10:00 a.m.  (Chicago time) (or as soon thereafter as
is  practicable)  on such day (or,  if such day is not a  Business  Day,  on the
immediately  preceding  Business  Day)  by two or  more  Federal  funds  brokers
selected  by the Agent for the sale to the Agent at face value of Federal  funds
in an amount equal or comparable  to the principal  amount owed to the Agent for
which such rate is being determined,  plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in the interest
rate on any Domestic  Rate Loan  resulting  from a change in said  Domestic Rate
shall be effective on the date of the relevant change in said Domestic Rate.
           (b) EURODOLLAR  LOANS. Each Eurodollar Loan made by a Bank shall bear
interest  (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and actual days  elapsed)
on the unpaid  principal  amount  thereof  from the date such Loan is made until
maturity (whether by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate per annum equal to the
sum of the applicable  Eurodollar  Margin plus the Adjusted LIBOR payable on the
last  day  of  the  applicable  Interest  Period  and at  maturity  (whether  by
acceleration  or otherwise),  and, if the applicable  Interest  Period is longer
than three months,  on each day occurring every three months after the date such
Loan is made.
         "ADJUSTED LIBOR" means,  for any Borrowing of Eurodollar  Loans, a rate
per  annum   determined  in  accordance  with  the  following   formula:

                                                     LIBOR
                                      --------------------------------
    Adjusted LIBOR =                  100% - Eurodollar Reserve Percentage

         "LIBOR" means, for each Interest  Period,  (a) the LIBOR Index Rate for
such Interest Period, if such rate is available, and (b) if the LIBOR Index Rate
cannot be determined,  the arithmetic average of the rates of interest per annum
(rounded upward,  if necessary,  to the nearest 1/100th of 1%) at which deposits
in U.S. Dollars in immediately available funds are offered to the Agent at 11:00
a.m.  (London,  England  time) 2  Business  Days  before the  beginning  of such
Interest  Period by 3 or more major  banks in the  interbank  eurodollar  market
selected  by the  Agent for a period  equal to such  Interest  Period  and in an
amount equal or  comparable  to the  applicable  LIBOR  Portion  scheduled to be
outstanding  from the Agent  during such  Interest  Period.  "LIBOR  INDEX RATE"
means,  for any  Interest  Period,  the  rate per  annum  (rounded  upwards,  if
necessary,  to the next higher one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point) for
deposits  in U.S.  Dollars  for a period  equal to such  Interest  Period  which
appears on the Telerate Page 3750 as of 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on the
date 2 Business Days before the commencement of such Interest Period.  "TELERATE
PAGE 3750" means the display  designated as "Page 3750" on the Telerate  Service
(or such  other  page as may  replace  Page 3750 on that  service  or such other
service  as  may  be  nominated  by  the  British  Bankers'  Association  as the
information  vendor for the purpose of displaying  British Banker's  Association
Interest Settlement Rates for U.S. Dollar deposits).
         "EURODOLLAR  RESERVE PERCENTAGE" means, for any Borrowing of Eurodollar
Loans, the daily average for the applicable  Interest Period of the maximum rate
at which reserves (including, without limitation, any supplemental, marginal and
emergency  reserves)  are imposed  during such  Interest  Period by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) under Regulation D on
"EUROCURRENCY  LIABILITIES",  as defined  in such  Board's  Regulation  D (or in
respect of any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by reference
to which the interest rate on Eurodollar  Loans is determined or any category of
extension  of credit or other  assets that include  loans by  non-United  States
offices of any Bank to United  States  residents)  subject to any  amendments of
such reserve requirement by such Board or its successor, taking into account any
transitional   adjustments  thereto.  For  purposes  of  this  definition,   the
Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to be "EUROCURRENCY  LIABILITIES" as defined in
Regulation  D without  benefit of or credit for any  prorations,  exemptions  or
offsets under Regulation D.
         "EURODOLLAR MARGIN" means 1.6%.
           (c) RATE DETERMINATIONS. The Agent shall determine each interest rate
applicable  to the  Loans  hereunder,  and its  determination  thereof  shall be
conclusive and binding except in the case of manifest error.
         .SECTION 2.2. MINIMUM BORROWING AMOUNTS;. Each Borrowing of Domestic
Rate Loans shall be in an amount not less than  $300,000,  or any larger  amount
which is an integral  multiple of $50,000.  Each  Borrowing of Eurodollar  Loans
shall be in an amount not less than $2,000,000,  or any larger amount that is an
integral multiple of $250,000.
         .SECTION 2.3.  BORROWING  PROCEDURES;.  (a) NOTICE TO THE AGENT. The
Borrower shall give



telephonic or telecopy  notice to the Agent (which  notice shall be  irrevocable
once given and, if by telephone,  shall be promptly  confirmed in writing) by no
later than 11:00 A.M. (Chicago time) (i) on the date at least three (3) Business
Days prior to the date of each requested  Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans and (ii)
on the date of any requested  Borrowing of Domestic Rate Loans. Each such notice
shall  specify the date of the  requested  Borrowing  (which shall be a Business
Day), the amount of the requested Borrowing,  the type of Loans to comprise such
Borrowing  and, if such  Borrowing is to be comprised of Eurodollar  Loans,  the
Interest Period applicable thereto.  The Borrower agrees that the Agent may rely
on any such  telephonic or telecopy  notice given by any person it in good faith
believes is authorized  to request  loans on behalf of the Borrower  without the
necessity  of  independent  investigation,  and, in the event any notice by such
means conflicts with the written  confirmation,  such notice shall govern if the
Agent has acted in reliance thereon.
           (b) NOTICE TO THE BANKS.  The Agent  shall  give  prompt  (but in any
event by 12:00 Noon (Chicago time)) telephonic or telecopy notice to each of the
Banks of any borrowing request received pursuant to Section 2.3(a) above and, if
such notice  requests the Banks to make Eurodollar  Loans,  the Agent shall give
notice to the Borrower and each of the Banks by like means of the interest  rate
applicable  thereto (but, if such notice is given by telephone,  the Agent shall
confirm  such  rate  in  writing)   promptly  after  the  Agent  has  made  such
determination.
           (c)  BORROWER'S  FAILURE TO  NOTIFY.  If the  Borrower  fails to give
notice pursuant to Section 2.3(a) above of the continuation or conversion of any
outstanding  principal amount of a Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans before the last
day of its then current  Interest  Period within the period  required by Section
2.3(a) for a Borrowing of  Eurodollar  Loans or,  whether or not such notice has
been given,  a Default or Event of Default then exists and such Borrowing is not
prepaid,  such Borrowing  shall  automatically  be converted into a Borrowing of
Domestic Rate Loans.
           (d) DISBURSEMENT OF LOANS. Not later than 1:00 p.m. (Chicago time) on
the date of any Borrowing of Loans,  each Bank shall make  available its Loan in
funds immediately available in Chicago,  Illinois at the principal office of the
Agent,  except to the extent such Borrowing is a  continuation  or conversion of
any outstanding  principal amount of a Borrowing,  in whole or in part, in which
case each Bank shall  record on its books or  records  or on a  schedule  to the
appropriate Note such  continuation or conversion.  Subject to Section 7 hereof,
the Agent shall make the proceeds of each advance of a new  Borrowing  available
to the Borrower at the Agent's  principal office in Chicago,  Illinois not later
than close of business on the date of such Borrowing.
         .SECTION 2.4. INTEREST PERIODS;.  As provided in Section 2.3 hereof,
at the time of each request for the Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans hereunder, the
Borrower shall select an Interest Period applicable to such Loans from among the
available options. The term "INTEREST PERIOD" means the period commencing on the
date a  Borrowing  of  Eurodollar  Loans is made and  ending,  the date,  as the
Borrower may select, 1, 2, 3 or 6 months thereafter; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that:
                     (a) the  Borrower  may not select an  Interest  Period that
         extends beyond the Termination Date;
                     (b)  whenever  the last day of any  Interest  Period  would
         otherwise  be a day that is not a  Business  Day,  the last day of such
         Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding  Business Day,
         PROVIDED  THAT if such  extension  would  cause  the  last  day of such
         Interest Period to occur in the following  calendar month, the last day
         of such Interest  Period shall be the  immediately  preceding  Business
         Day; and
                     (c) for purposes of determining  the Interest  Period for a
         Borrowing of Eurodollar  Loans, a month means a period  starting on one
         day in a calendar month and ending on the numerically corresponding day
         in the next  calendar  month;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that if there is no
         numerically  corresponding  day in the month in which such an  Interest
         Period  is to end or if such an  Interest  Period  begins  on the  last
         Business Day of a calendar  month,  then such Interest Period shall end
         on the last  Business Day of the calendar  month in which such Interest
         Period is to end.
         .SECTION 2.5. MATURITY OF LOANS;.  Each Loan shall mature and become
due and payable by the Borrower on the Termination Date.
         .SECTION 2.6. PREPAYMENTS;.  (a) VOLUNTARY.  The Borrower shall have
the privilege of



prepaying without premium or penalty and in whole or in part (but, if in part,
then: (i) in an amount not less than $100,000 in the case of Domestic Rate
Loans, and in an amount not less than $500,000 in the case of Eurodollar Loans
and (ii) in an amount such that the minimum amount required for a Borrowing
pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof remains outstanding) any Borrowing of Loans at
any time on any Business Day upon prior notice to the Agent (which shall advise
each Bank thereof promptly thereafter) by no later than 11:00 a.m. (Chicago
time) (x) on the date three (3) Business Days prior to the date of each
prepayment of a Eurodollar Loan and (y) on the date of each prepayment of a
Domestic Rate Loan, such prepayment to be made by the payment of the principal
amount to be prepaid and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, any compensation
required by Section 2.10 hereof.
           (b)  MANDATORY.   (i)   Concurrently   with  each  reduction  of  the
Commitments  (whether  voluntarily  pursuant  to Section 2.9 or  otherwise)  the
Borrower  shall  prepay the Notes by the amount,  if any,  necessary so that the
aggregate  outstanding  principal  balance  of the Notes  shall not  exceed  the
Commitments as so reduced, each such prepayment to be made by the payment of the
principal  amount to be  prepaid,  and,  in the case of  Eurodollar  Loans,  any
compensation required by Section 2.10 hereof.
           (ii) The  Borrower  covenants  and agrees  that in the event that the
outstanding  principal  amount of the Notes shall at any time and for any reason
exceed  the  Available  Borrowing  Base as then  determined  and  computed,  the
Borrower  shall  immediately  upon the demand of the Agent or the Required Banks
pay over the amount of the  excess to the Agent for the  account of the Banks as
and for a  mandatory  prepayment  on the Notes  together  with any  compensation
required by Section 2.10 hereof.
           (c)  REBORROWINGS.  Any  amount  paid or  prepaid  on the Loans on or
before the  Termination  Date may,  subject to the terms and  conditions of this
Agreement, be borrowed, repaid and borrowed again.
         .SECTION 2.7. DEFAULT RATE;. If any payment of principal on any Loan
is not made when due (whether by  acceleration  or  otherwise),  such Loan shall
bear  interest  (computed  on the  basis of a year of 360 days and  actual  days
elapsed)  from the date such  payment  was due until  paid in full,  payable  on
demand, at a rate per annum equal to:
                     (a) with respect to any Domestic Rate Loan,  the sum of two
         percent (2%) PLUS the Domestic Rate from time to time in effect; and
                     (b) with  respect to any  Eurodollar  Loan,  the sum of two
         percent (2%) PLUS the rate of interest in effect thereon at the time of
         such default until the end of the Interest  Period  applicable  thereto
         and,  thereafter,  at a rate per annum  equal to the sum of two percent
         (2%) PLUS the Domestic Rate from time to time in effect.
         .SECTION  2.8.  THE NOTES;.  (a) The Loans made to the Borrower by a
Bank shall be  evidenced  by a  promissory  note of the  Borrower in the form of
Exhibit A hereto. Each such promissory note as the same may from time to time be
amended together with any notes executed in replacement  thereof are hereinafter
referred to individually as a "NOTE" and collectively as the "NOTES".  Such Note
shall be dated the date of  issuance  thereof  and  payable to the order of each
Bank in the principal amount of its Commitment.
           (b) Each Bank  shall  record on its books or records or on a schedule
to the Note held by it the amount of each Loan made by it to the  Borrower,  the
Interest Period applicable thereto in the case of Eurodollar Loans, all payments
of  principal  and  interest  and  the  principal  balance  from  time  to  time
outstanding  thereon,  in respect of any  Eurodollar  Loan,  the  interest  rate
applicable thereto, and, in respect of any Loan, the type of such Loan; PROVIDED
THAT prior to the transfer of any Note all such  amounts  shall be recorded on a
schedule  to such  Note.  The  record  thereof,  whether  shown on such books or
records of a Bank or on a schedule to any Note, shall be PRIMA FACIE evidence as
to all such amounts;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that the failure of any Bank to record
any of the  foregoing  or any  error  in any  such  record  shall  not  limit or
otherwise  affect the  obligation  of the Borrower to repay all Loans made to it
hereunder together with accrued interest thereon.
         .SECTION 2.9. COMMITMENT TERMINATIONS;.  (a) The Borrower shall have
the right at any time and from time to time,  upon five (5) Business Days' prior
written notice to the Agent to terminate without premium or penalty, in whole or
in part, the  Commitments,  any partial  termination to be in an amount not less
than $2,000,000 or any larger amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000,
and to reduce ratably



the respective  Commitments of each Bank;  PROVIDED THAT the Commitments may not
be reduced to an amount less than the aggregate  principal  amount of Loans then
outstanding.
           (b)  Upon  the  Agent's  receipt  of  the  proceeds  of any  sale  or
disposition of the Collateral,  or any part thereof,  applied to the Obligations
pursuant to Section 10.4(c) of the Company Security Agreement or Section 10.4(c)
of the Subsidiary Security  Agreement,  the Commitments shall automatically and
without notice be ratably  reduced (based on the Commitment of each Bank) by the
amount of such proceeds.
           (c) Any  termination of Commitments  pursuant to this Section 2.9 may
not be reinstated.
         .SECTION 2.10. FUNDING INDEMNITY;. In the event any Bank shall incur
any loss, cost or expense (including,  without  limitation,  any loss of profit,
and any  loss,  cost  or  expense  incurred  by  reason  of the  liquidation  or
re-employment  of  deposits  or other  funds  acquired  by such  Bank to fund or
maintain any Eurodollar Loan or the relending or reinvesting of such deposits or
amounts paid or prepaid to such Bank) as a result of:
                     (a) any payment or  prepayment  of a  Eurodollar  Loan on a
         date other than the last day of its Interest Period,
                     (b)  any  failure   (because  of  a  failure  to  meet  the
         conditions  of  Section 7 or  otherwise)  by the  Borrower  to borrow a
         Eurodollar  Loan on the date  specified in a notice  given  pursuant to
         Section 2.3 hereof,
                     (c) any  failure  by the  Borrower  to make any  payment of
         principal on any Eurodollar  Loan when due (whether by  acceleration or
         otherwise), or
                     (d) any  acceleration  of the maturity of a Eurodollar Loan
         as a result of the occurrence of any Event of Default hereunder,

         then, upon the demand of such Bank,  the Borrower shall pay to such
         Bank such amount as will reimburse such Bank for such loss,  cost or
         expense.  If any Bank makes such a claim for  compensation,  it shall
         provide to the Borrower,  with a copy  to the  Agent,  a  certificate
         executed  by an officer of such Bank  setting  forth the  amount of
         such loss,  cost or expense in reasonable detail (including an
         explanation of the basis for and the  computation  of such loss,  cost
         or  expense)  and the amounts shown on such certificate shall be
         conclusive absent manifest error.
 .SECTION 3. FEES, EXTENSIONS AND APPLICATIONS;.
         .SECTION  3.1.  COMMITMENT FEE;. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent
for  the  ratable  account  of  the  Banks  a  commitment  fee at  the  rate  of
three-eighths of one percent (3/8 of 1%) per annum commencing September 30, 1997
(computed  on the  basis  of a year of 360 days and the  actual  number  of days
elapsed)  on the  average  daily  unused  portion of the  maximum  amount of the
Commitments hereunder. Such commitment fee is payable in arrears on the last day
of each March, June,  September and December in each year (commencing  September
30, 1997) and on the Termination  Date, unless the Commitments are terminated in
whole on an earlier  date, in which event the fees for the period to the date of
such termination in whole shall be paid on the date of such termination.
         .SECTION  3.2. CLOSING FEE;. (a) The Borrower shall pay to the Agent
for the  benefit of each Bank which is not a "Bank"  under the  Original  Credit
Agreement,  a closing fee in the amount equal to such Bank's  Commitment  on the
date hereof multiplied by 1/8 of 1% (0.125%).  (b) The Borrower shall pay to the
Agent for the  benefit  of each Bank which is also a "BANK"  under the  Original
Credit Agreement,  a closing fee in the amount equal to such Bank's "Commitment"
on the date hereof multiplied by 1/10th of 1% (0.1%).
         .SECTION 3.3. AGENT'S FEES;. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for
its own account an agent's fee as mutually  agreed upon by the  Borrower and the
Agent.
         .SECTION 3.4. EXTENSION OF THE COMMITMENTS.; The Borrower shall have
the  option to request  extensions  to the  Termination  Date  pursuant  to this
Section  3.4. No less than 90 days prior to, but no more than 120 days prior to,
September 30, 1998 (and, if the Termination  Date has been extended  pursuant to
this Section 3.4, September 30 of each year thereafter), the Borrower may advise
the Agent in writing of the Borrower's desire to extend the Termination Date for
an  additional 12 months and the Agent shall  promptly  notify the Banks of each
such request. If the Borrower makes any such request, each Bank agrees to notify
the Borrower and the Agent within 60 days of such request  stating  whether such
Bank is declining or



consenting  to any such  request,  or  consenting  to such  request  subject  to
specified terms and conditions.  In the event that a Bank fails to so notify the
Agent and the  Borrower  during such  period,  such Bank shall be deemed to have
refused the  requested  extension.  In the event that each Bank is  agreeable to
such extension (it being  understood that the Banks may accept or decline such a
request  in their sole  discretion  and on such  terms as they may  elect),  the
Borrower  and the  Banks  shall  enter  into  such  documents  as the  Agent may
reasonably  deem  necessary or appropriate  to reflect such  extension,  and all
costs and  expenses  incurred by the Agent in  connection  therewith  (including
attorneys' fees) shall be paid by the Borrower. In the event any Bank declines a
request to extend the  Termination  Date as provided  above,  the Borrower shall
have the option to require, at the Borrower's  expense,  such Bank to assign, at
par plus accrued  interest  and fees,  without  recourse  all of its  interests,
rights and obligations  hereunder (including all of its Commitment and the Loans
and other  amounts  at the time owing to it  hereunder  and its Note) to another
Bank or to another bank, financial  institution or other entity specified by the
Borrower  willing to provide such  financing,  PROVIDED that (i) such assignment
shall not conflict  with or violate any law,  rule or regulation or order of any
court or other governmental authority, (ii) the Borrower shall have received the
written consent of the Agent to such assignment  (which will not be unreasonably
withheld),  (iii) the Borrower  shall have paid to the assigning Bank all monies
other than such principal,  interest and fees accrued and owing hereunder to it,
and (iv) the assignment is entered into in accordance  with the  requirements of
Section 12.9 hereof.
         .SECTION  3.5. PLACE AND  APPLICATION OF PAYMENTS;.  All payments of
principal  of and  interest on the Loans and all  payments of fees and all other
amounts payable under this Agreement shall be made to the Agent by no later than
1:00 p.m.  (Chicago  time) at the  principal  office  of the  Agent in  Chicago,
Illinois  (or such  other  location  in the State of  Illinois  as the Agent may
designate to the Borrower) for the benefit of the Banks.  Any payments  received
after such time shall be deemed to have been  received  by the Agent on the next
Business  Day.  All such  payments  shall be made in lawful  money of the United
States of  America,  in  immediately  available  funds at the place of  payment,
without set-off or counterclaim.  The Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be
distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest on Loans
or fees ratably to the Banks and like funds relating to the payment of any other
amount  payable  to any  Bank  to such  Bank,  in each  case  to be  applied  in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
         Anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, all payments
and collections received in respect of the indebtedness  evidenced by the Notes,
and all proceeds of the Collateral and payments or collections on any guaranties
received,  in  each  instance,  by the  Agent  or any of  the  Banks  after  the
occurrence of an Event of Default shall be remitted to the Agent and distributed
as follows:
                     (a)  first,  to the  payment of any  outstanding  costs and
         expenses  incurred by the Security  Trustee or the Agent in monitoring,
         verifying,  protecting,  preserving  or  enforcing  the  Liens  on  the
         Collateral or in protecting,  preserving or enforcing rights under this
         Agreement or any other Loan  Document,  and in any event  including all
         costs and expenses of a character  which the Borrower has agreed to pay
         to the Agent and the  Security  Trustee  under  Sections  9.5 and 12.12
         hereof (such funds to be retained by the Agent or the Security Trustee,
         as the case may be for its own account  unless it has  previously  been
         reimbursed  for such costs and  expenses  by the Banks,  in which event
         such  amounts  shall be  remitted  to the Banks to  reimburse  them for
         payments therefor made to the Agent or the Security Trustee);
                     (b) second,  to the payment of any outstanding  interest or
         other fees or amounts due under the Notes or this Agreement  other than
         for principal,  ratably as among the Agent and the Banks in accord with
         the amount of such interest and other fees or amounts owing each;
                     (c) third,  to the payment of the  principal  of the Notes,
         pro rata as among the Banks in accord with the then  respective  unpaid
         principal balances thereof;
                     (d)  fourth,  to the Agent and the Banks  ratably in accord
         with the amounts of any other indebtedness,  obligations or liabilities
         of the  Borrower  owing to each of them and  secured by the  Collateral
         Documents  unless  and until  all such  indebtedness,  obligations  and
         liabilities have been fully paid and satisfied;
                     (e) fifth,  to the Borrower or whoever the  Required  Banks
         reasonably determine to be



         lawfully entitled thereto.
 .SECTION 4. THE COLLATERAL AND GUARANTIES;.
         .SECTION 4.1. THE COLLATERAL;.  The Notes and the other  obligations
of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall be secured by
valid and  perfected  first  priority  Liens  pursuant to the  Company  Security
Agreement and the Subsidiary Security Agreement in favor of the Security Trustee
for the benefit of the Banks and the Note Purchasers and the  Subordinated  Note
Purchasers  (with the  priority as between  such  creditors as set forth in such
Collateral  Documents)  on all of the  Borrower's  and  each  of its  Restricted
Subsidiaries' (other than the Insurance Subsidiary's) now existing and hereafter
arising or  acquired  accounts,  general  intangibles,  instruments,  documents,
chattel  paper,  investment  property,  inventory,  equipment  and  other  goods
together  with all  records  and  proceeds  relating  thereto  as well as on all
capital stock or other equity  interests of each  Restricted  Subsidiary  (other
than the  Insurance  Subsidiary  as to which 65% of the  capital  stock shall be
subject to such Lien) and all  proceeds  thereof.  The  Borrower  covenants  and
agrees that it will,  and will cause each of such  Restricted  Subsidiaries  to,
comply with all terms and  conditions  of each of the  Collateral  Documents and
that it will, and will cause each of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, at any time
and from  time to time,  at the  request  of the  Agent or the  Required  Banks,
execute and deliver such  instruments  and documents and do such acts and things
as the Agent or the Required  Banks may  reasonably  request in order to provide
for or protect or perfect the Lien of the Security Trustee in the Collateral.
         .SECTION 4.2. SUBSIDIARY  GUARANTIES.;  Payment of the Notes and the
other  obligations of the Borrower  hereunder and under the other Loan Documents
shall at all times be guarantied by each of the Restricted  Subsidiaries  (other
than the  Insurance  Subsidiary)  pursuant to that certain  Amended and Restated
Guaranty  Agreement  dated  as of  June  30,  1997,  issued  by  the  Restricted
Subsidiaries  and otherwise in form and substance  satisfactory to the Agent and
the Banks (such guaranty agreement as the same may from time to time be amended,
together with any supplements thereto delivered pursuant to the terms thereof is
hereinafter referred to as the "SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY AGREEMENT").
 .'SECTION 5. DEFINITIONS; INTERPRETATION';.
         .SECTION  5.1.  DEFINITIONS;.  The following  terms when used herein
have the following meanings:
         "ADJUSTED LIBOR" is defined in Section 2.1(b) hereof.
         "AFFILIATE"  shall  mean any Person (i) which  directly  or  indirectly
through one or more  intermediaries  controls,  or is controlled by, or is under
common control with, the Borrower,  (ii) which  beneficially owns or holds 5% or
more of any  class of the  Voting  Stock  (determined  by number of shares or by
number  of  votes)  of the  Borrower  or  (iii) 5% or more of the  Voting  Stock
(determined  by number  of  shares  or by number of votes)  (or in the case of a
Person which is not a corporation,  5% or more of the equity  interest) of which
is  beneficially  owned  or held  by the  Borrower  or a  Subsidiary.  The  term
"control" means the possession,  directly or indirectly,  of the power to direct
or cause the  direction  of the  management  and  policies of a Person,  whether
through the ownership of Voting Stock, by contract or otherwise.
         "AGENT" means Harris Trust and Savings Bank and any successor  pursuant
to Section 11.8 hereof.
         "AVAILABLE  BORROWING  BASE"  means,  as of any  time the same is to be
determined,  the Borrowing Base less the principal amount then outstanding under
the Note Purchase  Agreements.  
         "BANK" means each bank signatory hereto and each assignee bank or 
other financial institution pursuant to Section 12.9(c) hereof.
         "BORROWER"  means  World  Acceptance  Corporation,   a  South  Carolina
corporation.
         "BORROWING"  means the  total of Loans of a single  type made by one or
more Banks to the  Borrower on a single  date and,  with  respect to  Eurodollar
Loans, for a single Interest  Period.  Borrowings of Loans are made ratably from
each of the Banks according to their Commitments.  A Borrowing is "continued" on
the date a new  Interest  Period for the same type of Loans  commences  for such
Borrowing,  and is  "converted"  when such Borrowing is changed from one type of
Loan to another, all as determined in accordance with this Agreement.
         "BORROWING BASE" means, as of any time it is to be determined,  the sum
of:
                     (a) the product of 85%  multiplied  by the remainder of (x)
         the then  outstanding  unpaid amount of Eligible  Finance  Receivables,
         other than Eligible Finance Receivables consisting of



         instruments not in the possession of the Security Trustee MINUS (y) all
         unearned   finance   charges   applicable  to  such  Eligible   Finance
         Receivables; PLUS
                     (b) the  lesser  of (i)  $15,000,000,  (ii)  11.11%  of the
         product  determined  in  accordance  with clause (a) above or (iii) the
         product of 50% multiplied by the remainder of (x) the then  outstanding
         unpaid amount of Eligible Finance Receivables consisting of instruments
         not in the  possession  of the Security  Trustee MINUS (y) all unearned
         finance  charges  applicable  to  such  Eligible  Finance  Receivables.
         "BUSINESS  DAY" means any day other than a Saturday  or Sunday on which
Banks are not  authorized or required to close in Chicago,  Illinois and, if the
applicable  Business  Day relates to the  borrowing  or payment of a  Eurodollar
Loan,  on which  banks are  dealing  in United  States  Dollar  deposits  in the
interbank  market in London,  England.
         "CAPITALIZED  LEASE"  means any lease the  obligation  for Rentals with
respect to which is  required  to be  capitalized  on the  balance  sheet of the
lessee in accordance with GAAP.
         "CAPITALIZED  RENTALS"  of any  Person  means,  as of the  date  of any
determination  thereof,  the amount at which the  aggregate  Rentals  due and to
become due under all  Capitalized  Leases  under  which such  Person is a lessee
would be required to be reflected under GAAP as a liability on the balance sheet
of such Person.
         "CODE"  means the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended and any
successor statute thereto.
         "COLLATERAL"  means all  properties,  rights,  interests and privileges
from time to time subject to the Liens  granted to the Security  Trustee for the
benefit of the Banks pursuant to the Collateral Documents.
         "COLLATERAL  DOCUMENTS"  means  the  Company  Security  Agreement,  the
Subsidiary  Security  Agreement  and all other  security  agreements,  financing
statements  and other  documents  as shall from time to time secure the Notes or
any other  Obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary  hereunder or under any
other Loan Document.
         "COMMITMENTS" is defined in Section 1.1 hereof.
         "COMPANY  SECURITY  AGREEMENT"  means that certain Amended and Restated
Security  Agreement,  Pledge and  Indenture  of Trust dated as of June 30, 1997,
between the Borrower and the Security Trustee which shall be satisfactory to the
Agent and the Banks, as the same may from time to time be amended.
         "CONSOLIDATED ADJUSTED NET WORTH" at any date means:
                     (a) as to any  corporation,  the  amount of  capital  stock
         liability plus (or minus in the case of a deficit) the capital  surplus
         and earned surplus of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a
         consolidated  basis,  and as to any  partnership  or limited  liability
         company,  the  capital  account  of the  Borrower  and  its  Restricted
         Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; less (without duplication)
                     (b)  the net  book  value,  after  deducting  any  reserves
         applicable  thereto,  of all items of the following character which are
         included in the assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries,
         to wit:
                              (i) all real property,  fixed assets,  unamortized
                     leasehold   improvements   and   furniture,   fixtures  and
                     equipment  other than  property  held for  immediate  sale,
                     lease  or other  liquidation  which  has  been  held by the
                     Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary for less than 90 days;
                              (ii) all  deferred  charges  (other than  deferred
                     Federal  income taxes and deferred  investment tax credits)
                     and prepaid expenses other than prepaid  interest,  prepaid
                     taxes and prepaid insurance premiums;
                              (iii) treasury stock;
                              (iv)  unamortized  debt  discount and  capitalized
                     expense and  unamortized  stock  discount  and  capitalized
                     expense;
                              (v)  good  will,  organizational  or  experimental
                     expense, patents,  trademarks,  copyrights, trade names and
                     other intangibles;
                              (vi) Minority Interests;
                              (vii) "direct loan origination costs" as set forth
                     in FASB 91;
                              (viii) all Restricted Investments;
                              (ix) the excess, if any, of (A) net charge-offs of
                     the Borrower and its Restricted



                     Subsidiaries over the twelve-month  period ending with such
                     date over (B)  reserves  for credit  losses of the Borrower
                     and its Restricted Subsidiaries as at such date; and
                              (x) any surplus resulting from any write-up in the
                     book  value of assets  of the  Borrower  or any  Restricted
                     Subsidiary subsequent to March 31, 1997.
         "CONSOLIDATED  NET INCOME" for any period shall mean the gross revenues
of the  Borrower  and its  Restricted  Subsidiaries  for  such  period  less all
expenses and other proper charges  (including taxes on income),  determined on a
consolidated  basis in  accordance  with  GAAP  consistently  applied  and after
eliminating  earnings or losses attributable to outstanding  Minority Interests,
but excluding in any event:
                     (a) any gains or losses on the sale or other disposition of
         investments or fixed or capital assets,  and any taxes on such excluded
         gains and any tax deductions or credits on account of any such excluded
         losses;
                     (b) the proceeds of any life insurance policy;
                     (c) net  earnings and losses of any  Restricted  Subsidiary
         accrued prior to the date it became a Restricted Subsidiary;
                     (d) net  earnings  and losses of any Person  (other  than a
         Restricted Subsidiary), substantially all the assets of which have been
         acquired in any manner, realized by such other Person prior to the date
         of such acquisition;
                     (e) net  earnings  and losses of any Person  (other  than a
         Restricted   Subsidiary)  with  which  the  Borrower  or  a  Restricted
         Subsidiary  shall have  consolidated or which shall have merged into or
         with the Borrower or a Restricted  Subsidiary prior to the date of such
         consolidation or merger;
                     (f) net  earnings  of any  business  entity  (other  than a
         Restricted   Subsidiary)  in  which  the  Borrower  or  any  Restricted
         Subsidiary  has an ownership  interest  unless such net earnings  shall
         have  actually  been  received  by  the  Borrower  or  such  Restricted
         Subsidiary in the form of cash distributions;
                     (g) any  portion  of the  net  earnings  of any  Restricted
         Subsidiary  (other than the Insurance  Subsidiary) which for any reason
         is  unavailable  for payment of  dividends to the Borrower or any other
         Restricted  Subsidiary; 
                     (h) earnings resulting from any reappraisal, revaluation or
         write-up of assets;
                     (i) any deferred or other credit representing any excess of
         the equity in any  Subsidiary at the date of  acquisition  thereof over
         the amount invested in such Subsidiary;
                     (j) any gain arising from the acquisition of any Securities
         of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;
                     (k) any reversal of any contingency reserve,  except to the
         extent that provision for such contingency reserve shall have been made
         from income arising during such period; and
                     (l)  any  portion  of the  net  earnings  of the  Insurance
         Subsidiary in excess of $500,000 (on a cumulative  basis) which has not
         actually been distributed to the Borrower in the form of cash.
         "CONSOLIDATED  NET WORTH"  means,  as of the date of any  determination
thereof,  the total assets of the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries less
the total liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined
in accordance with GAAP.
         "CONSOLIDATED  TANGIBLE  NET  WORTH"  means,  as of  the  date  of  any
determination  thereof,  Consolidated  Net Worth less  intangible  assets of the
Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP.
         "CONTROLLED   GROUP"  means  all  members  of  a  controlled  group  of
corporations and all trades or businesses  (whether or not  incorporated)  under
common  control  which,  together  with the  Borrower,  are  treated as a single
employer under Section 414 of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.
         "DEFAULT"  means any event or condition the  occurrence of which would,
with the passage of time or the giving of notice,  or both,  constitute an Event
of Default.
         "DETERMINATION  DATE"  means the last day of the fiscal  quarter of the
Borrower  occurring  after the date of this  Agreement in which the Borrower has
maintained a Consolidated Tangible Net Worth in excess of $42,000,000 at the end
of such fiscal quarter.



         "DOMESTIC RATE" is defined in Section 2.1(a) hereof.
         "DOMESTIC  RATE  LOAN"  means  a Loan  bearing  interest  at  the  rate
specified in Section 2.1(a) hereof.
         "EBIT" for any period shall mean the sum of (i) Consolidated Net Income
during such period plus (to the extent deducted in determining  Consolidated Net
Income),  (ii) all provisions for any Federal,  state or other income taxes made
by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such period and (iii) all
Interest  Charges on all  Indebtedness  (including  the  interest  component  of
Capitalized Rentals) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
         "ELIGIBLE  FINANCE   RECEIVABLES"   means  and  includes  each  Finance
Receivable of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary (excluding any Insurance
Subsidiary) that:
                     (a) is payable in U.S.  dollars  and is the valid,  binding
         and legally enforceable  obligation of the debtor obligated thereon and
         such  debtor  is  not  (i)  an  Affiliate  of  the  Borrower  or of any
         Restricted  Subsidiary,  (ii)  a  shareholder,   director,  officer  or
         employee of the  Borrower  or of any  Restricted  Subsidiary  or of any
         Affiliate  of the  Borrower  or any  Restricted  Subsidiary,  (iii) the
         United States of America or any department,  agency or  instrumentality
         thereof unless the Borrower or such Restricted  Subsidiary has complied
         with the  Assignment  of Claims Act to the  satisfaction  of the Agent,
         (iv) a debtor under any proceeding  under the United States  Bankruptcy
         Code or any other  comparable  bankruptcy or insolvency  law applicable
         under the law of any other country or political subdivision thereof, or
         (v) an assignor for the benefit of creditors;
                     (b) is  assignable  and not  evidenced by an  instrument or
         chattel  paper unless the same has been  endorsed and  delivered to the
         Security  Trustee (except that, until a Default or Event of Default has
         occurred and is continuing and thereafter  until otherwise  notified by
         the Security Trustee pursuant to the Company Security  Agreement or the
         Subsidiary  Security Agreement,  as appropriate,  the same shall not be
         required to be delivered to the Security Trustee if a legend shall have
         been placed thereon in accordance with the Company  Security  Agreement
         or the Subsidiary Security Agreement, as appropriate);
                     (c) is subject to a perfected, first priority Lien pursuant
         to the Company Security Agreement or the Subsidiary Security Agreement,
         as appropriate, in favor of the Security Trustee for the benefit of the
         Banks (except that,  in the case of  instruments  referred to in clause
         (b) above,  the same need not be perfected  until the Security  Trustee
         requests  delivery of the same in accordance with the Company  Security
         Agreement or the Subsidiary Security Agreement, as appropriate), and is
         free and clear of any other  Lien  other  than the Lien in favor of the
         Note  Purchasers  and  the  Subordinated   Note  Purchasers  and  Liens
         permitted under Sections 8.11(e) and 8.11(g) of this Agreement;
                     (d) is net of any credit or allowance given by the Borrower
         or such Restricted Subsidiary to such account debtor;
                     (e) is not  subject to any  offset,  counterclaim  or other
         defense with respect thereto;
                     (f) is not owed by an account  debtor who is  obligated  on
         accounts owed to the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary any portion
         of which is unpaid  more than 60 days  after the  contractual  due date
         (which  must be  issued  in  accordance  with  the  Borrower's  or such
         Restricted  Subsidiary's  business  practices  in effect as of the date
         hereof)  unless  the  Agent  has  approved  the  continued  eligibility
         thereof; and
                     (g) is subject  to loan and  security  documentation  which
         complies in all respects with all applicable  federal,  state and local
         laws, rules and regulations.
         "ENVIRONMENTAL   LEGAL   REQUIREMENT"  shall  mean  any  international,
Federal,  state  or local  statute,  law,  regulation,  order,  consent  decree,
judgment, permit, license, code, covenant, deed restriction, common law, treaty,
convention,  ordinance or other requirement relating to public health, safety or
the  environment,  including  without  limitation,  those  relating to releases,
discharges or emissions to air,  water,  land or ground water, to the withdrawal
or use of groundwater,  to the use and handling of polychlorinated  biphenyls or
asbestos,  to the  disposal,  treatment,  storage or  management of hazardous or
solid waste, or Hazardous  Substances or crude oil, or any fraction thereof,  or
to exposure to toxic or hazardous  materials,  to the handling,  transportation,
discharge  or  release  of  gaseous  or  liquid  Hazardous  Substances  and  any
regulation,



order,  notice or demand issued pursuant to such law,  statute or ordinance,  in
each case applicable to the property of the Borrower or any of its  Subsidiaries
or the  operation,  construction  or  modification  of any  thereof,  including,
without limitation,  the following:  the Comprehensive  Environmental  Response,
Compensation  and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund  Amendments
and Reauthorization Act of 1986, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste
Amendments of 1984, the Hazardous Materials  Transportation Act, as amended, the
Federal Water Pollution  Control Act, as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1976,
the Safe Drinking Water Control Act, the Clean Air Act of 1966, as amended,  the
Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, the Occupational  Safety and Health Act of
1977, as amended,  the Emergency  Planning and  Community  Right-to-Know  Act of
1986, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1975 and the Oil Pollution Act of
1990 and any similar or  implementing  state law, and any state  statute and any
further  amendments to these laws,  providing for financial  responsibility  for
cleanup or other  actions with respect to the release or  threatened  release of
Hazardous  Substances  or crude  oil,  or any  fraction  thereof  and all rules,
regulations, guidance documents and publication promulgated thereunder.
         "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended, and any successor statute.
         "EURODOLLAR  LOAN" means a Loan bearing  interest at the rate specified
in Section 2.1(b) hereof.
         "EURODOLLAR MARGIN" is defined in Section 2.1(b) hereof.
         "EURODOLLAR RESERVE PERCENTAGE" is defined in Section 2.1(b) hereof.
         "EVENT OF DEFAULT" means any of the events or  circumstances  specified
in Section 9.1 hereof.
         "FINANCE  RECEIVABLE"  means each  Receivable  of the  Borrower  or any
Restricted Subsidiary which arises in the ordinary course of its finance company
business and represents  amounts due in respect of loans made by the Borrower or
such Restricted Subsidiary to the debtor obligated thereon.
         "FIXED CHARGES" for any period means, on a consolidated  basis, the sum
of (i) all Rentals (other than  Capitalized  Rentals) payable during such period
by the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries,  and (ii) all Interest Charges
on all Indebtedness (including the interest component of Capitalized Rentals) of
the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
         "GAAP" means generally acceptable  accounting principles at the time in
the United States.
         "GOVERNING  DOCUMENTS" shall mean collectively the charter instruments,
by-laws,   partnership  agreements,   operating  agreements  and  other  similar
documents prescribing the internal governance of each Restricted Subsidiary.
         "GUARANTIES"  by any Person  shall  mean all  obligations  (other  than
endorsements  in the ordinary  course of business of negotiable  instruments for
deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any
Indebtedness,  dividend or other  obligation,  of any other Person (the "PRIMARY
OBLIGOR") in any manner,  whether  directly or  indirectly,  including,  without
limitation,  all  obligations  incurred  through  an  agreement,  contingent  or
otherwise,  by such Person:  (i) to purchase such  Indebtedness or obligation or
any property or assets constituting security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply
funds (x) for the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness or obligation, (y) to
maintain  working  capital or other  balance  sheet  condition  or  otherwise to
advance or make available funds for the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness
or  obligation,  (iii) to lease  property  or to  purchase  Securities  or other
property or  services  primarily  for the purpose of assuring  the owner of such
Indebtedness or obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment
of the Indebtedness or obligation,  or (iv) otherwise to assure the owner of the
Indebtedness  or  obligation  of the  primary  obligor  against  loss in respect
thereof.  For the  purposes of all  computations  made under this  Agreement,  a
Guaranty in respect of any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money shall be deemed to be
Indebtedness  equal to the principal  amount of such  Indebtedness  for Borrowed
Money  which  has been  guaranteed,  and a  Guaranty  in  respect  of any  other
obligation or liability or any dividend shall be deemed to be Indebtedness equal
to the maximum aggregate amount of such obligation, liability or dividend.
         "HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES" means any hazardous or toxic material, substance
or waste pollutant or contaminant  which is regulated as such under any statute,
law,  ordinance,  rule or  regulation of any Federal,  regional,  state or local
authority  having  jurisdiction  over  the  property  of  the  Borrower  or  any
Subsidiary or



its use, including but not limited to any material, substance or waste which is:
(a)  defined as a hazardous  substance  under  Section 311 of the Federal  Water
Pollution  Control Act (33 U.S.C.  ss.1317),  as  amended;  (b)  regulated  as a
hazardous  waste under  Section 1004 of the Federal  Resource  Conservation  and
Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. ss.6901 ET SEQ.), as amended; (c) defined as a hazardous
substance  under  Section  101  of  the  Comprehensive  Environmental  Response,
Compensation  and  Liability  Act, as amended,  (d)  defined or  regulated  as a
hazardous   substance  or  hazardous   waste  under  any  rules  or  regulations
promulgated  under any of the  foregoing  statutes or (e)  petroleum or products
derived therefrom.
         "INDEBTEDNESS" of any Person means and includes all obligations of such
Person which in accordance  with GAAP should be classified  upon a balance sheet
of such Person as liabilities of such Person, and in any event shall include all
(i) obligations of such Person for borrowed money or which have been incurred in
connection with the acquisition of property or assets,  (ii) obligations secured
by any Lien upon  property  or assets  owned by such  Person,  even  though such
Person has not  assumed or become  liable for the  payment of such  obligations,
(iii)  obligations  created or arising under any conditional sale or other title
retention   agreement  with  respect  to  property   acquired  by  such  Person,
notwithstanding  the fact that the rights and remedies of the seller,  lender or
lessor under such agreement in the event of default are limited to  repossession
or sale of property, (iv) Capitalized Rentals (v) all obligations of such Person
on or with  respect  to  letters  of  credit,  bankers'  acceptances  and  other
extensions of credit whether or not representing  obligations for borrowed money
and (vi)  Guaranties of  obligations  of others of the character  referred to in
this definition.
         "INDEBTEDNESS   FOR  BORROWED  MONEY"  of  any  Person  means  (a)  all
Indebtedness  of such Person for  borrowed  money or which has been  incurred in
connection with the acquisition of assets,  (b) all Capitalized  Rentals of such
Person, and (c) all Guaranties by such Person of Indebtedness for Borrowed Money
of others,  it being  understood that  Indebtedness for Borrowed Money shall not
include trade payables in the ordinary course of business.
         "INSURANCE  SUBSIDIARY" means any one Subsidiary (i) which is organized
under the laws of the British Virgin Islands or such other jurisdiction as shall
be  consented  to  in  writing  by  the  Required  Banks;  (ii)  which  conducts
substantially all of its business and has substantially all of its assets within
the British Virgin Islands or such other  jurisdiction  as shall be consented to
in writing by the  Required  Banks;  (iii) of which 100% (by number of votes) of
the Voting  Stock  (except  for  directors'  qualifying  shares) is owned by the
Borrower;  and (iv) which is engaged in the  business of  reinsuring  the credit
insurance written by the Subsidiaries of the Borrower.
         "INTEREST   CHARGES"   for  any  period  means  all  interest  and  all
amortization  of debt discount and expense on any  particular  Indebtedness  for
which such calculations are being made.
         "INTEREST PERIOD" is defined in Section 2.4 hereof.
         "INVESTMENTS" means all investments, in cash or by delivery of property
made, directly or indirectly in any Person,  whether by acquisition of shares of
capital  stock,  indebtedness  or other  obligations  or  Securities or by loan,
advance,   capital   contribution   or  otherwise;   PROVIDED,   HOWEVER,   that
"INVESTMENTS"  shall not mean or include  routine  investments in property to be
used or consumed in the ordinary course of business.
         "JUNIOR  SUBORDINATED  DEBT"  means  all  unsecured   Indebtedness  for
Borrowed Money of the Borrower which (i) pursuant to its terms matures on a date
later than the Termination  Date or such later date required by the terms of the
Subordinated Note Purchase  Agreement to constitute  "JUNIOR  SUBORDINATED DEBT"
thereunder and (ii) contains or has applicable thereto subordination  provisions
substantially  in the form set forth in Exhibit B-2 hereto but with  appropriate
adjustments  therein  so as to provide  that such  Junior  Subordinated  Debt be
subordinate and junior to all Senior Debt and Senior  Subordinated Debt (but not
to any other  Indebtedness  of the Borrower)  rather than only to Senior Debt or
such other  provisions  as may be  approved  in writing by the Banks and, to the
extent  applicable,  the other holders of the Senior Debt and the holders of the
Senior  Subordinated  Debt (exclusive of any Senior Debt or Senior  Subordinated
Debt held by a Subsidiary or other Affiliate).
         "LENDING OFFICE" is defined in Section 10.4 hereof.
         "LIBOR" is defined in Section 2.1(b) hereof.



         "LIEN" means any interest in Property  securing an obligation owed to a
Person,  whether such interest is based on the common law,  statute or contract,
and including but not limited to the security  interest arising from a mortgage,
security agreement,  encumbrance, pledge, conditional sale or trust receipt or a
lease,  consignment or bailment for security purposes.  The term "LIEN" includes
reservations,  exceptions,  encroachments,  easements, rights of way, covenants,
conditions,   restrictions,  leases  and  other  similar  title  exceptions  and
encumbrances,   including   but  not  limited  to   mechanics',   materialmen's,
warehousemen's,  carriers' and other similar  encumbrances,  affecting Property.
For the purposes of this Agreement,  a Person shall be deemed to be the owner of
any  Property  which it has  acquired  or holds  subject to a  conditional  sale
agreement or other arrangement  pursuant to which title to the property has been
retained by or vested in some other Person for security purposes.
         "LOAN" means and includes  loans made under the Revolving  Credit,  and
each of them  singly,  and the term  "TYPE" of Loan  refers  to its  status as a
Domestic Rate Loan or Eurodollar Loan.
         "LOAN  DOCUMENTS"  means  this  Agreement,  the Notes,  the  Subsidiary
Guaranty Agreement and the Collateral Documents.
         "MARGIN  STOCK" means "MARGIN  STOCK" as defined in Regulation U of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
         "MINORITY INTERESTS" means any shares of stock,  partnership interests,
membership  interests  or other  equity  interests  of any class of a Restricted
Subsidiary (other than directors' qualifying shares as required by law) that are
not owned by the  Borrower  and/or one or more of its  Restricted  Subsidiaries.
Minority  Interests shall be valued by valuing Minority  Interests  constituting
preferred  stock  at the  voluntary  or  involuntary  liquidating  value of such
preferred  stock,   whichever  is  greater,   by  valuing   Minority   Interests
constituting  common  stock  at the  book  value  of  the  capital  and  surplus
applicable thereto adjusted, if necessary,  to reflect any changes from the book
value of such common stock required by the foregoing  method of valuing Minority
Interests in preferred  stock, and by valuing  Minority  Interests  constituting
partnership or limited liability company membership  interests at the book value
of such interest.
         "MOODY'S" shall mean Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
         "MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN" shall have the same meaning as in ERISA.
         "NET INCOME  AVAILABLE FOR FIXED  CHARGES" for any period means the sum
of (i)  Consolidated  Net Income during such period plus (to the extent deducted
in determining  Consolidated  Net Income),  (ii) all provisions for any Federal,
state or other income taxes made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries
during such period and (iii) Fixed  Charges of the Borrower  and its  Restricted
Subsidiaries during such period.
         "NOTES" is defined in Section 2.8 hereof.
         "NOTE  PURCHASE  AGREEMENTS"  shall mean,  collectively,  the  separate
Amended and Restated Note Agreements, each dated as of June 30, 1997, as amended
from time to time between the Borrower and the respective note purchasers  named
therein.
         "NOTE  PURCHASERS" means the Purchasers as defined in the Note Purchase
Agreements.
         "OBLIGATIONS"  means all unpaid  principal  of and  accrued  and unpaid
interest on the Notes, all accrued and unpaid fees and all other  obligations of
the  Borrower  or any  Subsidiary  to the  Banks or any Bank or the Agent or the
Security Trustee arising under the Loan Documents.
         "OPERATING MARGIN" means, as of the date of any determination  thereof,
the sum of the pretax net  operating  income of the Borrower and its  Restricted
Subsidiaries  plus  amortization  of  intangible  assets of the Borrower and its
Restricted  Subsidiaries  divided by the total  revenue of the  Borrower and its
Restricted  Subsidiaries,  in each case,  determined on a consolidated  basis in
accordance with GAAP.
         "PBGC" is defined in Section 6.12 hereof.
         "PERSON"  means  an  individual,   partnership,   corporation,  limited
liability company, association,  trust, unincorporated organization or any other
entity  or   organization,   including  a  government  or  agency  or  political
subdivision thereof.
         "PLAN" means with respect to the  Borrower and each  Subsidiary  at any
time an employee  pension  benefit plan which is covered by Title IV of ERISA or
subject to the  minimum  funding  standards  under  Section  412 of the Code and
either (i) is maintained by a member of the Controlled Group for employees



of a member of the Controlled Group, (ii) is maintained pursuant to a collective
bargaining agreement or any other arrangement under which more than one employer
makes contributions and to which a member of the Controlled Group is then making
or accruing an obligation to make contributions or has within the preceding five
plan years made  contributions,  or (iii) under which a member of the Controlled
Group has any  liability,  including  any  liability  by reason of having been a
substantial  employer  within the  meaning of Section  4063 of ERISA at any time
during  the  preceding  five years or by reason of being  deemed a  contributing
sponsor under Section 4064 of ERISA.
         "PLEDGED  COLLATERAL"  shall have the meaning as defined in the Company
Security  Agreement or the  Subsidiary  Security  Agreement,  as the context may
require.
         "PROPERTY" means any interest in any kind of property or asset, whether
real,  personal  or mixed,  or  tangible  or  intangible,  whether  now owned or
hereafter acquired.
         "RECEIVABLE"  means  all  accounts  receivable,  receivables,  contract
rights, controls,  instruments,  notes, drafts, bills,  acceptances,  documents,
chattel paper, general intangibles and all other forms of obligations owing to a
Person.
         "RENTALS" means, as of the date of any determination thereof, all fixed
payments  (including as such all payments  which the lessee is obligated to make
to the lessor on termination of the lease or surrender of the Property)  payable
by the  Borrower or a Restricted  Subsidiary,  as lessee or  sublessee,  under a
lease of real or  personal  property,  but  shall be  exclusive  of any  amounts
required to be paid by the Borrower or a Restricted  Subsidiary  (whether or not
designated as rents or  additional  rents) on account of  maintenance,  repairs,
insurance,   taxes  and  similar  charges.   Fixed  rents  under  any  so-called
"percentage  leases" shall be computed solely on the basis of the minimum rents,
if any,  required to be paid by the lessee  regardless  of sales volume or gross
revenues.
         "REQUIRED BANKS" means, as of the date of determination  thereof, those
Banks  holding  at least 66 2/3% of the  Commitments  or, in the  event  that no
Commitments are outstanding  hereunder,  those Banks holding at least 66 2/3% in
aggregate principal amount of the Loans outstanding hereunder.
         "RESTRICTED   INVESTMENTS"   means  all  Investments   other  than  the
Investments permitted by paragraphs (a) through (f), both inclusive,  of Section
8.18 hereof.
         "RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARY" means the Insurance Subsidiary, if any, and any
other  Subsidiary (i) which is organized  under the laws of the United States or
any State thereof; (ii) which conducts substantially all of its business and has
substantially  all of its assets  within the United  States;  and (iii) of which
100% (by number of votes) of the Voting  Stock is owned by the  Borrower  and/or
one or more Restricted Subsidiaries.
         "REVOLVING CREDIT" is defined in Section 1.1 hereof.
         "S&P" shall mean Standard & Poor's Ratings  Services  Group, a division
of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
         "SECURITY"  shall  have  the same  meaning  as in  Section  2(1) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
         "SECURITY  TRUSTEE"  means Harris Trust and Savings  Bank,  an Illinois
banking  corporation,  and its successors and assigns under the Company Security
Agreement and the Subsidiary Security Agreement.
         "SENIOR DEBT" shall mean (i) the Senior  Notes,  (ii) the Voyager Note,
(iii) all other  Indebtedness  for Borrowed  Money of the Borrower  which is not
expressed to be subordinate or junior to any other  Indebtedness of the Borrower
and (iv) all Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of Restricted  Subsidiaries  (other
than the Subsidiary Senior  Subordinated  Guaranty  Agreement and the Subsidiary
Guaranty Agreement).
         "SENIOR NOTES" means the Notes and the Senior Secured Notes.
         "SENIOR  SECURED  NOTES" means the Senior Secured Notes due December 1,
1999, issued in the original aggregate principal amount of $20,000,000  pursuant
to the Note Purchase  Agreements,  as reduced by principal payments thereon,  as
such notes may from time to time be amended pursuant to the terms thereof and of
the Note Purchase Agreements, and any notes issued in replacement therefor.
         "SENIOR  SUBORDINATED DEBT" means (i) the Senior Subordinated Notes and
(ii) all other unsecured  Indebtedness  for Borrowed Money of the Borrower which
(x) pursuant to its terms matures on a date later than the  Termination  Date or
such  later  date  required  by the  terms  of the  Subordinated  Note  Purchase
Agreement to constitute  "SENIOR  SUBORDINATED DEBT" thereunder and (y) contains
or has applicable thereto subordination provisions substantially in the form set
forth in Exhibit B-1 hereto or such other provisions



as may be approved  in writing by the Banks and,  to the extent  required by the
applicable  contract terms, the other holders of the Senior Debt and the holders
of the Senior  Subordinated  Notes  (exclusive  of any Senior Debt or any Senior
Subordinated Notes held by a Subsidiary or other Affiliate).
         "SENIOR  SUBORDINATED NOTES" shall mean the Senior Subordinated Secured
Notes of the Borrower in the aggregate  original principal amount of $10,000,000
issued pursuant to the Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement.
         "SET-OFF" is defined in Section 12.6 hereof.
         "SUBORDINATED   NOTE  PURCHASE   AGREEMENT"  means  that  certain  Note
Agreement dated as of June 30, 1997,  between the Borrower and Principal  Mutual
Life Insurance Company, as the purchaser signatory thereto, as the same may from
time to time be further amended pursuant to the terms thereof.
         "SUBORDINATED NOTE PURCHASERS" means the Purchaser(s) as defined in the
Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement.
         "SUBSIDIARY"  means any  corporation or other entity of which more than
fifty  percent  (50%)  of the  outstanding  Voting  Stock or  comparable  equity
interests (including interests as a limited partner in a limited partnership) is
at the time directly or indirectly owned by the Borrower,  by one or more of its
Subsidiaries, or by the Borrower and one or more of its Subsidiaries.
         "SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY AGREEMENT" is defined in Section 4.2 hereof.
         "SUBSIDIARY SECURITY AGREEMENT" means that certain Amended and Restated
Security  Agreement,  Pledge, and Indentures of Trust dated as of June 30, 1997,
among each of the Restricted  Subsidiaries (other than the Insurance Subsidiary)
and the Security Trustee which shall be satisfactory to the Agent and the Banks,
as the same may from time to time be amended.
         "SUBSIDIARY SENIOR SUBORDINATED  GUARANTY AGREEMENT" means the Guaranty
Agreement dated as of June 30, 1997, of each Restricted  Subsidiary  (other than
Insurance  Subsidiary) for the benefit of the holders of the Senior Subordinated
Notes and as the same may from  time to time be  amended  pursuant  to the terms
thereof.
         "TERMINATION DATE" shall mean September 30, 1999, or such later date to
which the  Commitments  are  extended  pursuant to Section  3.4 hereof,  or such
earlier  date on which the  Commitments  are  terminated  in whole  pursuant  to
Sections 2.9, 9.3 or 9.4 hereof.
         "TRIGGER DATE" means the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower
occurring  after the date of this Agreement in which the Borrower has maintained
(i) a Consolidated  Tangible Net Worth in excess of $42,000,000  throughout such
fiscal quarter and (ii) an Operating Margin in excess of 25% throughout the four
consecutive fiscal quarter period ending on such date.
         "UNFUNDED VESTED  LIABILITIES"  means,  with respect to any Plan at any
time,   the  amount  (if  any)  by  which  the  present   value  of  all  vested
nonforfeitable accrued benefits under such Plan exceeds the fair market value of
all Plan assets  allocable to such benefits,  all determined as of the then most
recent  valuation  date for such Plan,  but only to the extent  that such excess
represents a potential liability of a member of the Controlled Group to the PBGC
or the Plan under Title IV of ERISA.
         "UNRESTRICTED   SUBSIDIARY"   means  any  Subsidiary  which  is  not  a
Restricted Subsidiary.
         "VOTING  STOCK" means  Securities,  or other equity  interests,  of any
class or  classes,  the  holders  of which are  ordinarily,  in the  absence  of
contingencies,  entitled  to elect a majority  of the  corporate  directors  (or
Persons performing similar functions).
         "VOYAGER  NOTE" means the 10% Senior  Debenture of the Borrower,  dated
October 23, 1989, payable to Voyager Life Insurance Company, without taking into
account  any  amendment  thereof  other than any  amendment  which  extends  the
maturity date thereof.
         "WEINGARTEN  LIEN" means the Lien of Weingarten  Realty Investors as in
effect on the date of this  Agreement  and as reflected  on the UCC-1  financing
statement  filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Texas on August 21,
1989 against World Finance Corporation of Texas under document number 189822 and
continued by the UCC-3 financing  statement filed with the Secretary of State of
the State of Texas on July 15, 1994 under document number 685105.
         "WELFARE  PLAN"  means a  "WELFARE  PLAN," as said term is  defined  in
Section 3(1) of ERISA.
         "WHOLLY-OWNED"  means a  Subsidiary  of  which  all of the  issued  and
outstanding shares of stock (other



than directors' qualifying shares as required by law) or other comparable equity
interests shall be owned by the Borrower and/or one or more of its  Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries.
         .SECTION 5.2.  INTERPRETATION;.  The foregoing  definitions shall be
equally  applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms  defined.
All  references to times of day herein shall be references to Chicago,  Illinois
time unless otherwise  specifically  provided.  Where the character or amount of
any asset or liability or item of income or expense is required to be determined
or any consolidation or other accounting  computation is required to be made for
the purposes of this Agreement, the same shall be done in accordance with GAAP.
 .SECTION 6. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES;.
         The Borrower represents and warrants to the Banks as follows:
         .SECTION 6.1. ORGANIZATION AND QUALIFICATION;.  The Borrower is duly
organized and validly  existing in good standing  under the laws of the State of
South Carolina,  has full and adequate  corporate power to carry on its business
as now  conducted,  is duly  licensed or qualified  and in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of its business  conducted or the nature of the
Property owned or leased by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary.
         .SECTION  6.2.  SUBSIDIARIES;.  Each  Subsidiary  is a  corporation,
partnership,  limited  liability  company or other  entity  duly  organized  and
validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it
was incorporated or organized, has full and adequate corporate or other power to
carry on its business as  conducted,  and is duly  licensed or qualified  and in
good  standing in each  jurisdiction  in which the nature of its business as now
conducted or proposed to be  conducted  or the nature of the  Property  owned or
leased by it makes such  licensing  or  qualification  necessary.  Schedule  6.2
hereto  identifies  each  Subsidiary of the Borrower as of the date hereof,  the
jurisdiction  of its  organization,  the  percentage  of issued and  outstanding
shares of each class of its capital stock or other equity interests owned by the
Borrower and the  Subsidiaries  and, if such  percentage is not 100%  (excluding
directors' qualifying shares as required by law), a description of each class of
its authorized  capital stock or other equity interests and the number of shares
or units of each class issued and outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding
shares of capital stock or other equity  interest of each Subsidiary are validly
issued and outstanding and fully paid and  nonassessable and all such shares are
owned,  beneficially and of record,  by the Borrower or the relevant  Restricted
Subsidiary,  all as set forth on said  Schedule 6.2, free of any Lien except for
Lien granted to the Security Trustee under the Company  Security  Agreement and,
to the extent  applicable,  Subsidiary  Security  Agreement and Liens  permitted
pursuant to Sections  8.11(e) and 8.11(g)  hereof.  As of the date hereof,  each
Subsidiary is a Restricted Subsidiary.  There are no outstanding  commitments or
other obligations of any Subsidiary to issue, and no options,  warrants or other
rights of any Person to  acquire,  any  shares of any class of capital  stock or
other equity interests of any Subsidiary.
         .SECTION 6.3. CORPORATE AUTHORITY AND VALIDITY OF OBLIGATIONS;.  The
Borrower has full right and authority to enter into the Loan  Documents to which
it is a party,  to make the  borrowings  herein  provided  for,  to grant to the
Security  Trustee,  for the  benefit of the Banks,  the Liens  described  in the
Collateral  Documents,  to issue its Notes and to perform all of its obligations
hereunder and under the other Loan  Documents.  Each  Restricted  Subsidiary has
full right and authority to enter into the Loan Documents entered into by it, to
grant to the Security Trustee, for the benefit of the Banks, the Liens described
in the  Collateral  Documents  to which it is a party and to perform  all of its
obligations  thereunder and under the other Loan  Documents.  The Loan Documents
delivered by the Borrower,  and by each  Restricted  Subsidiary,  have been duly
authorized,  executed  and  delivered  by such Person and  constitute  valid and
binding  obligations of such Person  enforceable in accordance  with their terms
except as enforceability  may be limited by bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent
conveyance or similar laws  affecting  creditors'  rights  generally and general
principles of equity  (regardless of whether the  application of such principles
is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and to the  discretion of the
court before which any  proceedings  may be brought;  and the Loan  Documents do
not, nor does the  performance  or observance by the Borrower or any  Restricted
Subsidiary  of any of the  matters  or things  herein or therein  provided  for,
contravene  any  provision  of law or any  charter  or by-law  provision  of the
Borrower  or any  Subsidiary  or any  covenant,  indenture  or  agreement  of or
affecting  the  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  or a  substantial  portion of their
respective



Properties.
         .SECTION 6.4. NOT AN INVESTMENT  COMPANY;.  Neither the Borrower nor
any Subsidiary is an "INVESTMENT  COMPANY"  within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.
        .'SECTION 6.5. USE OF PROCEEDS;  MARGIN STOCK';.  The Loans hereunder
shall be used by the Borrower for general working capital purposes.  Neither the
Borrower nor any of its  Subsidiaries is engaged  principally,  or as one of its
primary  activities,  in the  business  of  extending  credit for the purpose of
purchasing  or carrying  Margin  Stock,  and neither the Borrower nor any of its
Subsidiaries  will use the  proceeds of any Loan in a manner that  violates  any
provision  of  Regulation  U, G or X of the Board of  Governors  of the  Federal
Reserve System.
         .SECTION 6.6. FINANCIAL REPORTS;. The consolidated and consolidating
balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at March 31, 1997, and the
related   statements  of   consolidated   earnings,   consolidated   changes  in
shareholders'  equity  and  consolidated  cash  flows  of the  Borrower  and its
Subsidiaries  for the year then  ended and  accompanying  notes  thereto,  which
financial  statements  are  accompanied  by the  report  of KPMG  Peat  Marwick,
independent  public  accountants,  have been  prepared in  accordance  with GAAP
applied on a  consistent  basis and fairly  present the  consolidated  financial
condition  of the  Borrower  and  its  Subsidiaries  as of  such  dates  and the
consolidated  results of their  operations  and cash flows for the periods  then
ended.
         .SECTION  6.7. NO MATERIAL  ADVERSE  CHANGE;.  Since March 31, 1997,
there has been no change in the condition,  financial or otherwise,  or business
prospects of the Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  except  changes in the ordinary
course of business,  none of which  individually  or in the aggregate  have been
materially adverse.
         .SECTION  6.8.  LITIGATION;.  Except as  disclosed  on Schedule  6.8
attached hereto, there is no litigation or governmental  proceeding pending, nor
to the  knowledge  of the  Borrower  threatened,  against  the  Borrower  or any
Subsidiary  which if  adversely  determined  would (a)  impair the  validity  or
enforceability  of, or impair the  ability  of the  Borrower  or any  Restricted
Subsidiary to perform its  obligations  under,  this Agreement or any other Loan
Document or (b) result in any material adverse change in the financial condition
or Property,  business or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries  taken
as a whole.
         .SECTION  6.9.  TAXES;.  All tax returns required to be filed by the
Borrower or any Subsidiary in any  jurisdiction  have, in fact, been filed,  and
all taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges upon the Borrower or
any Subsidiary or upon any of their respective properties, income or franchises,
which are shown to be due and  payable  in such  returns  have  been  paid.  The
Borrower does not know of any proposed  additional tax assessment against it for
which  adequate  provision  in  accordance  with  GAAP has not been  made on its
accounts.  The Federal income tax liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
has either been finally determined by the Internal Revenue Service and satisfied
for all taxable years up to and  including  the taxable year ended  December 31,
1993, or the applicable statute of limitations  therefor has expired and, except
as disclosed on Schedule 6.9 attached hereto, no material controversy in respect
of additional income taxes due since said date is pending or to the knowledge of
the Borrower  threatened.  Adequate provisions in accordance with GAAP for taxes
on the books of the  Borrower  and each  Subsidiary  have been made for all open
years, and for its current fiscal period.
         .SECTION 6.10. APPROVALS;.  No authorization,  consent,  license, or
exemption  from,  or  filing or  registration  with,  any court or  governmental
department,  agency  or  instrumentality,  or any  approval  or  consent  of the
stockholders of the Borrower or from any other Person, is necessary to the valid
execution,  delivery or performance by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary
of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.
         .SECTION  6.11.  INDEBTEDNESS  AND LIENS;.  Schedule  6.11  attached
hereto  correctly  describes all Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of the Borrower
and its  Subsidiaries  outstanding as of the date hereof.  There are no Liens on
any of the  Property of the Borrower or any  Subsidiary,  except those which are
permitted by Section 8.11 of this Agreement.
         .SECTION  6.12.  ERISA;.  The  Borrower and each  Subsidiary  are in
compliance in all material respects with ERISA, to the extent applicable to them
and have  received no notice to the contrary from the Pension  Benefit  Guaranty
Corporation ("PBGC") or any other governmental entity or agency. As of



December 31, 1996, the liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to PBGC in
respect of Unfunded  Vested  Liabilities  would not have been in excess of $0 if
all  employee   pension  benefit  plans  maintained  by  the  Borrower  and  its
Subsidiaries  had been terminated as of such date. No condition  exists or event
or transaction  has occurred with respect to any Plan which could  reasonably be
expected to result in the  incurrence  by the Borrower or any  Subsidiary of any
material liability, fine or penalty. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary has
any contingent  liability with respect to any  post-retirement  benefits under a
Welfare Plan, other than liability for continuation coverage described in Part 6
of Title I of ERISA and liability for post-retirement medical and life insurance
benefits.
         .SECTION 6.13.  MATERIAL  AGREEMENTS;.  Neither the Borrower nor any
Subsidiary  is a party to any  agreement or instrument or subject to any charter
or other corporate restriction  materially and adversely affecting its business,
properties or assets, operations or condition (financial or otherwise).  Neither
the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default in the performance,  observance or
fulfillment of any of the obligations,  covenants or conditions contained in (i)
any  agreement  to which it is a party,  which  default  might  have a  material
adverse effect on the business,  properties or assets,  operations, or condition
(financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole
or (ii) any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing Indebtedness.
         .SECTION  6.14.  COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS;. (a)  ENVIRONMENTAL.  (i) The
business  and  operation  of the  Borrower  and its  Subsidiaries  comply in all
respects with all applicable  Environmental  Legal  Requirements,  except to the
extent that such  noncompliance  would not have a material adverse effect on the
business,  operations,  properties, assets or condition (financial or otherwise)
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
         (ii) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary  has given,  nor should it
give,  nor has it  received,  any  notice,  letter,  citation,  order,  warning,
complaint,  inquiry,  claim or demand that: (i) the Borrower or such  Subsidiary
has violated, or is about to violate, any federal,  state,  regional,  county or
local environmental, health or safety statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance,
judgment  or  order;  (ii)  there  has been a  release,  or there is a threat of
release, of Hazardous Substances (including, without limitation,  petroleum, its
by-products or derivatives,  or other  hydrocarbons) from the Borrower's or such
Subsidiary's property, facilities,  equipment or vehicles; (iii) the Borrower or
such  Subsidiary  may be or is  liable,  in whole or in part,  for the  costs or
cleaning up,  remediating  or  responding  to a release of Hazardous  Substances
(including,  without limitation,  petroleum, its by-products or derivatives,  or
other hydrocarbons); (iv) any of the Borrower's or such Subsidiary's property or
assets  are  subject  to a Lien in  favor  of any  governmental  entity  for any
liability,  costs or damages,  under any federal,  state or local  environmental
law, rule or regulation  arising  from, or costs  incurred by such  governmental
entity in response to, a release of a Hazardous  Substance  (including,  without
limitation,  petroleum, its by-products or derivatives,  or other hydrocarbons),
except to the extent that such violation,  release,  liability or Lien could not
have a material adverse effect on the business,  operations,  properties, assets
or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole.
         (b) OTHER LAWS.  The Borrower and its  Subsidiaries  are in  compliance
with all other federal,  state and local laws, rules and regulations  applicable
to or pertaining to the Properties or business operations of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary  (including  without  limitation all applicable state consumer credit
and protection laws, the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Federal Truth In
Lending Act, the Federal Fair Debt  Collection  Practices  Act, laws  regulating
shall loan  companies,  the  Occupational  Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), non-compliance with which could have a
material  adverse  effect on the  business,  operations,  properties,  assets or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as
a whole.
         .SECTION 6.15. FULL DISCLOSURE.;  The financial  statements referred
to in Section 6.6 do not, nor do the written statements or information,  if any,
furnished by the Borrower to any Bank in connection  with the  negotiation of or
its  participation in this Agreement  contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit a material fact necessary to make the material statements contained
therein not misleading.
         .SECTION  6.16.  NO  DEFAULTS.;  No Default or Event of Default  has
occurred and is continuing.
         .SECTION 6.17. NOTE PURCHASE  AGREEMENTS;.  All  representations and
warranties of the Borrower



set forth in the Note  Purchase  Agreements  and the  Subsidiary  Note  Purchase
Agreement are true and correct.
 .SECTION 7. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT;.
         The  obligation  of the Banks to make any Loan or any  other  financial
accommodation  hereunder shall be subject to the following  conditions precedent
to the satisfaction of the Agent and the Required Banks:
         .SECTION 7.1. INITIAL BORROWING;. Prior to the making of the initial
Borrowing hereunder:
                     (a) The  Agent  shall  have  received  for  each  Bank  the
         favorable  written  opinions  of  Robinson,  Bradshaw  & Hinson,  P.A.,
         counsel  to  the  Borrower  and  World  Finance  Corporation  of  South
         Carolina, WFC of South Carolina,  Inc., World Acceptance Corporation of
         Alabama,  World  Acceptance  Corporation  of  Missouri,  World  Finance
         Corporation of Illinois and World Finance Corporation of New Mexico and
         of local counsel to World Finance Corporation of Georgia, World Finance
         Corporation  of Louisiana,  World  Acceptance  Corporation of Oklahoma,
         Inc., World Finance Corporation of Tennessee, World Finance Corporation
         of  Texas  and  WFC  Limited   Partnership,   in  form  and   substance
         satisfactory to the Required Banks;
                     (b) The  Agent  shall  have  received  for  each  Bank  (i)
         certified  copies  of  resolutions  of the  Board of  Directors  of the
         Borrower and of each  Restricted  Subsidiary  authorizing the execution
         and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it
         is a party, indicating the authorized signers of this Agreement and the
         other Loan  Documents and all other  documents  relating  thereto,  the
         persons  authorized to request  Borrowings  hereunder and to select the
         interest rate options with respect thereto and the specimen  signatures
         of such  signers,  and (ii) one original  certificate  of good standing
         (with copies for each Bank) certified by the  appropriate  governmental
         officer  in the  jurisdiction  of the  Borrower's  and each  Restricted
         Subsidiaries' incorporation and each state in which it is authorized to
         do business as a foreign corporation;
                     (c) The  Agent  shall  have  received  for the  Banks  this
         Agreement,  the  Notes,  the  Subsidiary  Guaranty  Agreement  and  the
         Collateral Documents,  together with any financing statements requested
         by the Agent in connection therewith;
                     (d) The Agent  shall  have  received  for the Banks  copies
         (executed or certified,  as may be  appropriate) of all legal documents
         or proceedings  taken in connection  with the execution and delivery of
         this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; and
                     (f) The Agent  shall have  received  for the account of the
         Banks a  borrowing  base  certificate  in the form  attached  hereto as
         Exhibit C showing the computation of the Available Borrowing Base as of
         the close of business on May 31, 1997.
                     (g) All  conditions  precedent  under Section 4 of the Note
         Purchase  Agreements  and  under  Section  4 of the  Subordinated  Note
         Purchase  Agreement  shall  have been  satisfied  or waived by the Note
         Purchasers or Subordinated Note Purchasers, as the case may be.
         .SECTION  7.2.  ALL  LOANS;.  As of the time of the  making  of each
advance of a new Borrowing (including the initial Borrowing):
                     (a) The Agent shall have  received  for each Bank the Notes
         of the Borrower and the notice required by Section 2.3 hereof;
                     (b)  Each  of the  representations  and  warranties  of the
         Borrower set forth in Section 6 hereof shall be true and correct in all
         material  respects as of said time,  except to the extent that any such
         representation or warranty relates solely to an earlier date;
                     (c) The Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  shall be
         in full compliance  with all of the terms and conditions  hereof and of
         the other Loan Documents, and no Default or Event of Default shall have
         occurred  and be  continuing  or would occur as a result of making such
         Borrowing;
                     (d) After  giving  effect to the  Borrowing  the  aggregate
         principal  amount of all Loans hereunder shall not exceed the lesser of
         (i) the Available Borrowing Base or (ii) Commitments; and
                     (e) Such Borrowing shall not violate any order, judgment or
         decree  of any  court or other  authority  or any  provision  of law or
         regulation  applicable  to any  Bank  (including,  without  limitation,
         Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal  Reserve  System)
         as then in effect.  Each  request  for a Borrowing  hereunder  shall be
         deemed to be a representation  and warranty by the Borrower on the date
         of such Borrowing as to the facts specified in this Section 7.2.



 .SECTION 8. COVENANTS;.
         . SECTION 8.1. EXISTENCE,  ETC.; The Borrower will preserve and keep
in force and effect,  and will cause each  Subsidiary  to  preserve  and keep in
force and effect,  its legal existence and all licenses and permits necessary to
the proper  conduct  of its  business,  PROVIDED  that the  foregoing  shall not
prevent any transaction permitted by Section 8.13 hereof.
         .SECTION 8.2. INSURANCE;. The Borrower will maintain, and will cause
each  Subsidiary  to  maintain,  insurance  coverage  by  financially  sound and
reputable  insurers accorded a rating of A or better by A.M. Best Company,  Inc.
(the "BEST  RATING") at the time of the  issuance of any such policy and in such
forms and amounts and against such risks as are  customary for  corporations  of
established  reputation engaged in the same or a similar business and owning and
operating  similar  properties with each such policy  requiring  renewal of such
policy at  intervals  of no greater  than one year from the date of  issuance or
renewal  thereof;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that if  during  the  term  of any  such
insurance  policy  the rating  accorded  any  insurer  shall be less than a Best
Rating of A, the Borrower  will,  on the date of renewal of any such policy (or,
if such change in rating shall occur within 90 days prior to such renewal  date,
within 90 days of the date of such  change in  rating),  obtain  such  insurance
policy from an insurer accorded a Best Rating of A or better.
         .SECTION 8.3. TAXES,  CLAIMS FOR LABOR AND MATERIALS;.  The Borrower
will promptly pay and discharge,  and will cause each Subsidiary promptly to pay
and discharge, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed
upon the Borrower or such Subsidiary, respectively, or upon or in respect of all
or any part of the  property  or business  of the  Borrower  or such  Subsidiary
(including,  but not limited to the  Collateral),  all trade accounts payable in
accordance  with usual and customary  business  terms,  and all claims for work,
labor or  materials,  which if unpaid  might  become a lien or  charge  upon any
property of the Borrower or such Subsidiary  (including,  but not limited to the
Collateral);  PROVIDED the Borrower or such Subsidiary  shall not be required to
pay any such tax, assessment,  charge, levy, account payable or claim if (i) the
validity,  applicability  or amount thereof is being  contested in good faith by
appropriate  actions or proceedings which will prevent the forfeiture or sale of
any property of the  Borrower or such  Subsidiary  or any material  interference
with the use thereof by the Borrower or such  Subsidiary,  and (ii) the Borrower
or such Subsidiary shall set aside on its books reserves  adequate in accordance
with GAAP with respect thereto.
         .SECTION  8.4.  COMPLIANCE  WITH LAWS;.  The Borrower  will promptly
comply, and will cause each Subsidiary to comply,  with all laws,  ordinances or
governmental  rules and  regulations to which it is subject,  including  without
limitation,  ERISA and all  Environmental  Legal  Requirements  the violation of
which could,  individually or in the aggregate,  materially and adversely affect
the  properties  (including the  Collateral),  business,  prospects,  profits or
condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or could,  individually or in the
aggregate, result in any lien or charge upon any property of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary.
         .SECTION  8.5.  MAINTENANCE,   ETC;.  The  Borrower  will  maintain,
preserve and keep,  and will cause each  Subsidiary  to  maintain,  preserve and
keep,  its  properties  which are used or useful in the conduct of its  business
(whether owned in fee or a leasehold  interest) in good repair and working order
(ordinary  wear and tear excepted) and from time to time will make all necessary
repairs,  replacements,  renewals  and  additions  so  that  at  all  times  the
efficiency thereof shall be maintained.
         .SECTION  8.6.  NATURE OF  BUSINESS;.  Neither the  Borrower nor any
Restricted  Subsidiary will engage in any business if, as a result,  the general
nature of the  business,  taken on a  consolidated  basis,  which  would then be
engaged in by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries  (including,  but not
limited to, the Insurance  Subsidiary)  would be substantially  changed from the
general  nature of the business  engaged in by the  Borrower and its  Restricted
Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement
         .SECTION  8.7.  CONSOLIDATED  NET WORTH;.  The Borrower  will at all
times keep and  maintain  Consolidated  Net Worth at an amount not less than the
Minimum Net Worth.
         For  purposes  of this  Section  8.7,  "MINIMUM  NET WORTH" (i) for the
fiscal quarter of the Borrower  ending March 31, 1997,  shall be $38,000,000 and
(ii) for each  fiscal  quarter  thereafter  shall be the sum of the  Minimum Net
Worth for the immediately  preceding fiscal quarter plus 50% of Consolidated Net
Income for such fiscal quarter (but without deduction in the case of any deficit
in Consolidated Net Income for such



fiscal quarter).
        .'SECTION 8.8. FIXED CHARGE COVERAGE RATIO; LOAN LOSS RESERVES';. The
Borrower  will at the end of each  fiscal  quarter  have a ratio  of Net  Income
Available for Fixed Charges to Fixed Charges for each period of four consecutive
fiscal  quarters  then  ending  at not less than 1.5 to 1. As of the end of each
fiscal  quarter,  the  Borrower's  provision for loan losses for the four fiscal
quarters  then  ending  shall  equal or exceed  the net loan  charge off for the
corresponding period.
         .SECTION 8.9.  PERMITTED  INDEBTEDNESS;.  The Borrower will not, and
will not permit any Restricted  Subsidiary to, incur,  create,  issue, assume or
permit to exist any Indebtedness for Borrowed Money other than:
                     (a) Senior Debt;
                     (b) Senior Subordinated Debt; and
                     (c) Junior Subordinated Debt.
         .SECTION 8.10.  LIMITATIONS ON INDEBTEDNESS;.  (a) The Borrower will
not at any time permit:
                     (i) The aggregate  unpaid  principal amount of Senior Debt,
         on a consolidated  basis, to exceed 400% of the sum of (A) Consolidated
         Adjusted Net Worth, (B) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of Junior
         Subordinated  Debt, and (C) the aggregate  unpaid  principal  amount of
         Senior Subordinated Debt;
                     (ii) The sum of (A) the aggregate  unpaid  principal amount
         of Senior  Subordinated  Debt, and (B) the aggregate  unpaid  principal
         amount  of Junior  Subordinated  Debt to  exceed  125% of  Consolidated
         Adjusted Net Worth; or
                     (iii)  The  aggregate  unpaid  principal  amount  of Junior
         Subordinated Debt to exceed 50% of Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth; or
                     (iv) The aggregate  amount of unused credit then  available
         from the Banks under this  Agreement or otherwise  from banks and trust
         companies  under firmly  committed lines of credit from a lending group
         of not  fewer  than  two  lenders  to be less  than  the sum of the (A)
         aggregate  outstanding  amount of its commercial paper and (B) payments
         of principal then scheduled to become due during the eight-month period
         then commencing on all  Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of the Borrower
         and its Restricted  Subsidiaries (excluding obligations under the Notes
         and this Agreement).
         (b) The  Borrower  will not  permit,  (i) at any time on or before  the
Trigger Date, the ratio of  Indebtedness  for Borrowed Money of the Borrower and
its Restricted  Subsidiaries to Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth to exceed 4.5 to
1 for any month;  PROVIDED that the ratio of Indebtedness  for Borrowed Money of
the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries to Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth
may exceed 4.5 to 1 for no more than 4 months of any consecutive 12-month period
so long as such ratio does not exceed 5.5 to 1 at any such time, and (ii) at any
time after the Trigger Date, the ratio of Indebtedness for Borrowed Money of the
Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries to Consolidated  Adjusted Net Worth to
exceed  5.5 to 1 for any  month;  PROVIDED  that the ratio of  Indebtedness  for
Borrowed Money of the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  to Consolidated
Adjusted  Net  Worth  may  exceed  5.5 to 1 for no  more  than 4  months  of any
consecutive 12-month period so long as such ratio does not exceed 6.5 to 1.
         (c) The Borrower will not create,  assume, or incur or otherwise become
liable in  respect  of any  Senior  Subordinated  Debt  (other  than the  Senior
Subordinated  Notes) or Junior Subordinated Debt unless such Senior Subordinated
Debt or Junior  Subordinated Debt shall have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity
equal to or greater than the remaining  Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the
Senior Subordinated Notes. For purposes of this Section 8.10,  "WEIGHTED AVERAGE
LIFE TO MATURITY" of the principal  amount of any  Indebtedness  of the Borrower
shall mean,  as of the time of any  determination  thereof,  the number of years
obtained by dividing the then Remaining Dollar-years of such Indebtedness by the
then  outstanding  principal  amount of such  Indebtedness;  and the  "REMAINING
DOLLAR-YEARS" of any  Indebtedness  means at any time the amount obtained by (a)
multiplying the amount of each then remaining installment,  sinking fund, serial
maturity  or  other  required  principal  payment,  including  payment  at final
maturity,  by the number of years (calculated to the nearest  one-twelfth) which
will elapse  between the time in question and the making of that payment and (b)
totaling all of the products obtained in (a).



         (d) The Borrower will not permit any  Restricted  Subsidiary to create,
assume or incur, or otherwise be or become liable in respect of any Indebtedness
for  Borrowed  Money (other than the  Subsidiary  Senior  Subordinated  Guaranty
Agreement and the  Subsidiary  Guaranty  Agreement) to any Person (other than to
the Borrower or another  Restricted  Subsidiary) in an aggregate  amount for all
Restricted Subsidiaries in excess of $1,000,000 at any time outstanding.
         .SECTION 8.11. LIMITATION ON LIENS;. The Borrower will not, and will
not permit any Restricted  Subsidiary to, create,  assume or suffer to exist any
Lien upon any of its Property  (including,  but not limited to, the Collateral),
whether now owned or hereafter acquired;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that the foregoing
restrition and limitation shall not apply to the following Liens:
                     (a) Liens created under the Collateral Documents;
                     (b) Liens  existing as of the date hereof and  reflected on
         Schedule 8.11 hereto;
                     (c) Liens  existing on property at the time acquired by the
         Borrower  or any  Restricted  Subsidiary  thereof  or  existing  on the
         property  of  a  corporation  at  the  time  it  becomes  a  Restricted
         Subsidiary,  or placed upon property  within 120 days after the date of
         acquisition  thereof by the Borrower or any  Restricted  Subsidiary  to
         secure a portion of the purchase  price  thereof,  but only if (i) such
         Lien  shall  attach  solely  to the  property  acquired,  purchased  or
         constructed  and (ii) such Lien does not  exceed the lesser of the fair
         market value or cost of such property;
                     (d) Liens constituting  renewals,  extensions or refundings
         of Liens  permitted  by  clause  (b) or (c)  above,  PROVIDED  that the
         principal amount of the Indebtedness  secured by any such new Lien does
         not exceed the  principal  amount of the  Indebtedness  being  renewed,
         extended or refunded at the time of  renewal,  extension  or  refunding
         thereof  and  that  such new Lien  attaches  only to the same  property
         theretofore subject to such earlier Lien;
                     (e)  Liens  securing  taxes,  assessments  or  governmental
         charges or levies, or the claims or demands of materialmen,  mechanics,
         carriers,  workmen, repairmen,  warehousemen,  landlords and other like
         persons,  PROVIDED that payment  thereof is not at the time required by
         Section 8.3 hereof;
                     (f) other Liens  incidental  to the conduct of its business
         or the  ownership  of its  property  and assets  when not  incurred  in
         connection  with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances of
         credit,  and which do not in the aggregate  materially detract from the
         value of its property or assets,  or materially  impair the use thereof
         in the operation of its business;
                     (g) attachment, judgment and other similar Liens arising in
         connection with court proceedings, PROVIDED that (i) execution or other
         enforcement  of such  Liens is  effectively  stayed,  (ii)  the  claims
         secured  thereby  are  being  actively   contested  in  good  faith  by
         appropriate  proceedings,  (iii) adequate  reserves in conformity  with
         GAAP have been provided on the books of the Borrower or such Restricted
         Subsidiary  and (iv) the  aggregate  amount of the  liabilities  of the
         Borrower and all Restricted Subsidiaries so secured, including interest
         and  penalties  thereon,  shall not be in excess of $100,000 at any one
         time outstanding; and
                     (h) Liens on property  of a  Restricted  Subsidiary  of the
         Borrower to secure  obligations  of such  Restricted  Subsidiary to the
         Borrower or to another Restricted Subsidiary.
         .SECTION 8.12.  DIVIDENDS,  STOCK PURCHASES;.  The Borrower will not
except as hereinafter provided:
                     (a)  Declare  or pay  any  dividends,  either  in  cash  or
         property,  on any  shares of its  capital  stock of any  class  (except
         dividends or other  distributions  payable  solely in shares of capital
         stock of the Borrower); or
                     (b)  Directly or  indirectly,  or through  any  Subsidiary,
         purchase, redeem or retire any shares of its capital stock of any class
         or any warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire any shares of
         its capital  stock  (other than in exchange  for or out of the net cash
         proceeds to the Borrower  from the  substantially  concurrent  issue or
         sale of other  shares of capital  stock of the  Borrower  or  warrants,
         rights or options to  purchase  or  acquire  any shares of its  capital
         stock); or
                     (c) Make any other payment or distribution, either directly
         or  indirectly  or through  any  Subsidiary,  in respect of its capital
         stock; or



                     (d) Make any payment of  principal,  interest or premium on
         any Senior Subordinated Debt or Junior Subordinated Debt other than any
         regularly  scheduled  payment of  principal  or  interest on the Senior
         Subordinated Debt or the Junior  Subordinated  Debt; (such declarations
         or payments of dividends,  purchases,  redemptions  or  retirements  of
         capital  stock and  warrants,  rights or  options,  and all such  other
         distributions and such payments on Senior  Subordinated Debt and Junior
         Subordinated  Debt  being  herein   collectively   called   "RESTRICTED
         PAYMENTS"),  if, after giving effect thereto, (i) a Default or Event of
         Default has occurred and is continuing or (ii) the aggregate  amount of
         Restricted  Payments  made  during the period  from and after March 31,
         1997 to and including the date of the making of the Restricted  Payment
         in question, would exceed the sum of (x) the net cash proceeds received
         by the Borrower from the issuance or sale  subsequent to March 31, 1997
         of  shares of  common  stock of the  Borrower  or  warrants,  rights or
         options to purchase or acquire any shares of its common stock, plus (y)
         at all times after the  Determination  Date,  50% of  Consolidated  Net
         Income for the period commencing on the day immediately  succeeding the
         Determination  Date  and  ending  on  the  date  of the  making  of the
         Restricted Payment in question, computed on a cumulative basis for said
         entire period (or if such  Consolidated Net Income is a deficit figure,
         then minus 100% of such deficit);  PROVIDED that at all times after the
         Determination Date and after giving effect to such Restricted  Payment,
         Consolidated Tangible Net Worth exceeds $42,000,000.
                     For the  purposes  of this  Section  8.12 the amount of any
         Restricted  Payment  declared,  paid or  distributed in property of the
         Borrower  shall be deemed to be the  greater  of the book value or fair
         market value (as  determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
         the  Borrower)  of  such  property  at the  time of the  making  of the
         Restricted Payment in question.
                     The   Borrower   will  not  declare  any   dividend   which
         constitutes  a Restricted  Payment  payable more than 60 days after the
         date of declaration thereof.
                     .SECTION  8.13.  MERGERS,  CONSOLIDATIONS  AND  SALES OR
         TRANSFERS OF ASSETS;.  (a) The  Borrower  will not, and will not permit
         any Restricted  Subsidiary to, enter into any  transaction of merger or
         consolidation or transfer, sell, assign, lease, or otherwise dispose of
         all or a  substantial  part of its  properties or assets to any Person,
         except that:
                     (1) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with
         or into the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary (other than the
         Insurance  Subsidiary)  so  long  as in  any  merger  or  consolidation
         involving  the  Borrower,  the  Borrower  shall  be  the  surviving  or
         continuing corporation;
                     (2) the  Borrower may merge or  consolidate  with any other
         corporation  PROVIDED that (i) the Borrower  shall be the surviving and
         continuing  corporation;  and (ii) at the time of such consolidation or
         merger and after giving effect thereto,  no Default or Event of Default
         shall have occurred and be continuing;
                     (3) any  Restricted  Subsidiary  may sell or convey  all or
         substantially  all  of  its  assets  to  the  Borrower  or  to  another
         Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Insurance Subsidiary); and
                     (4) the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary may sell all
         or a substantial  part of the assets of the Borrower and its Restricted
         Subsidiaries  pursuant to, and in compliance with,  Section 10.4 of the
         Company Security Agreement and Section 10.4 of the Subsidiary  Security
         Agreement.
         (b) The Borrower will not permit any Restricted  Subsidiary to issue or
sell any shares of stock of any class or any  partnership  interest,  membership
interest or other  equity  interest of any type  (including  for the purposes of
this  Section  8.13,  any  warrants,  rights or options to purchase or otherwise
acquire  any such  equity  interest  or  other  Securities  exchangeable  for or
convertible into any such equity interest) of such Restricted  Subsidiary to any
Person  other than the  Borrower  or a  Restricted  Subsidiary  (other  than the
Insurance Subsidiary), except for the purpose of qualifying directors.
         (c) The Borrower will not sell,  transfer,  or otherwise dispose of any
shares of stock,  partnership  interest,  membership  interest  or other  equity
interest in any Restricted  Subsidiary (except (i) to qualify directors and (ii)
the pledge of the Pledged  Collateral under the Company  Security  Agreement and
any transfer or sale thereof pursuant to, and in compliance  with,  Section 10.4
of the  Company  Security  Agreement)  or  any  Indebtedness  of any  Restricted
Subsidiary, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary



to sell,  transfer  or  otherwise  dispose of (except  (i) to the  Borrower or a
Restricted  Subsidiary  or (ii) the pledge of the Pledged  Collateral  under the
Subsidiary  Security Agreement and any transfer or sale thereof pursuant to, and
in compliance with, Section 10.4 of the Subsidiary  Security Agreement) any such
shares of stock,  partnership  interest,  membership  interest  or other  equity
interest or any Indebtedness of any other Restricted Subsidiary, unless:
                     (1)   simultaneously   with   such   sale,   transfer,   or
         disposition, all such interests and all Indebtedness of such Restricted
         Subsidiary  at the  time  owned  by the  Borrower  and by  every  other
         Restricted  Subsidiary shall be sold,  transferred or disposed of as an
         entirety;
                     (2) the  Board of  Directors  of the  Borrower  shall  have
         determined, as evidenced by a resolution thereof, that the retention of
         such interest and  Indebtedness  is no longer in the best  interests of
         the Borrower or the holders of the Notes;
                     (3) such interest and Indebtedness is sold,  transferred or
         otherwise  disposed  of to a Person,  for a cash  consideration  and on
         terms  reasonably  deemed by the Board of  Directors to be adequate and
         satisfactory;
                     (4) the Restricted  Subsidiary  being disposed of shall not
         have any continuing  investment in the Borrower or any other Restricted
         Subsidiary not being simultaneously disposed of; and
                     (5) such  sale or other  disposition  does  not  involve  a
         substantial part (as hereinafter defined) of the assets of the Borrower
         and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
         (d) As used in this  Section  8.13,  in the case of the sale,  lease or
other  disposition  of  any  assets,  such  assets  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a
"substantial part" of the assets of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries
if (x) such assets, together with all other assets (i) sold, leased or otherwise
disposed of by the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  or (ii) subject to
any waiver or supplemental  agreement of the Company  Security  Agreement or the
Subsidiary  Security  Agreement without the consent of the holders of at least a
majority of the then  outstanding  principal  amount of the Senior  Subordinated
Notes or, if such waiver or supplemental  agreement is described in clauses (B),
(C),  (E) or (F) of Section  9.2(a) of the  Company  Security  Agreement  or the
Subsidiary Security Agreement,  without the consent of all of the holders of the
Senior  Subordinated  Notes, in each case, during the period of 12 months ending
with the date of such sale,  lease or disposition,  contributed more than 15% of
EBIT of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined as of the end of
the fiscal year  immediately  preceding such sale or  disposition,  (y) the book
value of such  assets,  when added to the book value of all other  assets of the
Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  (i) sold or otherwise  disposed of by
the Borrower and its  Restricted  Subsidiaries  or (ii) subject to any waiver or
supplemental  agreement  of the Company  Security  Agreement  or the  Subsidiary
Security  Agreement without the consent of the holders of at least a majority of
the then outstanding  principal amount of the Senior  Subordinated  Notes or, if
such waiver or  supplemental  agreement is described in clauses (B), (C), (E) or
(F) of  Section  9.2(a) of the  Company  Security  Agreement  or the  Subsidiary
Security  Agreement,  without  the  consent of all of the  holders of the Senior
Subordinated Notes, in each case, during the period of 12 months ending with the
date  of  such  sale  or  disposition,  exceeds  10% of the  book  value  of all
Receivables  determined as of the end of the fiscal year  immediately  preceding
such sale or  disposition,  or (z) the book value of such assets,  when added to
the  book  value  of  all  other  assets  of the  Borrower  and  its  Restricted
Subsidiaries  (i)  sold  or  otherwise  disposed  of by  the  Borrower  and  its
Restricted  Subsidiaries or (ii) subject to any waiver or supplemental agreement
of the Company Security  Agreement or the Subsidiary  Security Agreement without
the  consent  of the  holders  of at least a  majority  of the then  outstanding
principal  amount  of the  Senior  Subordinated  Notes  or,  if such  waiver  or
supplemental  agreement is described in clauses (B),  (C), (E) or (F) of Section
9.2(a) of the Company Security Agreement or the Subsidiary  Security  Agreement,
without the consent of all of the holders of the Senior  Subordinated  Notes, in
each case, during the entire period commencing on April 1, 1997, and ending with
the date of such  sale or  disposition,  exceeds  25% of the  book  value of all
Receivables  determined as of the end of the fiscal year  immediately  preceding
such sale or disposition.
         (e) Nothing in this  Section  8.13 shall  prohibit  the  Borrower  from
transferring,  selling, assigning, leasing, subleasing or otherwise disposing of
an insubstantial part of its properties or assets,  excluding Receivables of the
Borrower and its  Restricted  Subsidiaries,  to any Person from time to time, in
the ordinary



course.
         .SECTION  8.14.  LEASE-BACKS;.  The Borrower  will not, and will not
permit any Restricted  Subsidiary to, enter into any  arrangements,  directly or
indirectly,  with any Person,  whereby the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary
shall sell or transfer any  Property,  whether now owned or hereafter  acquired,
used or useful in their  respective  businesses in connection with the rental or
lease of the  Property so sold or  transferred  or of other  Property  which the
Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary intends to use for substantially the same
purpose or purposes as the Property so sold or transferred.
         .SECTION  8.15.  GUARANTIES;.  The  Borrower  will  not and will not
permit  any  Restricted  Subsidiary  to become or be  liable in  respect  of any
Guaranty except: (i) Guaranties of the Borrower which are limited in amount to a
stated maximum dollar  exposure and are permitted  under Section 8.10;  (ii) the
Subsidiary  Senior  Subordinated  Guaranty  Agreement;  and (iii) the Subsidiary
Guaranty Agreement.
         .SECTION  8.16.  LIMITATION  ON  RESTRICTIONS;.  Except as  provided
herein,  the  Borrower  shall  not and shall not  permit  any of its  Restricted
Subsidiaries  directly or indirectly  to create or otherwise  cause or suffer to
exist or become effective any consensual  encumbrance or restriction of any kind
on the ability of any  Restricted  Subsidiary  to: (1) pay dividends or make any
other distribution on any of such Restricted Subsidiary's capital stock or other
equity  interests  owned by the  Borrower or any  Restricted  Subsidiary  of the
Borrower;  (2) pay any indebtedness owed to the Borrower or any other Restricted
Subsidiary;  (3) make loans or advances to the Borrower or any other  Restricted
Subsidiary; or (4) transfer any of its property or assets to the Borrower or any
other  Restricted  Subsidiary.  The Borrower shall not enter into any indenture,
instrument,  or other  agreement  for  Indebtedness  for  Borrowed  Money  which
contains,  or amend any terms of any such  indenture,  instrument,  or agreement
which would  result in any such  indenture,  instrument,  or  agreement  having,
covenants  or  defaults  more  burdensome  on the  Borrower  or  any  Restricted
Subsidiary  than the covenants and defaults  provided for in this  Agreement and
the other Loan Documents.
         .SECTION 8.17. TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES;. The Borrower will not,
and will not permit any  Restricted  Subsidiary to, enter into or be a party to,
any transaction or arrangement with any Affiliate (including without limitation,
the purchase from, sale to or exchange of property with, or the rendering of any
service by or for, any Affiliate), except in the ordinary course of and pursuant
to the reasonable requirements of the Borrower's or such Restricted Subsidiary's
business and upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or
such Restricted  Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable  arm's-length
transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.
         .SECTION  8.18.  INVESTMENTS;.  The Borrower  will not, and will not
permit any Restricted Subsidiary to make any Investment except:
                     (a)  Investments  in  obligations  of the United  States of
         America  (or any agency  thereof for which the full faith and credit of
         the United  States of America is pledged for the repayment of principal
         and interest  thereof)  maturing in twelve months or less from the date
         of acquisition thereof;
                     (b) certificates of deposit of any banking institution with
         combined  capital  and  surplus of at least  $500,000,000,  maturing in
         twelve months or less from the date of acquisition  thereof  which,  at
         the time of acquisition  by the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary,
         is  accorded  the  rating  of A or  better  by S&P and A2 or  better by
         Moody's,  or if  S&P  and/or  Moody's  is no  longer  rating  any  such
         certificates  of  deposit,  then  an  equivalent  rating  by any  other
         nationally recognized credit rating agency of similar standing;
                     (c) Loans,  advances and extensions of credit to or for the
         benefit of  consumer/borrowers  in the  ordinary  course of business in
         accordance with Section 8.6 hereof;
                     (d)   Investments   by  the  Borrower  or  any   Restricted
         Subsidiary in and to any other Restricted Subsidiary PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
         Investments by the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary in and to the
         Insurance Subsidiary shall not exceed $500,000 in the aggregate;
                     (e) Investments in commercial paper maturing in 270 days or
         less  from  the  date  of  issuance  thereof  which,  at  the  time  of
         acquisition by the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary,  is accorded
         the  rating of P1 or better by S&P and A1 or better by  Moody's,  or if
         S&P and/or Moody's is no longer rating any such commercial  paper, then
         an equivalent  rating by any other nationally  recognized credit rating
         agency of similar standing; or



                     (f) other  Investments  (in addition to those  permitted in
         clauses (a) through (e) above)  PROVIDED that the  aggregate  amount of
         all such  Investments  shall not at any time exceed 10% of Consolidated
         Adjusted Net Worth.
         .SECTION 8.19.  TERMINATION OF PENSION PLANS;. The Borrower will not
and will not permit any  Subsidiary to withdraw from any  Multiemployer  Plan or
permit any  employee  benefit plan  maintained  by it to be  terminated  if such
withdrawal or termination could result in withdrawal  liability (as described in
Part 1 of  Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA) or the  imposition  of a Lien on any
Property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant to Section 4068 of ERISA.
         .SECTION 8.20. REPORTS AND RIGHTS OF INSPECTION;.  The Borrower will
keep, and will cause each Subsidiary to keep, proper books of record and account
in which full and correct  entries will be made of all dealings or  transactions
of or in  relation  to  the  business  and  affairs  of  the  Borrower  or  such
Subsidiary,  in accordance with GAAP consistently maintained (except for changes
disclosed in the financial  statements  furnished to the Banks  pursuant to this
Section 8.20 and concurred in by the independent public accountants  referred to
in  paragraph  (b)  hereof),  and will  furnish to each holder of a Note and the
Security Trustee (in duplicate if so specified below or otherwise requested):
                     (a) QUARTERLY  STATEMENTS.  As soon as available and in any
         event  within 45 days  after the end of each  quarterly  fiscal  period
         (except the last) of each fiscal year, a copy of:
                              (1) consolidated and consolidating  balance sheets
                     of the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  as of the
                     close of such quarter and, in the case of the  consolidated
                     balance  sheets,  setting  forth  in  comparative  form the
                     amount for the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal
                     year,
                              (2) consolidated and  consolidating  statements of
                     income  and  retained  earnings  of the  Borrower  and  its
                     Restricted  Subsidiaries for the portion of the fiscal year
                     ending  with  such   quarter   and,  in  the  case  of  the
                     consolidated  statements  of income and retained  earnings,
                     setting  forth  in  comparative  form  the  amount  for the
                     corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year,
                              (3) consolidated and  consolidating  statements of
                     changes  in  financial  position  of the  Borrower  and its
                     Restricted  Subsidiaries for the portion of the fiscal year
                     ending  with  such   quarter   and,  in  the  case  of  the
                     consolidated  statements of changes in financial  position,
                     setting  forth  in  comparative  form  the  amount  for the
                     corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year, and
                              (4) consolidated and  consolidating  statements of
                     cash flows of the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries
                     for the portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarter
                     and,  in the case of the  consolidated  statements  of cash
                     flows,  setting forth in comparative  form the consolidated
                     figures  for  the  corresponding  period  of the  preceding
                     fiscal  year,  all in  reasonable  detail and  certified as
                     complete and correct, by an authorized financial officer of
                     the Borrower;
                     (b)  ANNUAL  STATEMENTS.  As soon as  available  and in any
         event  within  90 days  after  the  close  of each  fiscal  year of the
         Borrower, a copy of:
                              (1) consolidated and consolidating  balance sheets
                     of the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  as of the
                     close of such fiscal year,
                              (2) consolidated and  consolidating  statements of
                     income and  retained  earnings  and  changes  in  financial
                     position of the  Borrower and its  Restricted  Subsidiaries
                     for such fiscal year, and
                              (3) consolidated and  consolidating  statements of
                     changes in cash flows of the  Borrower  and its  Restricted
                     Subsidiaries for such fiscal year,
in each case setting forth in comparative form the consolidated  figures for the
preceding  fiscal year, all in reasonable  detail and accompanied by an opinion,
unqualified  as to scope  limitations  imposed  by the  Borrower  and  otherwise
without  qualification except as therein noted, thereon of a firm of independent
public  accountants of recognized  national standing selected by the Borrower to
the effect that the  consolidated  financial  statements  have been  prepared in
accordance with GAAP consistently



applied  (except  for noted  changes in  application  in which such  accountants
concur) and present  fairly the  financial  condition  of the  Borrower  and its
Restricted  Subsidiaries  and  that  the  examination  of  such  accountants  in
connection  with such  financial  statements  has been made in  accordance  with
generally  accepted auditing  standards and accordingly,  includes such tests of
the  accounting  records and such other auditing  procedures as were  considered
necessary in the circumstances;
                     (c) AUDIT REPORTS.  Promptly upon receipt thereof, one copy
         of each interim or special audit made by independent accountants of the
         books of the Borrower or any  Restricted  Subsidiary and any management
         letter received from such accountants and the Borrower's  response,  if
         any, to such management letter;
                     (d) SEC AND OTHER  REPORTS.  Promptly  upon their  becoming
         available, one copy of each financial statement,  report, notice, proxy
         statement or statement of additional  information  sent by the Borrower
         to stockholders  generally and of each regular or periodic report,  and
         any  registration  statement or prospectus filed by the Borrower or any
         Subsidiary with any securities  exchange or the Securities and Exchange
         Commission  or any  successor  agency,  and copies of any orders in any
         proceedings  to which  the  Borrower  or any of its  Subsidiaries  is a
         party,  issued by any  governmental  agency,  Federal or state,  having
         jurisdiction over the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;
                     (e) REQUESTED INFORMATION. With reasonable promptness, such
         other data and  information  as any holder of any Note or the  Security
         Trustee may reasonably request;
                     (f) OFFICERS' CERTIFICATES.  Within the periods provided in
         paragraphs (a) and (b) above, a certificate of an authorized  financial
         officer of the Borrower  stating that he has reviewed the provisions of
         this Agreement and setting forth:  (i) the information and computations
         (in  sufficient  detail)  required  in order to  determine  whether the
         Borrower  was in  compliance  with the  requirements  of  Sections  8.7
         through Sections 8.18, both inclusive, at the end of the period covered
         by the financial statements then being furnished,  and (ii) whether, to
         the best of such officer's  knowledge,  there existed as of the date of
         such financial  statements  and whether,  to the best of such officer's
         knowledge,  there exists on the date of the  certificate  or existed at
         any time during the period  covered by such  financial  statements  any
         Default or Event of Default and, if any such  condition or event exists
         on the date of the  certificate,  specifying  the  nature and period of
         existence thereof and the action the Borrower is taking and proposes to
         take with respect thereto;
                     (g) ACCOUNTANT'S  CERTIFICATES.  Within the period provided
         in paragraph (b) above, a certificate of the  accountants who render an
         opinion with respect to such  financial  statements,  stating that they
         have reviewed this  Agreement  and stating  further,  whether in making
         their audit, such accountants have become aware of any Default or Event
         of  Default  under any of the  terms or  provisions  of this  Agreement
         insofar  as  any  such  terms  or  provisions  pertain  to  or  involve
         accounting  matters or  determinations,  and if any such  condition  or
         event then  exists,  specifying  the  nature  and  period of  existence
         thereof;
                     (h)  UNRESTRICTED   SUBSIDIARIES.   Within  the  respective
         periods  provided in paragraph (b) above,  financial  statements of the
         character  and for the  dates  and  periods  as in said  paragraph  (b)
         provided   covering  each   Unrestricted   Subsidiary   (or  groups  of
         Unrestricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis);
                     (i) LOAN LOSS RESERVE REPORT. On or before the twenty-fifth
         day of every  month,  a loan loss  reserve  report with  respect to the
         Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries for the immediately preceding
         month in form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to the Required
         Banks;
                     (j) LOAN  CHARGE-OFF  RECOVERY  REPORT.  On or  before  the
         twenty-fifth day of every month, a loan charge-off recovery report with
         respect to the Borrower and its Restricted  Subsidiaries  for the prior
         month in form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to the Required
         Banks;
                     (k)   BORROWING   BASE   CERTIFICATE.   On  or  before  the
         twenty-fifth   day  of  every  month,  a  Borrowing  Base   Certificate
         substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C calculated as of
         the last day of the immediately preceding month; and
                     (l) ANNUAL BUDGET.  As soon as available,  and in any event
         within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year of the  Borrower,  a
         copy of the Borrower's consolidated annual budget for



         the current  fiscal  year,  such annual  budget to show the  Borrower's
         projected  consolidated  revenues,   expenses,  and  balance  sheet  on
         month-by-month  basis,  such annual budget to be in  reasonable  detail
         prepared by the Borrower  and in form  reasonably  satisfactory  to the
         Required Banks.
Without  limiting  the  foregoing,  the  Borrower  will permit each Bank and the
Security  Trustee  (or such  Persons  as any Bank or the  Security  Trustee  may
designate)  to visit and inspect,  any of the  properties of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary,  to inspect  any other  Collateral,  to examine  all their  books of
account,  records,  reports  and  other  papers,  to make  copies  and  extracts
therefrom,  and to discuss their respective affairs,  finances and accounts with
their respective officers, employees, and independent public accountants (and by
this  provision the Borrower  authorizes  said  accountants to discuss with such
Persons the finances and affairs of the  Borrower and its  Subsidiaries)  all at
such  reasonable  times  and  as  often  as  may be  reasonably  requested.  Any
visitation,  inspection or  discussion  shall be at the sole cost and expense of
the Borrower;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that prior to the occurrence of a Default or
Event of  Default,  the  Borrower  shall bear such costs and  expenses  not more
frequently than once every semi-annual fiscal period.
 .SECTION 9. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES;.
         .SECTION  9.1. EVENTS OF DEFAULT;.  Any one or more of the following
shall constitute an Event of Default:
                     (a)  Default  shall occur in the payment of interest on any
         Note or any other sums (other than for principal on the Note)  required
         to be paid  pursuant to this  Agreement or any other Loan Document when
         the same shall have become due and such default shall continue for more
         than five days; or
                     (b)  Default  shall  occur in the  making  of any  required
         prepayment of principal on any of the Notes when due; or
                     (c) Default  shall occur in the making of any other payment
         of  the  principal  of  any  Note  thereon  at  the  expressed  or  any
         accelerated maturity date or at any date fixed for prepayment; or
                     (d) Default shall occur in the observance or performance of
         any  covenant  or  agreement  contained  in Sections  8.7 through  8.18
         hereof, both inclusive; or
                     (e) The Borrower  shall,  without the prior written consent
         of the Required Banks, make any voluntary prepayment, or enter into any
         amendment  changing any payment due dates, on the notes of the Borrower
         issued pursuant to any Note Purchase Agreement or the Subordinated Note
         Purchase Agreement, or enter into any amendment increasing the interest
         rate otherwise  payable on the notes of the Borrower issued pursuant to
         the Subordinated Note Purchase  Agreement,  or shall make any voluntary
         prepayment   on  any  Senior   Subordinated   Debt  or  on  any  Junior
         Subordinated Debt except as permitted by this Agreement; or
                     (f) Default shall occur in the observance or performance of
         any other  provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document which
         is not  remedied  within 30 days after the  earlier to occur of (i) the
         date on which such  failure  shall first become known to any officer of
         the Borrower or (ii) the date on which  notice  thereof is given to the
         Borrower; or
                     (g) An  "Event  of  Default"  shall  occur  under  any Note
         Purchase Agreement or the Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement or under
         any other indenture,  instrument,  or agreement setting forth the terms
         and  conditions  applicable to any Senior  Subordinated  Debt or Junior
         Subordinated Debt; or
                     (h) Default shall occur under any interest rate or currency
         protection  agreement  entered into by the  Borrower or any  Subsidiary
         with any bank or other financial institution; or
                     (i) Default  shall be made in the payment when due (whether
         by lapse of time, by declaration,  by call for redemption or otherwise)
         of the  principal  of or  interest or premium on any  Indebtedness  for
         Borrowed  Money in excess of  $1,000,000  (other  than the  Notes,  the
         Senior  Secured  Notes  of the  Borrower  issued  pursuant  to the Note
         Purchase Agreements,  and the Senior Subordinated Notes of the Borrower
         issued  pursuant to the  Subordinated  Note Purchase  Agreement) of the
         Borrower or any Subsidiary,  individually or in the aggregate, and such
         default shall continue beyond the period of grace, if any, allowed with
         respect thereto; or



                     (j) Default or the happening of any event shall occur under
         any  indenture,   agreement,   or  other  instrument  under  which  any
         Indebtedness for Borrowed Money in excess of $1,000,000 of the Borrower
         or any  Subsidiary  (other  than  this  Agreement,  the  Note  Purchase
         Agreements,  the Subordinated Note Purchase  Agreement,  the Subsidiary
         Senior  Subordinated  Guaranty  Agreements or the  Subsidiary  Guaranty
         Agreements),  individually or in the aggregate,  may be issued and such
         default or event  shall  continue  for a period of time  sufficient  to
         permit  the  acceleration  of  the  maturity  of any  Indebtedness  for
         Borrowed   Money  of  the  Borrower  or  any   Subsidiary   outstanding
         thereunder; or
                     (k) Any  representation or warranty made by the Borrower or
         any Restricted  Subsidiary herein or in any other Loan Document or made
         by the  Borrower  or any  Restricted  Subsidiary  in any  statement  or
         certificate  furnished by the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary in
         connection with the execution and delivery of the Notes or furnished by
         the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary  pursuant hereto or pursuant
         to any other Loan Document is untrue in any material  respect as of the
         date of the issuance or making thereof; or
                     (l) The Subsidiary  Guaranty  Agreement  shall be held by a
         court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable in whole
         or in part in any respect or shall  otherwise cease to be in full force
         and  effect or the  Borrower  or any  Restricted  Subsidiary  takes any
         action for the purpose of  repudiating  or rescinding any Loan Document
         or the  obligations  of the  Borrower  or  any  Restricted  Subsidiary,
         respectively,  thereunder or the Borrower or any Restricted  Subsidiary
         declares  that  the  obligations  of the  Borrower  or  any  Restricted
         Subsidiary under any Loan Document are unenforceable; or
                     (m) The  Collateral  Documents  shall  cease  to be in full
         force and effect, or shall cease to give the Security Trustee the Liens
         purported to be created  thereby or, in the reasonable  judgment of the
         Required Banks, the practical  realization of the benefits of the Liens
         purported to be created thereby; or
                     (n) Final  judgment or  judgments  for the payment of money
         aggregating  in excess of  $100,000 is or are  outstanding  against the
         Borrower or any  Subsidiary or against any property or assets of either
         and any one of such judgments has remained unpaid, unvacated,  unbonded
         or  unstayed  by appeal or  otherwise  for a period of 30 days from the
         date of its entry; or
                     (o) The  Borrower  or any  member of its  Controlled  Group
         shall fail to pay when due an amount or amounts  aggregating  in excess
         of $100,000  which it shall have become liable to pay to the PBGC or to
         a Plan under Title IV of ERISA; or notice of intent to terminate a Plan
         or Plans having  aggregate  Unfunded  Vested  Liabilities  in excess of
         $100,000  (collectively,  a "MATERIAL PLAN") shall be filed under Title
         IV of ERISA by the  Borrower  or any  other  member  of its  Controlled
         Group, any plan  administrator or any combination of the foregoing;  or
         the  PBGC  shall  institute  proceedings  under  Title  IV of  ERISA to
         terminate  or to cause a trustee  to be  appointed  to  administer  any
         Material Plan or a proceeding shall be instituted by a fiduciary of any
         Material  Plan  against the  Borrower  or any member of its  Controlled
         Group to enforce Section 515 or 4219(c)(5) of ERISA and such proceeding
         shall not have been dismissed within 30 days thereafter; or a condition
         shall  exist by reason of which the PBGC would be  entitled to obtain a
         decree adjudicating that any Material Plan must be terminated; or
                     (p) A custodian,  trustee or receiver is appointed  for the
         Borrower  or any  Subsidiary  or for the major part of the  property of
         either and is not discharged within 45 days after such appointment; or
                     (q) The  Borrower or any  Subsidiary  becomes  insolvent or
         bankrupt, is generally not paying its debts as they become due or makes
         an  assignment  for the benefit of  creditors,  or the  Borrower or any
         Subsidiary  causes or suffers  an order for  relief to be entered  with
         respect to it under applicable Federal bankruptcy law or applies for or
         consents to the appointment of a custodian, trustee or receiver for the
         Borrower or such  Subsidiary  or for the major part of the  property of
         either; or
                     (r) Bankruptcy,  reorganization,  arrangement or insolvency
         proceedings, or other



         proceedings  for relief  under any  bankruptcy  or  similar  law or 
         laws for the relief of debtors,  are  instituted by or against the 
         Borrower or any Subsidiary and, if instituted  against the Borrower 
         or any Subsidiary,  are consented to or are not dismissed within 60 
         days after such institution.
         .SECTION 9.2. NOTICE TO BANKS;. When any Default or Event of Default
described  in the  foregoing  Section  9.1 has  occurred,  or if any Bank or the
holder of any other evidence of Indebtedness of the Borrower gives any notice or
takes any other action with respect to a claimed default, the Borrower agrees to
give  notice  within  three  business  days  (except as  otherwise  specifically
provided  herein) of such event to all Banks,  such  notice to be in writing and
sent by registered or certified mail or by telegram.
         .SECTION 9.3.  NON-BANKRUPTCY  DEFAULTS;.  When any Event of Default
other than those described in Sections (p), (q) or (r) of Section 9.1 hereof has
occurred  and is  continuing,  the Agent  shall,  if so directed by the Required
Banks, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions:
                     (a)  terminate  the  remaining  Commitments  of  the  Banks
         hereunder  on the date  stated in such  notice  (which  may be the date
         thereof); and
                     (b) declare the  principal  of and the accrued  interest on
         all  outstanding  Notes of the Borrower to be forthwith due and payable
         and thereupon all of said Notes, including both principal and interest,
         shall be and become immediately due and payable together with all other
         amounts  payable  under this  Agreement  and the other  Loan  Documents
         without further demand, presentment, protest or notice of any kind.
The Agent,  after giving  notice to the  Borrower  pursuant to this Section 9.3,
shall  also  promptly  send a copy of such  notice to the other  Banks,  but the
failure to do so shall not impair or annul the effect of such notice.
         .SECTION  9.4.  BANKRUPTCY  DEFAULTS;.  When any  Event  of  Default
described in Sections  (p), (q) or (r) of Section 9.1 hereof has occurred and is
continuing,  then all outstanding Notes, both for principal and interest,  shall
immediately become due and payable together with all other amounts payable under
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents without presentment, demand, protest
or notice of any kind,  and the obligation of the Banks to extend further credit
pursuant to any of the terms hereof shall immediately terminate.
         .SECTION 9.5.EXPENSES;.  The Borrower agrees to pay to the Agent and
each Bank, or any other holder of any Note outstanding hereunder,  all costs and
expenses  incurred  or paid by the  Agent  and  such  Bank or any  such  holder,
including  reasonable  attorneys'  fees and court costs,  in connection with any
Default or Event of Default by the Borrower  hereunder or in connection with the
enforcement of any of the terms hereof or of the other Loan Documents.
 .SECTION 10. CHANGE IN CIRCUMSTANCES;.
         .SECTION 10.1. CHANGE OF LAW;.  Notwithstanding any other provisions
of this  Agreement or any Note,  if at any time after the date hereof any change
in  applicable  law or  regulation  or in the  interpretation  thereof  makes it
unlawful  for any Bank to make or continue to  maintain  Eurodollar  Loans or to
give effect to its obligations as contemplated  hereby, such Bank shall promptly
give notice thereof to the Borrower,  with a copy to the Agent,  and such Bank's
obligations  to make or maintain  Eurodollar  Loans under this  Agreement  shall
terminate  and shall not revive until it is no longer  unlawful for such Bank to
make or maintain  Eurodollar  Loans.  The  Borrower  shall  prepay on demand the
outstanding  principal amount of any such affected  Eurodollar  Loans,  together
with all interest  accrued thereon and all other amounts then due and payable to
such Bank under this Agreement;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, subject to all of the terms
and  conditions  of this  Agreement,  the  Borrower may then elect to borrow the
principal  amount of the affected  Eurodollar  Loan from such Bank by means of a
Domestic  Rate Loan from such Bank that  shall not be made  ratably by the Banks
but only from such affected Bank.
         .SECTION 10.2. UNAVAILABILITY OF DEPOSITS OR INABILITY TO ASCERTAIN,
OR INADEQUACY OF, LIBOR;. If on or prior to the first day of any Interest Period
for any Borrowing of Eurodollar Loans:
                     (a) the Agent  advises the Borrower that deposits in United
         States Dollars (in the applicable  amounts) are not being offered to it
         in the off-shore U.S. Dollar interbank market for such Interest Period,
         or
                     (b) Banks having 51% or more of the aggregate amount of the
         Commitments advise the Agent that LIBOR as determined by the Agent will
         not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to



         such Banks of funding their Eurodollar Loans for such Interest Period,
then the Agent shall  forthwith  give  notice  thereof to the  Borrower  and the
Banks,  whereupon  until the Agent notifies the Borrower that the  circumstances
giving rise to such suspension no longer exist,  the obligations of the Banks to
make Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended.
         .SECTION  10.3.  INCREASED  COST AND REDUCED  RETURN;.  (a) If on or
after the date hereof the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation, or
any  change  therein,  or any  change in the  interpretation  or  administration
thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged
with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Bank (or
its Lending  Office)  with any request or  directive  (whether or not having the
force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency:
                     (i) shall  subject any Bank (or its Lending  Office) to any
         tax,  duty or other charge with respect to its  Eurodollar  Loans,  its
         Notes or its obligation to make  Eurodollar  Loans, or shall change the
         basis of taxation  of  payments to any Bank (or its Lending  Office) of
         the  principal  of or  interest  on its  Eurodollar  Loans or any other
         amounts due under this Agreement in respect of its Eurodollar  Loans or
         its obligation to make Eurodollar Loans (except for changes in the rate
         of tax on the  overall  net income of such Bank or its  Lending  Office
         imposed by the  jurisdiction in which such Bank's  principal  executive
         office or Lending Office is located); or
                     (ii) shall impose,  modify or deem  applicable any reserve,
         special deposit or similar requirement (including,  without limitation,
         any such  requirement  imposed by the Board of Governors of the Federal
         Reserve System,  but excluding with respect to any Eurodollar Loans any
         such  requirement   included  in  an  applicable   Eurodollar   Reserve
         Percentage)  against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or
         credit extended by, any Bank (or its Lending Office) or shall impose on
         any Bank (or its Lending  Office) or on the interbank  market any other
         condition  affecting its Eurodollar  Loans, its Notes or its obligation
         to make Eurodollar Loans;
and the result of any of the  foregoing is to increase the cost to such Bank (or
its Lending Office) of making or maintaining  any Eurodollar  Loan, or to reduce
the  amount of any sum  received  or  receivable  by such  Bank (or its  Lending
Office)  under this  Agreement  or under its Notes with respect  thereto,  by an
amount deemed  reasonably  and in good faith by such Bank to be material,  then,
within  fifteen  (15) days after demand by such Bank (with a copy to the Agent),
the Borrower  shall be obligated to pay to such Bank such  additional  amount or
amounts  as will  compensate  such  Bank for such  increased  cost or  reduction
(computed commencing on the effective date of any event mentioned herein).  Each
Bank  agrees  to use  its  best  efforts  to give  the  Borrower  notice  of the
occurrence of any event mentioned herein.
         (b) If after the date  hereof any Bank shall have  determined  that the
adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation  regarding  capital adequacy,
or any change therein,  or any change in the  interpretation  or  administration
thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged
with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Bank (or
its Lending  Office) with any request or directive  regarding  capital  adequacy
(whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority,  central bank or
comparable  agency,  has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return
on such Bank's capital,  or on the capital of any corporation  controlling  such
Bank, as a consequence of its obligations  hereunder to a level below that which
such Bank  could  have  achieved  but for such  adoption,  change or  compliance
(taking  into  consideration  such  Bank's  policies  with  respect  to  capital
adequacy)  by an amount  deemed by such Bank to be  material,  then from time to
time,  within  fifteen  (15) days after  demand by such Bank (with a copy to the
Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Bank such additional amount or amounts as
will compensate such Bank for such reduction.
         .SECTION 10.4. LENDING OFFICES;. Each Bank may, at its option, elect
to make its Loans hereunder at the branch,  office or affiliate specified on the
appropriate  signature  page hereof  (each a "LENDING  OFFICE") for each type of
Loan available hereunder or at such other of its branches, offices or affiliates
as it may from time to time elect and  designate in a notice to the Borrower and
the Agent.
         .SECTION  10.5.  DISCRETION  OF  BANK  AS  TO  MANNER  OF  FUNDING;.
Notwithstanding  any other  provision  of this  Agreement,  each  Bank  shall be
entitled to fund and maintain its funding of all or any part of its Loans in any
manner it sees fit, it being understood,  however, that for the purposes of this
Agreement



all  determinations  hereunder shall be made as if each Bank had actually funded
and  maintained  each  Eurodollar  Loan  through the purchase of deposits in the
interbank market having a maturity  corresponding to such Loan's Interest Period
and  bearing  an  interest  rate  equal  to  LIBOR  for  such  Interest  Period.
 .SECTION 11. THE AGENT;.
         .SECTION  11.1.  APPOINTMENT  AND  AUTHORIZATION;.  Each Bank hereby
irrevocably  appoints  Harris  Trust  and  Savings  Bank its  Agent  under  this
Agreement and the other Loan  Documents and hereby  authorizes the Agent to take
such  action as Agent and on its behalf and to exercise  such powers  under this
Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents  as are  delegated  to the Agent by the
terms hereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
         .SECTION 11.2. AGENT AND AFFILIATES;.  The Agent shall have the same
rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any other
Bank and may exercise or refrain from  exercising the same as though it were not
an Agent,  and the Agent and its affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money
to,  and  generally  engage in any kind of  business  with the  Borrower  or any
Subsidiary or affiliate of the Borrower as if it were not an Agent hereunder and
thereunder.
         .SECTION  11.3.  ACTION BY AGENT;.  The Agent  shall in all cases be
fully justified in failing or refusing to act hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents unless the Agent shall be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Banks
against any and all  liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason
of taking or  continuing  to take any such  action.  In all cases in which  this
Agreement does not require the Agent to take certain actions, the Agent shall be
fully  justified  in using its  discretion  in  failing to take or in taking any
action  hereunder  or under the  other  Loan  Documents.  Without  limiting  the
generality of the foregoing,  the Agent shall not be required to take any action
with respect to any Event of Default,  except as  expressly  provided in Section
9.3.  The Agent  shall be  acting as an  independent  contractor  hereunder  and
nothing herein shall be deemed to impose on the Agent any fiduciary  obligations
to the Banks or the Borrower.
         .SECTION  11.4.  CONSULTATION  WITH EXPERTS;.  The Agent may consult
with legal counsel, independent public accountants and other experts selected by
it and shall not be liable for any action  taken or omitted to be taken by it in
good faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts
         .SECTION  11.5.  LIABILITY  OF  AGENT;.  No  Agent  nor  any  of its
directors, officers, agents or employees shall be liable for any action taken or
not taken by it in connection herewith (i) with the consent or at the request of
the Required Banks or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful
misconduct.  Neither  the Agent nor any of its  directors,  officers,  agents or
employees shall be responsible  for or have any duty to ascertain,  inquire into
or verify (i) any statement,  warranty or representation made in connection with
this Agreement or any borrowing  hereunder or any other Loan Document;  (ii) the
performance  or observance of any of the covenants or agreements of the Borrower
or any Subsidiary in any Loan Document;  (iii) the satisfaction of any condition
specified in Section 7, except  receipt of items required to be delivered to the
Agent; or (iv) the validity, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, the
Notes, any other Loan Document or any other  instrument or writing  furnished in
connection  herewith or of the  collectibility  of the Obligations or the value,
worth,  priority,  or perfection of the  Collateral or the Liens provided for by
the Loan  Documents.  The  Agent  shall not  incur  any  liability  by acting in
reliance upon any notice,  consent,  certificate,  request or statement (whether
written or oral) or other documents believed by it to be genuine or to be signed
by the proper party or parties and, in the case of legal matters,  in relying on
the advice of counsel (including  counsel for the Borrower).  The Agent need not
verify the worth or  existence of the  Collateral  and may rely  exclusively  on
reports of the Borrower in computing the Available Borrowing Base. The Agent may
treat  the  Banks  that are named  herein  as the  holders  of the Notes and the
indebtedness contemplated herein.
         .SECTION  11.6.  INDEMNIFICATION;.   Each  Bank  shall,  ratably  in
accordance with its Commitments  (or, if the Commitments have been terminated in
whole,  ratably in accordance with its outstanding  Loans),  indemnify the Agent
(to the  extent  not  reimbursed  by the  Borrower)  against  any cost,  expense
(including reasonable counsels' fees and disbursements),  claim, demand, action,
loss, obligation, damages, penalties, judgments, suits or liability (except such
as result from the Agent's gross negligence or willful misconduct)



that the Agent may  suffer or incur in  connection  with this  Agreement  or any
other Loan  Document or any action  taken or omitted by the Agent  hereunder  or
thereunder.
         .SECTION 11.7. CREDIT DECISION;. Each Bank acknowledges that it has,
independently  and without  reliance upon the Agent or any other Bank, and based
on such  documents and  information as it has deemed  appropriate,  made its own
credit  analysis  and  decision  to enter  into this  Agreement.  Each Bank also
acknowledges that it will,  independently and without reliance upon the Agent or
any other Bank,  and based on such  documents and  information  as it shall deem
appropriate at the time,  continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or
not taking any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
        .c.2.SECTION 11.8. RESIGNATION OF THE AGENT;. Subject to the appointment
and acceptance of a successor Agent as provided  below,  the Agent may, with the
prior  written  consent of the  Borrower  (such  consent not to be  unreasonably
withheld),  resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Banks and
the Borrower.  Upon any such  resignation of the Agent, the Required Banks shall
have the right to appoint, with the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to
be unreasonably  withheld),  a successor Agent. If no successor Agent shall have
been  so  appointed  by  the  Required  Banks,  and  shall  have  accepted  such
appointment, within thirty (30) days after the retiring Agent's giving of notice
of resignation,  then the retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Banks,  appoint a
successor  Agent,  which shall be a commercial  bank organized under the laws of
the  United  States of  America  or of any State  thereof  and having a combined
capital  and  surplus  of at  least  $200,000,000.  Upon the  acceptance  of its
appointment as Agent hereunder by a successor Agent,  such successor Agent shall
thereupon  succeed  to and become  vested  with all the rights and duties of the
retiring  Agent,  and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and
obligations  hereunder  and under the other Loan  Documents.  After any retiring
Agent's resignation  hereunder as Agent, the provisions of this Section 11 shall
inure to its benefit as to any actions  taken or omitted to be taken by it while
it was Agent.
         .SECTION 11.9. PAYMENTS;.  Unless the Agent shall have been notified
by a Bank prior to the date on which such Bank is  scheduled  to make payment to
the Agent of the  proceeds  of a Loan  (which  notice  shall be  effective  upon
receipt)  that  such Bank does not  intend to make such  payment,  the Agent may
assume  that  such  Bank has made  such  payment  when due and the  Agent may in
reliance upon such  assumption  (but shall not be required to) make available to
the  Borrower  the proceeds of the Loan to be made by such Bank and, if any Bank
has not in fact made such payment to the Agent, such Bank shall, on demand,  pay
to the Agent the amount made available to the Borrower attributable to such Bank
together  with  interest  thereon  in  respect  of each day  during  the  period
commencing on the date such amount was made available to the Borrower and ending
on (but  excluding)  the date such Bank pays such  amount to the Agent at a rate
per annum  equal to the Federal  Funds Rate (as  hereinafter  defined).  If such
amount is not received from such Bank by the Agent immediately upon demand,  the
Borrower  will,  on  demand,  repay  to the  Agent  the  proceeds  of  the  Loan
attributable to such Bank with interest thereon at a rate per annum equal to the
interest rate  applicable to the relevant  Loan,  but without such payment being
considered a payment or  prepayment of a Loan, so that the Borrower will have no
liability under Section 2.10 hereof with respect to such payment. "FEDERAL FUNDS
RATE" shall mean the rate  determined  by the Agent to be the  average  (rounded
upwards,  if  necessary,  to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) of the rates per annum
quoted to the  Agent at  approximately  10:00  A.M.  (Chicago  time) (or as soon
thereafter  as is  practicable)  on such date (or, if such day is not a Business
Day, on the  immediately  preceding  Business  Day) by two or more Federal funds
brokers selected by the Agent for the sale to the Agent at face value of Federal
Funds in an amount equal or comparable to the principal amount owed to the Agent
for which such rate is being determined hereof. 
 .SECTION 12. MISCELLANEOUS;.
         .SECTION 12.1. NO WAIVER OF RIGHTS;. No delay or failure on the part
of the Agent or any Bank or on the part of the  holder or holders of any Note in
the  exercise of any power or right shall  operate as a waiver  thereof or as an
acquiescence in any default,  nor shall any single or partial  exercise  thereof
preclude any other or further  exercise of any other power or right.  The rights
and  remedies  hereunder of the Agent and the Banks and of the holder or holders
of any Notes are  cumulative  to, and not  exclusive  of, any rights or remedies
which any of them would otherwise have.
         .SECTION 12.2.  NON-BUSINESS  DAY;. If any payment hereunder becomes
due and payable on a day



which is not a Business  Day, the due date of such payment  shall be extended to
the next  succeeding  Business Day on which date such  payment  shall be due and
payable.  In the case of any payment of principal  falling due on a day which is
not a Business Day,  interest on such principal  amount shall continue to accrue
during such extension at the rate per annum then in effect, which accrued amount
shall be due and payable on the next scheduled date for the payment of interest.
         .SECTION 12.3.  DOCUMENTARY TAXES;. The Borrower agrees that it will
pay any documentary, stamp or similar taxes payable in respect to this Agreement
or any other Loan Document,  including interest and penalties,  in the event any
such taxes are assessed irrespective of when such assessment is made and whether
or not any credit is then in use or available hereunder.
         .SECTION 12.4. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS;. All representations and
warranties  made herein or in  certificates  given pursuant hereto shall survive
the  execution  and  delivery  of this  Agreement  and of the  Notes,  and shall
continue in full force and effect with respect to the date as of which they were
made as long as any credit is in use or available hereunder.
         .SECTION  12.5.  SURVIVAL OF  INDEMNITIES;.  All indemnities and all
other provisions relative to reimbursement to the Banks of amounts sufficient to
protect  the yield of the Banks with  respect to the Loans,  including,  but not
limited to, Section 2.10 and Section 10.3 hereof,  shall survive the termination
of this Agreement and the payment of the Loans and the Notes.
         .SECTION 12.6. SHARING OF SET-OFF;. Each Bank agrees with each other
Bank a party hereto that if on or after the date of the  occurrence  of an Event
of Default and the acceleration of the maturity of the Notes pursuant to Section
9.3 or 9.4 hereof  such Bank shall  receive and retain any  payment,  whether by
set-off or application of deposit balances or otherwise  ("SET-OFF"),  on any of
the Obligations  outstanding under this Agreement in excess of its ratable share
of payments on all  Obligations  then  outstanding to the Banks,  then such Bank
shall purchase for cash at face value, but without  recourse,  ratably from each
of the other Banks such amount of the  Obligations  held by each such other Bank
(or  interest  therein) as shall be  necessary  to cause such Bank to share such
excess payment ratably with all the other Banks; PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that if any
such purchase is made by any Bank, and if such excess payment or part thereof is
thereafter  recovered from such purchasing Bank, the related  purchases from the
other Banks shall be rescinded ratably and the purchase price restored as to the
portion of such excess payment so recovered,  but without interest.  Each Bank's
ratable share of any such Set-off shall be determined by the proportion that the
aggregate  amount of Loans then due and  payable to such Bank bears to the total
aggregate amount of the Loans then due and payable to all the Banks.
         .SECTION 12.7.  NOTICES;.  Except as otherwise specified herein, all
notices hereunder shall be in writing (including cable or telecopy) and shall be
given to the relevant party at its address or telecopier number set forth below,
in the case of the Borrower, or on the appropriate signature page hereof, in the
case of the Banks and the Agent,  or such other address or telecopier  number as
such party may hereafter specify by notice to the Agent and the Borrower,  given
by  United  States  certified  or  registered  mail,  by  telecopy  or by  other
telecommunication device capable of creating a written record of such notice and
its receipt. Notices hereunder to the Borrower shall be addressed to:

                        World Acceptance Corporation
                        108 Frederick Street
                        Greenville, South Carolina 29607-2532
                        Attention:  Chief Financial Officer
                        Telephone: (803) 277-4570
                        Telecopy: (803) 277-1440

Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given
by  telecopier,  when such  telecopy is  transmitted  to the  telecopier  number
specified in this Section and a confirmation  of such telecopy has been received
by the sender,  (ii) if given by mail, five (5) days after such communication is
deposited in the mail,  certified or registered  with return receipt  requested,
addressed as aforesaid or (iii) if given by any other means,  when  delivered at
the addresses specified in this Section; PROVIDED THAT any notice given pursuant
to Section 2 hereof shall be effective only upon receipt.
         .SECTION 12.8. COUNTERPARTS;.  This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts,



and by the  different  parties  on  different  counterparts,  each of which when
executed  shall be deemed an original but all such  counterparts  taken together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.
         .SECTION 12.9. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS;.  (a) GENERAL. This Agreement
shall be binding  upon the Borrower and its  successors  and assigns,  and shall
inure to the  benefit of each of the Banks and the  benefit of their  respective
successors and assigns,  including any subsequent holder of any Note;  PROVIDED,
HOWEVER,  that the  Borrower  may not assign  any of its  rights or  obligations
hereunder without the written consent of all of the Banks.
         (b) PARTICIPATIONS. Each Bank shall have the right, without the consent
of the  Borrower,  at its own cost to grant  participations  in the  Loans  made
and/or  Commitments  held by such Bank to one or more financial  institutions at
any time and from time to time; PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that (i) such participations
shall be in a minimum amount of  $5,000,000,  (ii) no such  participation  shall
relieve  any Bank of any of its  obligations  under  this  Agreement,  (iii) the
participant financial institutions shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections
2.10 and 10.3 hereof but shall not be entitled to any greater  payment under any
of such  Sections  than the Bank  granting  such  participation  would have been
entitled  to  receive  with  respect  to the  rights  transferred  and  (iv) the
Borrower,  the Agent and the other  Banks  shall  continue  to deal  solely  and
directly  with such Bank in connection  with this  Agreement and such Bank shall
retain the sole right to enforce the obligations of the Borrower relating to the
Loans and to approve any amendment,  modification or waiver of this Agreement or
any other Loan Document,  PROVIDED THAT such participation agreement may provide
that such Bank will not agree to any amendment,  modification  or waiver of this
Agreement or any other Loan  Document  without the consent of such  participant,
that  would  reduce  the  amount  of or  postpone  the date for  payment  of any
principal of or interest on any Loan hereunder.
         (c) ASSIGNMENTS.  Each Bank may, from time to time, with the consent of
the Agent  (which  will not be  unreasonably  withheld)  and upon  notice to the
Borrower, assign to other financial institutions part (but in no event less than
$10,000,000)  of the  indebtedness  evidenced  by the  Notes  then  owned  by it
together with an equivalent proportion of its obligation to make Loans hereunder
pursuant to written  agreements  executed by the assignor,  the assignee and the
Borrower,  which  agreements  shall  specify in each instance the portion of the
indebtedness  evidenced  by the  Notes  which  is to be  assigned  to each  such
assignee and the portion of the  Commitments of the assignor to be assumed by it
(the "ASSIGNMENT  AGREEMENTS").  Upon the execution of each Assignment Agreement
by the assignor, the assignee and the Borrower (i) such assignee shall thereupon
become a "BANK" for all  purposes  of this  Agreement  with  Commitments  in the
amounts set forth in such Assignment  Agreement and with all the rights,  powers
and  obligations  afforded a Bank  hereunder,  (ii) the  assignor  shall have no
further  liability  for funding the portion of its  Commitments  assumed by such
other Bank and no other liability hereunder and (iii) the address for notices to
such Bank shall be as  specified  in the  Assignment  Agreement  executed by it.
Concurrently with the execution and delivery of such Assignment Agreement,  and,
upon  return to the  Borrower  of the  outstanding  Notes of the  assignor,  the
Borrower  shall  execute and deliver Notes to the assignee Bank in the amount of
its  Commitments  and  new  Notes  to the  assignor  Bank in the  amount  of its
Commitments after giving effect to the reduction  occasioned by such assignment,
all such Notes to constitute "NOTES" for all purposes of this Agreement.
         .SECTION 12.10. AMENDMENTS;.  Any provision of this Agreement or the
Notes may be amended or waived if, but only if, such  amendment  or waiver is in
writing and is signed by (a) the Borrower,  (b) the Required  Banks,  and (c) if
the  rights  or  duties  of the  Agent  are  affected  thereby,  the  Agent,  as
applicable; provided that:
                     (i) no amendment or waiver  pursuant to this Section  shall
         (A)  increase  any  Commitment  of any Bank without the consent of such
         Bank,  (B)  release  any  substantial  part  of the  Collateral  or any
         Subsidiary  Guaranty  Agreement or (C) reduce the amount of or postpone
         the date for payment of any  principal of or interest on any Loan or of
         any fee payable hereunder without the consent of the Bank to which such
         payment  is owing or which  has  committed  to make  such Loan or other
         credit hereunder; and
                     (ii) no amendment or waiver pursuant to this Section shall,
         unless signed by each Bank, change the provisions of this Section,  the
         definition of Required Banks or Termination Date,
         or the  provisions  of  Section  9.4,  or  affect  the  number of Banks
         required to take any action hereunder.
         .SECTION  12.11.  NON-RELIANCE  ON MARGIN STOCK;.  Each of the Banks
represents  to the Agent and to each of the other Banks that it in good faith is
not relying upon any Margin Stock as collateral in the extension or  maintenance
of the credit provided for in this Agreement.
         .SECTION 12.12. FEES AND  INDEMNIFICATION;.  (a) The Borrower agrees
to pay the  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of  counsel  to the  Agent,  in
connection  with the  preparation  and execution of this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents, and any amendment,  waiver or consent related hereto, whether or
not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated.
           (b) The Borrower further agrees to indemnify the Agent and each Bank,
their respective directors,  officers and employees against all losses,  claims,
damages,  penalties,  judgments,  liabilities and expenses  (including,  without
limitations,  all  reasonable  expenses of  litigation or  preparation  therefor
whether or not the Agent or any Bank is a party  thereto)  which any of them may
pay or incur  arising  out of or  relating  to this  Agreement,  any other  Loan
Document,  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or  thereby  or the direct or
indirect  application  or  proposed  application  of the  proceeds  of any  Loan
hereunder,  other than those  which arise from the gross  negligence  or willful
misconduct  of  the  party  claiming  indemnification.  The  obligations  of the
Borrower under this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
         .SECTION  12.13.  GOVERNING LAW;. This Agreement and the Notes,  and
the rights and duties of the parties hereto and thereto,  shall be construed and
determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois,  without regard
to the internal laws thereof with respect to conflicts of law.
         .SECTION 12.14.  HEADINGS;.  Section headings used in this Agreement
are for reference only and shall not affect the construction of this Agreement.
         .SECTION 12.15.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT;.  This Agreement  constitutes the
entire  understanding  of the parties  hereto with respect to the subject matter
hereof and any prior or  contemporaneous  agreements,  whether  written or oral,
with respect thereto are superseded hereby.
         .SECTION  12.16.  TERMS OF  COLLATERAL  DOCUMENTS  NOT  SUPERSEDED;.
Nothing  contained  herein  shall be deemed or  construed  to permit  any act or
omission  which is  prohibited  by the  terms of any  Collateral  Document,  the
covenants  and  agreements  contained  herein  being in  addition  to and not in
substitution  for the  covenants  and  agreements  contained  in the  Collateral
Documents.
        .'SECTION 12.17. SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION;  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL';.
The  Borrower  hereby  submits to the  nonexclusive  jurisdiction  of the United
States District Court for the Northern  District of Illinois and of any Illinois
State court sitting in the City of Chicago for purposes of all legal proceedings
arising out of or relating to this  Agreement,  the other Loan  Documents or the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. The Borrower irrevocably waives, to
the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may now or hereafter
have to the laying of the venue of any such  proceeding  brought in such a court
and any claim that any such proceeding  brought in such a court has been brought
in an  inconvenient  forum.  THE  BORROWER,  THE  AGENT  AND  EACH  BANK  HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY  WAIVES  ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL  PROCEEDING
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
THEREBY.

                           [SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW]





         Upon execution  hereof by all the parties,  this  Agreement  shall be a
contract among the parties for the purposes hereinabove set forth.

         Dated as of June 30, 1997.

                                 .c4.Signature Page;WORLD ACCEPTANCE 
                                     CORPORATION
                                 By /s/ A. Alexander McLean III
                                    Its Executive Vice President/Chief
                                        Financial Officer
                                       A. Alexander McLean III
                                        (Type or Print Name)

         Accepted and Agreed to as of the day and year last above written.

                                                               
Address and Amount of Commitments:
 
111 West Monroe Street                                            HARRIS TRUST AND SAVINGS BANK, in its 
Chicago, Illinois  60690                                            individual capacity as a Bank and as Agent
Attention:  Mr. Jerome P. Crokin
Telecopy:  (312) 765-8382                                         By /s/ Jerome P. Crokin
Telephone:  (312) 461-6557                                             Its Vice President
Commitment:           $25,000,000
Lending Offices:
     Domestic Rate Loans:                                         111 West Monroe Street
                                                                  Chicago, Illinois
     Eurodollar Loans:                                            111 West Monroe Street
                                                                  Chicago, Illinois





                                                               
One First National Plaza                                          THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO
Chicago, Illinois  60670-0084
Attention:  Craig Goldsmith
Telecopy:  (312) 732-6222                                         By /s/ Craig Goldsmith
Telephone:  (312) 732-2822                                             Its Assistant Vice President
Commitment:           $25,000,000
Lending Offices:
     Domestic Rate Loans:                                         One First National Plaza
                                                                  Chicago, Illinois  60670-0084
     Eurodollar Loans:                                            One First National Plaza
                                                                  Chicago, Illinois  60670-0084





                                                               
135 South LaSalle Street                                          LASALLE NATIONAL BANK
Chicago, Illinois  60603
Attention:  Ben Schreiner
Telecopy:  (312) 904-2903                                         By /s/ Ben Schreiner
Telephone:  (312) 904-7379                                             Its Loan Officer
Commitment:           $15,000,000
Lending Offices:
     Domestic Rate Loans:                                         135 South LaSalle Street
                                                                  Chicago, Illinois  60603
     Eurodollar Loans:                                            135 South LaSalle Street
                                                                  Chicago, Illinois  60603



                                    EXHIBIT A
                              REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE
U.S. $______________, 1997
         FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned,  WORLD ACCEPTANCE  CORPORATION,  a
South Carolina  corporation  (the  "BORROWER"),  promises to pay to the order of
_______________________________________________  (the "BANK") on the Termination
Date of the hereinafter  defined Credit  Agreement,  at the principal  office of
Harris Trust and Savings Bank in Chicago,  Illinois,  in  immediately  available
funds,  the principal sum of  __________________________________________________
Dollars  ($_________________) or, if less, the aggregate unpaid principal amount
of all Loans made by the Bank to the Borrower under its  Commitment  pursuant to
the Credit  Agreement  and with each such Loan to mature  and become  payable as
provided in the Credit Agreement, together with interest on the principal amount
of each such Loan from time to time  outstanding  hereunder  at the  rates,  and
payable in the manner and on the dates, specified in the Credit Agreement.
         The Bank shall record on its books or records or on a schedule attached
to this Note, each Loan made by it pursuant to its Commitment, together with all
payments of principal and interest and the principal  balances from time to time
outstanding  hereon,  whether the Loan is a Domestic  Rate Loan or a  Eurodollar
Loan and the interest rate and, in the case of a Eurodollar  Loan,  the Interest
Period applicable thereto,  provided that prior to the transfer of this Note all
such amounts shall be recorded on a schedule  attached to this Note.  The record
thereof, whether shown on such books or records or on the schedule to this Note,
shall be PRIMA FACIE evidence of the same, provided,  however,  that the failure
of the Bank to record any of the foregoing or any error in any such record shall
not limit or otherwise  affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay all Loans
made to it under the Revolving Credit pursuant to the Credit Agreement  together
with accrued interest thereon.
         This Note is one of the Notes  referred to in the Amended and  Restated
Credit Agreement dated as of June 30 1997, among the Borrower,  Harris Trust and
Savings Bank, as Agent,  and others (such Credit  Agreement as the same may from
time to time be amended being referred to as the "CREDIT AGREEMENT") and payment
hereof is secured by the Loan Documents, and this Note and the holder hereof are
entitled to all the  benefits  provided  for thereby or referred to therein,  to
which  Credit  Agreement  and Loan  Documents  reference  is  hereby  made for a
statement  thereof.  All defined terms used in this Note, except terms otherwise
defined  herein,  shall have the same meaning as in the Credit  Agreement.  This
Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State
of Illinois.
         Prepayments may be made hereon,  certain prepayments are required to be
made hereon and this Note may be declared  due prior to the  expressed  maturity
hereof, all in the events, on the terms and in the manner as provided for in the
Credit Agreement and Collateral Documents.
         The Borrower  hereby waives demand,  presentment,  protest or notice of
any kind hereunder.

                                                    WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
ATTEST:                                             By
                                                       Its

- -------------------------------
Its __________________ Secretary






                                   EXHIBIT B-1
                       PERMITTED SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT





                     SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO
                            SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT
                          AND JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT


         The indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated notes or related thereto
and any renewals or extensions thereof (the "SUBORDINATED INDEBTEDNESS") shall
at all times be wholly subordinate and junior in right of payment to any and all
indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries [here insert
description of indebtedness to which Subordinated Indebtedness is subordinate
which in all events must include all indebtedness, obligations and liabilities
of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under the Revolving Credit
Agreement, the Note Purchase Agreements, the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement, the
Senior Notes and the Company Security Agreement and the Subsidiary Security
Agreement as each relates to the Senior Notes and, with respect to Senior
Subordinated Debt under the Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement, the Subsidiary
Senior Subordinated Guaranty Agreement, the Senior Subordinated Notes and the
Company Security Agreement and the Subsidiary Security Agreement as each relates
to the Senior Subordinated Notes (the "SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS") in the manner and
with the force and effect hereinafter set forth:

         1. So long as any Senior Indebtedness shall remain outstanding and
unpaid, no payment either of principal, interest or premium (notwithstanding the
expressed maturity or any time for the payment of principal of, interest or
premium on any Subordinated Indebtedness) shall be made on Subordinated
Indebtedness except with the prior written consent of all of the holders of the
Notes and the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness will take no steps,
whether by suit or otherwise to compel or enforce the collection of Subordinated
Indebtedness, nor will the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness use
Subordinated Indebtedness by way of counterclaim, setoff, recoupment or
otherwise so as to diminish, discharge or otherwise satisfy in whole or in part
any indebtedness or liability of the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness to
the Borrower, whether now existing or hereafter arising and howsoever evidenced,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Borrower may pay interest on Subordinated
Indebtedness accrued to and payable on the date of any such payment so long as
(i) the Borrower shall not be in default in the payment of principal of,
interest or premium on Senior Indebtedness, (ii) the Borrower has not received
written notice from any holder of the Senior Indebtedness that some other
default has occurred and is continuing under any promissory note or agreement
pertaining to Senior Indebtedness or any collateral security therefor, and (iii)
none of the events hereinafter set forth in paragraph numbered 2 hereof has
occurred.

         2. In the event of any distribution, dividend, or application, partial
or complete, voluntary or involuntary, by operation of law or otherwise, of all
or any part of the assets of the Borrower or of the proceeds thereof to the
creditors of the Borrower or upon any indebtedness of the Borrower, occurring by
reason of the liquidation, dissolution, or other winding up of the Borrower, or
by reason of any execution sale, or bankruptcy, receivership, reorganization,
arrangement, insolvency, liquidation or foreclosure proceeding of or for the
Borrower or involving its property, no dividend, payment, distribution or
application shall be made, and the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness
shall not be entitled to receive or retain any payment, dividend, distribution,
or application on or in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness, unless and
until all of the Senior Indebtedness then outstanding shall have been paid and
satisfied in full, and in any such event any dividend, payment,




distribution or application otherwise payable in respect of Subordinated
Indebtedness shall be paid and applied on Senior Indebtedness until such Senior
Indebtedness has been fully paid and satisfied.

         3. The holders of Senior Indebtedness need not at any time give the
holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness notice of any kind of the creation or
existence of any Senior Indebtedness, nor of the amount or terms thereof, all
such notice being hereby expressly waived. Also, the holders of Senior
Indebtedness may at any time from time to time, without the consent of or notice
to the holders of Subordinated Indebtedness, without incurring responsibility to
the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness, and without impairing or releasing
the obligation of the undersigned under this agreement (i) renew, refund or
extend the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness, or any part thereof, or
otherwise revise, amend or alter the terms and conditions thereof, (ii) sell,
exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property by whomsoever at any time
pledged, mortgaged or otherwise hypothecated or subjected to a lien to secure
any Senior Indebtedness, and (iii) exercise or refrain from exercising any
rights against the Borrower and others, including the holders of the
Subordinated Indebtedness.

         4. The holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness will not sell, assign
or otherwise transfer any Subordinated Indebtedness, or any part thereof, except
subject to and in accordance with the terms hereof and upon the agreement of the
transferee or assignee to abide by and be bound by the terms hereof.

         5. The holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness undertake and agree for
the benefit of each holder of Senior Indebtedness to execute, verify, deliver
and file any proofs of claim which any holder of Senior Indebtedness may at any
time require in order to prove and realize upon any rights or claims pertaining
to the Subordinated Indebtedness to effectuate the full benefit of the
subordination contained herein; and upon failure of the holder of any
Subordinated Indebtedness so to do, any such holder of Senior Indebtedness shall
be deemed to be irrevocably appointed the agent and attorney-in-fact of the
holder of such Subordinated Indebtedness to execute, verify, deliver and file
any such proofs of claim.

         6. No right of any holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce
subordination as herein provided shall at any time or in any way be affected or
impaired by any failure to act on the part of the Borrower or the holders of
Senior Indebtedness, or by any noncompliance by the Borrower with any of the
terms, provisions and covenants applicable to the Subordinated Indebtedness,
regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder of Senior Indebtedness
may have or be otherwise charged with.

         7. The Borrower agrees, for the benefit of the holders of Senior
Indebtedness, that in the event that any Subordinated Indebtedness is declared
due and payable before its expressed maturity because of the occurrence of a
default hereunder, (i) the Borrower will give prompt notice in writing of such
happening to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and (ii) all Senior

                                       2



Indebtedness shall forthwith become immediately due and payable upon demand,
regardless of the expressed maturity thereof.

         8. These subordination provisions shall be continuing and binding until
written notice of its discontinuance shall be actually received by the holders
of the Subordinated Indebtedness, and also shall continue to remain in full
force and effect until all Senior Indebtedness created or existing prior to the
receipt of such notice shall have been fully paid and satisfied.








                                   EXHIBIT B-2
                       PERMITTED JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT




                     SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO
                            SENIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT
                          AND JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBT


         The indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated notes or related thereto
and any renewals or extensions thereof (the "SUBORDINATED INDEBTEDNESS") shall
at all times be wholly subordinate and junior in right of payment to any and all
indebtedness of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries [here insert
description of indebtedness to which Subordinated Indebtedness is subordinate
which in all events must include all indebtedness, obligations and liabilities
of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries under the Revolving Credit
Agreement, the Note Purchase Agreements, the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement, the
Senior Notes and the Company Security Agreement and the Subsidiary Security
Agreement as each relates to the Senior Notes and, with respect to Senior
Subordinated Debt under the Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement, the Subsidiary
Senior Subordinated Guaranty Agreement, the Senior Subordinated Notes and the
Company Security Agreement and the Subsidiary Security Agreement as each relates
to the Senior Subordinated Notes (the "SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS") in the manner and
with the force and effect hereinafter set forth:

         1. So long as any Senior Indebtedness shall remain outstanding and
unpaid, no payment either of principal, interest or premium (notwithstanding the
expressed maturity or any time for the payment of principal of, interest or
premium on any Subordinated Indebtedness) shall be made on Subordinated
Indebtedness except with the prior written consent of all of the holders of the
Notes and the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness will take no steps,
whether by suit or otherwise to compel or enforce the collection of Subordinated
Indebtedness, nor will the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness use
Subordinated Indebtedness by way of counterclaim, setoff, recoupment or
otherwise so as to diminish, discharge or otherwise satisfy in whole or in part
any indebtedness or liability of the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness to
the Borrower, whether now existing or hereafter arising and howsoever evidenced,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Borrower may pay interest on Subordinated
Indebtedness accrued to and payable on the date of any such payment so long as
(i) the Borrower shall not be in default in the payment of principal of,
interest or premium on Senior Indebtedness, (ii) the Borrower has not received
written notice from any holder of the Senior Indebtedness that some other
default has occurred and is continuing under any promissory note or agreement
pertaining to Senior Indebtedness or any collateral security therefor, and (iii)
none of the events hereinafter set forth in paragraph numbered 2 hereof has
occurred.

         2. In the event of any distribution, dividend, or application, partial
or complete, voluntary or involuntary, by operation of law or otherwise, of all
or any part of the assets of the Borrower or of the proceeds thereof to the
creditors of the Borrower or upon any indebtedness of the Borrower, occurring by
reason of the liquidation, dissolution, or other winding up of the Borrower, or
by reason of any execution sale, or bankruptcy, receivership, reorganization,
arrangement, insolvency, liquidation or foreclosure proceeding of or for the
Borrower or involving its property, no dividend, payment, distribution or
application shall be made, and the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness
shall not be entitled to receive or retain any payment, dividend, distribution,
or application on or in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness, unless and
until all of the Senior Indebtedness then outstanding shall have been paid and
satisfied in full, and in any such event any dividend, payment,




distribution or application otherwise payable in respect of Subordinated
Indebtedness shall be paid and applied on Senior Indebtedness until such Senior
Indebtedness has been fully paid and satisfied.

         3. The holders of Senior Indebtedness need not at any time give the
holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness notice of any kind of the creation or
existence of any Senior Indebtedness, nor of the amount or terms thereof, all
such notice being hereby expressly waived. Also, the holders of Senior
Indebtedness may at any time from time to time, without the consent of or notice
to the holders of Subordinated Indebtedness, without incurring responsibility to
the holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness, and without impairing or releasing
the obligation of the undersigned under this agreement (i) renew, refund or
extend the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness, or any part thereof, or
otherwise revise, amend or alter the terms and conditions thereof, (ii) sell,
exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property by whomsoever at any time
pledged, mortgaged or otherwise hypothecated or subjected to a lien to secure
any Senior Indebtedness, and (iii) exercise or refrain from exercising any
rights against the Borrower and others, including the holders of the
Subordinated Indebtedness.

         4. The holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness will not sell, assign
or otherwise transfer any Subordinated Indebtedness, or any part thereof, except
subject to and in accordance with the terms hereof and upon the agreement of the
transferee or assignee to abide by and be bound by the terms hereof.

         5. The holders of the Subordinated Indebtedness undertake and agree for
the benefit of each holder of Senior Indebtedness to execute, verify, deliver
and file any proofs of claim which any holder of Senior Indebtedness may at any
time require in order to prove and realize upon any rights or claims pertaining
to the Subordinated Indebtedness to effectuate the full benefit of the
subordination contained herein; and upon failure of the holder of any
Subordinated Indebtedness so to do, any such holder of Senior Indebtedness shall
be deemed to be irrevocably appointed the agent and attorney-in-fact of the
holder of such Subordinated Indebtedness to execute, verify, deliver and file
any such proofs of claim.

         6. No right of any holder of any Senior Indebtedness to enforce
subordination as herein provided shall at any time or in any way be affected or
impaired by any failure to act on the part of the Borrower or the holders of
Senior Indebtedness, or by any noncompliance by the Borrower with any of the
terms, provisions and covenants applicable to the Subordinated Indebtedness,
regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder of Senior Indebtedness
may have or be otherwise charged with.

         7. The Borrower agrees, for the benefit of the holders of Senior
Indebtedness, that in the event that any Subordinated Indebtedness is declared
due and payable before its expressed maturity because of the occurrence of a
default hereunder, (i) the Borrower will give prompt notice in writing of such
happening to the holders of Senior Indebtedness and (ii) all Senior

                                       2



Indebtedness shall forthwith become immediately due and payable upon demand,
regardless of the expressed maturity thereof.

         8. These subordination provisions shall be continuing and binding until
written notice of its discontinuance shall be actually received by the holders
of the Subordinated Indebtedness, and also shall continue to remain in full
force and effect until all Senior Indebtedness created or existing prior to the
receipt of such notice shall have been fully paid and satisfied.













 
 
                                    EXHIBIT C

                           BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE

                          WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
                           AND RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES

                           AS OF _______________, ____

                                                                      Total
                                                                     Company          Unsecured         Secured
                                                            
1.   Gross Finance Receivables                                 $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

2.   Less Credits/Allowances                                   $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

3.   Net Finance Receivables                                   $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

     Ineligibles:

     Affiliate Receivables                                     $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------
     Shareholder/Employee Receivables                          $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------
                                                                                     ------------     ------------
     Government Receivables                                    $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------
     Bankruptcy                                                $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------
     Subject to claims, offsets or defenses                    $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------
     60 days past due                                          $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

5.   Eligible Finance Receivables                              $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

6.   Unearned Finance Charges                                  $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

7.   Eligible Finance Receivables, Net                         $                $                 $
                                                                   ------------      ------------     ------------

8.   Borrowing Base

     (a) 85% of Secured Eligible Receivables                                                      $
                                                                                                      ------------
     (b) Lesser of:
          (i) $15,000,000                                                       $
                                                                                     ------------
         (ii) 11.11% of (a) above                                               $
                                                                                     ------------
        (iii) 50% of Eligible Unsecured, Net                                    $
                                                                                     ------------

     Lesser                                                                     $
                                                                                     ------------

9.   Total Borrowing Base (a+b)                                $
                                                                   ------------

10.  Current Maximum                                           $
                                                                   ------------

11.  Current Outstanding Balance of Term Notes
                                                               $
                                                                   ------------

12.  Available Borrowing Base                                  $
                                                                   ------------

13.  Current Outstanding Balance of Revolving Credit
                                                               $
                                                                   ------------

14.  Current Availability                                      $
                                                                   ------------










                                  SCHEDULE 6.2
                          TO REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                  SUBSIDIARIES


                                    JURISDICTION OF
                                      ORGANIZATION
            NAME                                                       OWNER                     % OWNERSHIP
                                                                                                  
WAC Insurance Company, Ltd.      British Virgin Islands     World Acceptance                         65%
                                                            Corporation (WAC)
WFC of South Carolina, Inc.          South Carolina         WAC                                     100%
WFC Limited Partnership                  Texas              World Finance Corporation        1% general partner
                                                            of South Carolina
                                                            World Acceptance                 99% limited partner
                                                            Corporation of Oklahoma,
                                                            Inc.
World Acceptance                        Alabama             WAC                                     100%
Corporation of Alabama
World Acceptance                        Missouri            WAC                                     100%
Corporation of Missouri
World Acceptance                        Oklahoma            World Finance Corporation               100%
Corporation of Oklahoma,                                    of Texas
Inc.
World Finance Corporation               Georgia             WAC                                     100%
of Georgia
World Finance Corporation               Illinois            WAC                                     100%
of Illinois
World Finance Corporation              Louisiana            WAC                                     100%
of Louisiana
World Finance Corporation              New Mexico           WAC                                     100%
of New Mexico
World Finance Corporation            South Carolina         WAC                                     100%
of South Carolina
World Finance Corporation              Tennessee            WAC                                     100%
of Tennessee
World Finance Corporation                Texas              WAC                                     100%
of Texas











                                  SCHEDULE 6.8
                          TO REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT


                               Pending Litigation


(1) World Acceptance Corporation and World Finance Corporation of Georgia are
named as co-defendants with 46 other finance companies, merchants and insurance
companies in a class action lawsuit, JORDAN, ET AL. V. AVCO FINANCIAL SERVICES,
INC., ET AL., (Case No. 96-CL-1557N, MDL No. 1130, U.S. District Court, Middle
District of Alabama), that challenges the defendants' practices with respect to
non-filing insurance. The action was filed on April 18, 1995, in U.S. District
Court for the Middle District of Georgia, in Columbus, Georgia, and by order
dated October 11, 1996 was consolidated for pre-trial proceedings before Judge
U.W. Clemon of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama by the
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Non-filing insurance is a product
that lenders can purchase as an alternative to filing UCC-1 financing statements
to perfect the lenders' security interest in borrowers' collateral. Borrowers
are charged a fee representing the amount of the non-filing insurance premium.
In the JORDAN action, the plaintiffs have alleged that non-filing insurance is
not true, legitimate insurance and that non-filing fees charged to borrowers are
not being disclosed properly under the federal Truth-in-Lending Act. The
plaintiffs also have alleged violations of RICO and the federal antitrust laws.
The plaintiffs originally asserted state law claims for breach of contract,
conversion and fraud, but subsequently dismissed those claims without prejudice.
The plaintiffs seek damages, permanent injunctive relief, and attorneys' fees.
If the Company's non-filing insurance practices are found to be unlawful, the
Company could be required to refund non-filing insurance fees, pay other damages
to the plaintiffs, and change its non-filing insurance practices going forward.

         World has denied that its non-filing practices are unlawful and is
defending the case vigorously. Discovery in the case is ongoing, and pursuant to
court order, will continue through March 1998. On June 23, 1997, Judge Clemon
issued a Class Certification Order that certified a nationwide class of
plaintiffs who, on or after April 18, 1991, were charged a non-filing insurance
fee. The order applies only to the liability aspects of the case.

(2) The Company has been named as a defendant in an action, Turner v. World
Acceptance Corp., pending in District Court for the Fourteenth Judicial
District, Tulsa County, Oklahoma (No. CJ-97-1921). The action was commenced
against the Company on May 20, 1997, names numerous other consumer finance
companies as defendants, and seeks certification as a statewide class action.
The action alleges that World and other consumer finance defendants collected
excess finance charges in connection with refinancing certain consumer finance
loans in Oklahoma and seeks money damages and an injunction against further
collection of such charges. The Company has filed an answer in the action
denying liability, and discovery has not commenced. The plaintiff's claim is
based on a recent opinion of the Oklahoma Attorney General interpreting a
provision of the Oklahoma Consumer Credit Code with respect to





the permitted amount of certain loan refinance charges in a manner contrary to
prior regulatory practice in Oklahoma. Enforcement of the Oklahoma Attorney
General's opinion has been enjoined, and such action is currently pending before
the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In addition, the State of Oklahoma has recently
enacted legislation to clarify the interpretation of the disputed provision of
the Oklahoma Consumer Credit Code consistent with prior regulatory practice.
World intends to vigorously defend this action.









                                  SCHEDULE 6.9
                          TO REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT


                                      Taxes


         The Internal Revenue Service has issued a preliminary determination
that WAC Insurance Company, Ltd. is not engaged in a bona fide reinsurance
business and thus, that its earnings are not excludable from the taxable
earnings of World Acceptance Corporation and its subsidiaries. World Acceptance
Corporation is appealing this matter.











                                  SCHEDULE 6.11
                          TO REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT


                    Existing Indebtedness for Borrowed Money


CAPITALIZED TERMS USED HEREIN HAVE THE MEANINGS SET FORTH IN THE REVOLVING
CREDIT AGREEMENT UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED.

Indebtedness of World Acceptance Corporation ("World") evidenced by this
Revolving Credit Agreement, the Senior Note Purchase Agreements, the
Subordinated Note Agreement and all notes issued pursuant to the above-listed
agreements.

Indebtedness of each of World Finance Corporation of Alabama, World Finance
Corporation of Georgia, World Finance Corporation of Illinois, World Finance
Corporation of Louisiana, World Acceptance Corporation of Missouri, World
Finance Corporation of New Mexico, World Acceptance Corporation of Oklahoma,
Inc., World Finance Corporation of South Carolina, WFC of South Carolina, Inc.,
World Finance Corporation of Tennessee, World Finance Corporation of Texas and
WFC Limited Partnership, under the Subsidiary Senior Guaranty Agreement, the
Subsidiary Senior Subordinated Guaranty Agreement and the Subsidiary Security
Agreement.

Indebtedness evidenced by World's 10 Percent Senior Debenture in the principal
amount of $482,000, payable to Voyager Life Insurance Company.

Indebtedness evidenced by World Finance Corporation of Georgia's 8% Subordinated
Promissory Note(s) in the principal amount of $9,924,000, payable to World
Finance Corporation of Texas.

Indebtedness evidenced by World Finance Corporation of Louisiana's 8%
Subordinated Promissory Note(s) in the principal amount of $3,158,000, payable
to World Finance Corporation of Texas.

Indebtedness evidenced by World Acceptance Corporation of Oklahoma's 8%
Subordinated Promissory Note(s) in the principal amount of $5,220,000, payable
to World Finance Corporation of Texas.

Indebtedness evidenced by World Finance Corporation of South Carolina's 8%
Subordinated Promissory Note(s) in the principal amount of $23,894,000, payable
to World Finance Corporation of Texas.

Indebtedness evidenced by WFC of South Carolina, Inc.'s 8% Subordinated
Promissory Note(s) in the principal amount of $295,000, payable to World Finance
Corporation of Texas.




Indebtedness evidenced by World Finance Corporation of Tennessee's 8%
Subordinated Promissory Note(s) in the principal amount of $4,268,000, payable
to World Finance Corporation of Texas.







                                  SCHEDULE 8.11
                          TO REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                 Existing Liens


Lien of Weingarten Realty Investors on certain property of World Finance
Corporation of Texas, evidenced by UCC-1 financing statement No. 189822, filed
August 21, 1989 in the Office of the Texas Secretary of State and continued by
UCC-3 continuation statement No. 685105, filed July 15, 1994 in the Office of
the Texas Secretary of State.

Liens consisting of immaterial utility easements and similar immaterial
encumbrances on the real property of World Acceptance Corporation located at 108
Frederick Street, Greenville, South Carolina 29607. See Schedule B to owner's
title policy attached.