FindLaw - Short Term Credit Agreement - HealthSouth Corp., NationsBank NA, and NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC

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                           SHORT TERM CREDIT AGREEMENT

                                  by and among

                            HEALTHSOUTH CORPORATION,
                                  as Borrower,


                               NATIONSBANK, N. A.,
                            as Administrative Agent,


                     NATIONSBANC MONTGOMERY SECURITIES LLC,
                                as Lead Arranger

                                       and

                   THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO FROM TIME TO TIME


                               September 28, 1998


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<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     Page
                                                                                     ----
                                    ARTICLE I

                              Definitions and Terms
<S>                                                                                    <C>
1.1.    Definitions....................................................................2
1.2.    Rules of Interpretation.......................................................25
1.3.    Classes and Types of Loans....................................................26

                                  ARTICLE II

                                   The Loans

2.1.    Loans.........................................................................27
2.2.    Payment of Interest...........................................................29
2.3.    Payment of Principal..........................................................29
2.4.    Non-Conforming Payments.......................................................30
2.5.    Notes.........................................................................30
2.6.    Pro Rata Payments.............................................................30
2.7.    Reductions....................................................................31
2.8.    Conversions and Elections of Subsequent Interest Periods......................31
2.9.    Unused Fees...................................................................31
2.10.   Deficiency Advances...........................................................32
2.11.   Use of Proceeds...............................................................32
2.12.   Increase and Decrease in Amounts..............................................32

                                  ARTICLE III

                               Letters of Credit

3.1.    Letters of Credit.............................................................33
3.2.    Reimbursement.................................................................33
3.3.    Letter of Credit Facility Fees................................................36
3.4.    Administrative Fees...........................................................37

                                  ARTICLE IV

                            Change in Circumstances

4.1.    Increased Cost and Reduced Return. ...........................................38
4.2.    Limitation on Types of Loans..................................................39

                                       i

<PAGE>
4.3.    Illegality....................................................................40
4.4.    Treatment of Affected Loans...................................................40
4.5.    Compensation..................................................................40
4.6.    Taxes.........................................................................41

                                   ARTICLE V

            Conditions to Making Loans and Issuing Letters of Credi

5.1.    Conditions of Initial Advance.................................................43
5.2.    Conditions of Loans and Letters of Credit.....................................44

                                  ARTICLE VI

                        Representations and Warranties

6.1.    Organization and Authority....................................................46
6.2.    Loan Documents................................................................46
6.3.    Solvency......................................................................47
6.4.    Subsidiaries..................................................................47
6.5.    Ownership Interests...........................................................47
6.6.    Financial Condition...........................................................47
6.7.    Title to Properties...........................................................48
6.8.    Taxes.........................................................................48
6.9.    Other Agreements..............................................................48
6.10.   Litigation....................................................................49
6.11.   Margin Stock..................................................................49
6.12.   Investment Company............................................................49
6.13.   Patents, Etc..................................................................49
6.14.   No Untrue Statement...........................................................50
6.15.   No Consents, Etc..............................................................50
6.16.   ERISA Requirement.............................................................50
6.17.   No Default....................................................................50
6.18.   Hazardous Materials...........................................................50
6.19.   Employment Matters............................................................50
6.20.   RICO..........................................................................51
6.21.   Reimbursement from Third Party Payors.........................................51
6.22.   Year 2000 Compliance..........................................................51

                                  ARTICLE VII

                             Affirmative Covenants

7.1.    Financial Statements, Reports, Etc............................................52


                                      ii


<PAGE>
7.2.    Maintain Properties...........................................................53
7.3.    Existence, Qualification, Etc.................................................53
7.4.    Regulations and Taxes.........................................................54
7.5.    Insurance.....................................................................54
7.6.    True Books....................................................................54
7.7.    Right of Inspection...........................................................54
7.8.    Observe all Laws..............................................................54
7.9.    Governmental Licenses.........................................................54
7.10.   Covenants Extending to Other Persons..........................................55
7.11.   Officer's Knowledge of Default................................................55
7.12.   Suits or Other Proceedings....................................................55
7.13.   Notice of Discharge of Hazardous Material or Environmental Complaint..........55
7.14.   Environmental Compliance......................................................55
7.15.   Continuation of Current Business..............................................56
7.16.   Management Contracts..........................................................56
7.17.   Year 2000 Compliance..........................................................56

                                 ARTICLE VIII

                              Negative Covenants

8.1.    Financial Covenants...........................................................57
8.2.    Investments and Loans.........................................................57
8.3.    Indebtedness..................................................................57
8.4.    Disposition of Assets.........................................................58
8.5.    Consolidation or Merger.......................................................58
8.6.    Liens.........................................................................58
8.7.    Dividends and Distributions...................................................58
8.8.    Acquisitions..................................................................58
8.9.    Restricted Payments...........................................................58
8.10.   Compliance with ERISA.........................................................58
8.11.   Fiscal Year...................................................................59
8.12.   Dissolution, etc..............................................................59
8.13.   Transactions with Affiliates..................................................59

                                  ARTICLE IX

                      Events of Default and Acceleration

9.1.    Events of Default.............................................................61
9.2.    Agent to Act..................................................................63
9.3.    Cumulative Rights.............................................................64
9.4.    No Waiver.....................................................................64
9.5.    Allocation of Proceeds........................................................64


                                      iii
<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE X

                                   The Agent

10.1.   Appointment, Powers, and Immunities...........................................65
10.2.   Reliance by Agent.............................................................65
10.3.   Defaults......................................................................65
10.4.   Rights as Lender..............................................................66
10.5.   Indemnification...............................................................66
10.6.   Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders.......................................66
10.7.   Resignation of Agent..........................................................67
10.8.   Fees..........................................................................67

                                  ARTICLE XI

                                 Miscellaneous

11.1.   Assignments and Participations................................................68
11.2.   Notices.......................................................................69
11.3.   No Waiver.....................................................................70
11.4.   Rights of Setoff; Adjustments.................................................70
11.5.   Survival......................................................................71
11.6.   Expenses......................................................................71
11.7.   Amendments and Waivers........................................................72
11.8.   Counterparts..................................................................72
11.9.   Waivers by Borrower...........................................................72
11.10.  Termination...................................................................73
11.11.  Governing Law.................................................................73
11.12.  Indemnification...............................................................74
11.13.  Agreement Controls............................................................74
11.14.  Integration...................................................................75
11.15.  Successors and Assigns........................................................75
11.16.  Severability..................................................................75
11.17.  Usury Savings Clause..........................................................75

EXHIBIT A    Applicable Commitment Percentages.......................................A-1
EXHIBIT B    Form of Assignment and Acceptance.......................................B-1
EXHIBIT C    Notice of Appointment (or Revocation) of Authorized
             Representative..........................................................C-1
EXHIBIT D    Form of Borrowing Notice................................................D-1
EXHIBIT E    Form of Interest Rate Selection Notice..................................E-1
EXHIBIT F    Form of Note............................................................F-1
EXHIBIT G    Investments.............................................................G-1


                                       iv
<PAGE>

EXHIBIT H       Form of Opinion of Borrower's Counsel.................................H-1
EXHIBIT I       Compliance Certificate................................................I-1
EXHIBIT J       Executive Officers....................................................J-1

Schedule 6.4    Subsidiaries......................................................... S-1
Schedule 6.13   Patent Issue..........................................................S-2
Schedule 6.19   Employment Matters....................................................S-3
Schedule 8.3    Existing Subsidiary Indebtedness......................................S-4

</TABLE>



                                        v
<PAGE>

                           SHORT TERM CREDIT AGREEMENT

         THIS SHORT TERM CREDIT  AGREEMENT  dated as of September 28, 1998 (this
"Agreement") is entered into by and among  HEALTHSOUTH  CORPORATION,  a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"),  NATIONSBANK, N.A., a national banking association
organized and existing under the laws of the United States, in its capacity as a
Lender  ("NationsBank"),  and each other  financial  institution  executing  and
delivering a signature page hereto and each other  financial  institution  which
may hereafter  execute and deliver an  instrument of assignment  with respect to
this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.1 (hereinafter such financial institutions
may be referred to individually as a "Lender" or collectively as the "Lenders"),
and  NATIONSBANK,  N.A., a national banking  association  organized and existing
under the laws of the United  States,  in its  capacity as agent for the Lenders
(in such capacity, and together with any successor agent appointed in accordance
with the terms of Section 10.7, the "Agent").

                                    RECITAL:

         The Borrower has requested that the Lenders make a short term revolving
credit facility of up to $500,000,000,  including a $25,000,000 sublimit for the
issuance of standby  letters of credit,  to the Borrower,  the proceeds of which
shall be used as set forth in Section 2.11,  and the Lenders have agreed to make
such short term  revolving  credit  facility  available  to the  Borrower on the
following terms and conditions:

                                        1

<PAGE>
                                    ARTICLE I

                              Definitions and Terms

         1.1.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this Agreement,  in addition to
the definitions  set forth above,  the following terms shall have the respective
meanings set forth below:

                  "Acquisition"  means  the  acquisition,   whether  with  cash,
         property, stock or promise to pay, of all or a portion of a Person or a
         Facility  or  Facilities  of a Person,  permitted  under  Section  8.8;
         provided such Person or Facilities is in substantially the same line of
         business engaged in by Borrower or its Consolidated Entities.

                  "Actual/360  Basis" shall mean a method of computing  interest
         or other charges  hereunder on the basis of an assumed year of 360 days
         for actual  number of days  elapsed,  meaning  that  interest  or other
         charges  accrued for each day will be computed by multiplying  the rate
         applicable  on that  day by the  unpaid  principal  balance  (or  other
         relevant sum) on that day and dividing the result by 360.

                  "Advance"  means a  borrowing  under  the  Short  Term  Credit
         Facility consisting of the aggregate principal amount of a Loan.

                  "Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person (i)
         which  directly  or  indirectly  through  one  or  more  intermediaries
         controls,  or is controlled by, or is under common  control with,  such
         specified Person;  or (ii) which  beneficially owns or holds 5% or more
         of any  class  of the  outstanding  voting  stock  (or in the case of a
         Person which is not a corporation,  5% or more of the equity  interest)
         of such specified Person; or 5% or more of any class of the outstanding
         voting stock (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 such  specified  Person.  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  ownership
         of voting stock, by contract or otherwise.

                  "Applicable Commitment Percentage" means, with respect to each
         Lender,  that  portion  of  the  Total  Short  Term  Credit  Commitment
         allocable  to such Lender (a) with respect to Lenders as of the Closing
         Date, as set forth on Exhibit A, and (b) with respect to any Person who
         becomes  a Lender  thereafter,  as  reflected  in each  Assignment  and
         Acceptance to which such Lender is a party assignee;  provided that the
         Applicable  Commitment  Percentage of each Lender shall be increased or
         decreased to reflect any  assignments to or by such Lender  effected in
         accordance with Section 11.1.

                  "Applicable  Lending  Office"  means,  for each Lender and for
         each Type of Loan, the "Lending Office" of such Lender (or an affiliate
         of such Lender) designated for such Type of Loan on the signature pages
         hereof or such other  office of such  Lender (or an  affiliate  of such
         Lender) as such  Lender may from time to time  specify to the Agent and
         the Borrower


                                        2


<PAGE>

         by written notice in accordance  with the terms hereof as the office by
         which its Loans of such Type are to be made and maintained.

                  "Applicable  Margin"  means  that  number of basis  points per
         annum set forth below  determined  based upon the more favorable to the
         Borrower  of  either  (i) the  highest  Rating  of  outstanding  senior
         unsecured  Indebtedness  of the Borrower from time to time as specified
         in Table I below  (provided that in the event of a Rating split between
         Tiers,  then the Tier next  above the Tier  corresponding  to the lower
         Rating shall apply) or (ii) the ratio of  Consolidated  Indebtedness at
         the date of determination  to Consolidated  EBITDA for the Four-Quarter
         Period most recently ended as specified in Table II below:


================================================================================
                                 TABLE I

       Tier                       Rating                       Applicable Margin
                              S&P or Moody's

        I                          A- A3                            40 b.p.
        II                       BBB+ Baa1                             45
       III                       BBB Baa2                              50
        IV                       BBB- Baa3                             60
        V                         BB+ Ba1                              80
        VI                        BB Ba2                              115
                             or lower or lower
================================================================================



================================================================================
                                            TABLE II

       Tier        Ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to       Applicable Margin
                            Consolidated EBITDA

        I                            Less than 1.50 to 1.00        45 b.p.
        II            Equal to or greater than 1.50 to 1.00           50
                                 but less than 2.00 to 1.00
       III            Equal to or greater than 2.00 to 1.00           60
                                 but less than 2.50 to 1.00
        IV            Equal to or greater than 2.50 to 1.00           80
                                 but less than 3.00 to 1.00
        V             Equal to or greater than 3.00 to 1.00          115
================================================================================

                                        3
<PAGE>
         ; provided,  however,  that any time during which the sum of Short Term
         Credit   Outandings,   and   Letter  of  Credit   Outstandings   exceed
         $166,666,500,  7.5 basis  points  shall  automatically  be added to the
         Applicable  Margin  set  forth  in  Tables  I and II  above;  provided,
         further,  that any time  during  which  the sum of  Short  Term  Credit
         Outstandings  and Letter of Credit  Outstandings  exceed  $333,333,000,
         another 7.5 basis  points (in  addition to the 7.5 basis  points  added
         pursuant to the preceding proviso) shall  automatically be added to the
         Applicable Margin set forth in Tables I and II above.

         The Applicable Margin shall be established in the case of a Rating from
         time to time based upon the Rating  then in effect  and, in the case of
         the  ratio,  at the end of each  fiscal  quarter of the  Borrower  (the
         "Ratio  Determination  Date").  Any  change  in the  Applicable  Margin
         following each Ratio  Determination Date shall be determined based upon
         the  computations set forth in the Compliance  Certificate,  subject to
         review and  approval of such  computations  by the Agent,  and shall be
         effective commencing on the date following the date such certificate is
         received  until the date  following the date on which a new  Compliance
         Certificate  is  delivered  or is required to be  delivered,  whichever
         shall first occur;  provided  however,  if the  Borrower  shall fail to
         deliver any such certificate within the time period required by Section
         7.1,  then the  Applicable  Margin  shall be 2% until  the  appropriate
         certificate  is so delivered.  From the Closing Date to the first Ratio
         Determination  Date,  the  Applicable  Margin  shall be 50 basis points
         (subject to the provisos in the first sentence of this definition).

                  "Applicable  Unused Fee" means that number of basis points per
         annum set forth below  determined  based upon the more favorable to the
         Borrower  of  either  (i) the  highest  Rating  of  outstanding  senior
         unsecured  Indebtedness  of the Borrower from time to time as specified
         in Table  III  below  (provided  that in the  event  of a Rating  split
         between Tiers,  then the Tier next above the Tier  corresponding to the
         lower  Rating   shall   apply)  or  (ii)  the  ratio  of   Consolidated
         Indebtedness at the date of  determination  to Consolidated  EBITDA for
         the  Four-Quarter  Period most recently  ended as specified in Table IV
         below:


================================================================================
                                  TABLE III

       Tier                        Rating                   Applicable Unused
                               S&P or Moody's                     Fee

        I                           A- A3                       9.0 b.p.
        II                        BBB+ Baa1                       10.0
       III                        BBB Baa2                        12.5
        IV                        BBB- Baa3                       15.0
        V                          BB+ Ba1                        20.0

        VI                         BB Ba2                         25.0
                             or lower or lower

================================================================================

                                       4
<PAGE>


================================================================================

                                          TABLE IV

       Tier         Ratio of Consolidated Indebtedness to      Applicable Unused
                             Consolidated EBITDA                       Fee

        I                           Less than 1.50 to 1.00           10.0 b.p.
        II           Equal to or greater than 1.50 to 1.00              12.5
                                but less than 2.00 to 1.00
       III           Equal to or greater than 2.00 to 1.00              15.0
                                but less than 2.50 to 1.00
        IV           Equal to or greater than 2.50 to 1.00              20.0
                                but less than 3.00 to 1.00
        V            Equal to or greater than 3.00 to 1.00              25.0

================================================================================


         The Applicable  Unused Fee shall be established in the case of a Rating
         from time to time based upon the Rating then in effect, and in the case
         of the ratio,  at the end of each fiscal  quarter of the Borrower  (the
         "Ratio  Determination  Date").  Any change in the Applicable Unused Fee
         following each Ratio  Determination Date shall be determined based upon
         the  computations set forth in the Compliance  Certificate,  subject to
         review  and  approval  of such  computations  by the Agent and shall be
         effective commencing on the date following the date such certificate is
         received  until the date  following the date on which a new  Compliance
         Certificate  is  delivered  or is required to be  delivered,  whichever
         shall first occur;  provided  however,  if the  Borrower  shall fail to
         deliver any such certificate within the time period required by Section
         7.1, then the Applicable  Unused Fee shall be 2%. From the Closing Date
         to the first Ratio  Determination Date, the Applicable Unused Fee shall
         be 12.5 basis points.

                  "Applications  and  Agreements  for Letters of Credit"  means,
         collectively, the Applications and Agreements for Letters of Credit, or
         similar  documentation,  executed by the Borrower from time to time and
         delivered  to the Issuing  Bank to support  the  issuance of Letters of
         Credit.

                  "Assignment  and  Acceptance"  shall  mean an  Assignment  and
         Acceptance in the form of Exhibit B (with blanks  appropriately  filled
         in)  delivered  to the  Agent in  connection  with an  assignment  of a
         Lender's interest under this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.1.



                                        5
<PAGE>
                  "Authorized   Representative"   means  any  of  the  Executive
         Officers of the Borrower or, with  respect to  financial  matters,  the
         Treasurer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower,  or any other
         Person  expressly  designated by the Board of Directors of the Borrower
         (or the appropriate committee thereof) as an Authorized  Representative
         of the Borrower, as set forth from time to time in a certificate in the
         form of Exhibit C.

                  "Base Rate"  means,  for any day,  the rate per annum equal to
         the higher of (i) the Prime Rate for such day or (ii) the Federal Funds
         Rate for such day plus  one-half of one percent  (1/2%).  Any change in
         the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime  Rate or the  Federal  Funds
         Rate shall be  effective  on the  effective  date of such change in the
         Prime Rate or Federal Funds Rate.

                  "Base Rate Loan"  means a Loan for which the rate of  interest
         is determined by reference to the Base Rate.

                  "Base Rate  Refunding  Loan" means an Advance  under the Short
         Term  Credit  Facility  which  bears  interest  at a Base  Rate made to
         satisfy Reimbursement Obligations arising from a drawing under a Letter
         of Credit.

                  "Board"  means the Board of Governors  of the Federal  Reserve
         System (or any successor body).

                  "Borrowing Notice" means the notice delivered by an Authorized
         Representative  in  connection  with an  Advance  under the Short  Term
         Credit Facility, in the form of Exhibit D.

                  "Business  Day" means,  (i) except in the case of a Eurodollar
         Rate Loan,  any day which is not a  Saturday,  Sunday or a day on which
         banks in the States of New York and North  Carolina are  authorized  or
         obligated by law,  executive order or governmental  decree to be closed
         and, (ii) with respect to any Eurodollar  Rate Loan, any day which is a
         Business   Day,  as  described   above,   and  on  which  the  relevant
         international  financial  markets  are  open  for  the  transaction  of
         business  contemplated by this Agreement in London,  England, New York,
         New York and Charlotte, North Carolina.

                  "Capital Leases" means all leases which have been or should be
         capitalized  in  accordance  with GAAP as in  effect  from time to time
         including Statement No. 13 of the Financial  Accounting Standards Board
         and any successor thereof.

                  "Capital Stock" of any Person means any and all shares, rights
         to   purchase,   warrants  or  options   (whether   or  not   currently
         exercisable),  participation  or other  equivalents  of or  interest in
         (however  designated) the equity (including  without  limitation common
         stock,  preferred stock and partnership and joint venture interests) of
         such Person  (excluding any debt securities that are convertible  into,
         or exchangeable for, such equity).

                  "Change of Control" means, at any time:



                                        6
<PAGE>
                           (i) any "person" or "group" (each as used in Sections
                  13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange  Act), who are not as of
                  the Closing  Date  owners of one  percent  (1%) or more of the
                  Voting  Stock  of  the   Borrower,   either  (A)  becomes  the
                  "beneficial  owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the  Exchange
                  Act), directly or indirectly,  of Voting Stock of the Borrower
                  (or  securities  convertible  into or  exchangeable  for  such
                  Voting Stock)  representing 15% or more of the combined voting
                  power of all Voting Stock of the Borrower (on a fully  diluted
                  basis)  or  (B)  otherwise   has  the  ability,   directly  or
                  indirectly,  to elect a majority of the board of  directors of
                  the Borrower;

                           (ii)  during  any  period  of up  to  24  consecutive
                  months, commencing on the Closing Date, individuals who at the
                  beginning of such period were  directors of the Borrower shall
                  cease for any  reason  (other  than the death,  disability  or
                  retirement  of an officer of the Borrower that is serving as a
                  director  at  such  time so long  as  another  officer  of the
                  Borrower  replaces  such Person as a director) to constitute a
                  majority of the board of directors of the Borrower; or

                           (iii)  any  Person or two or more  Persons  acting in
                  concert shall have acquired by contract or otherwise, or shall
                  have  entered  into  a  contract  or  arrangement  that,  upon
                  consummation thereof, will result in its or their acquisition,
                  of  the  power  to  exercise,   directly  or   indirectly,   a
                  controlling  influence  on the  management  or policies of the
                  Borrower.

                  "Closing  Date" means the date as of which this  Agreement  is
         executed  by the  Borrower,  the Lenders and the Agent and on which the
         conditions set forth in Section 5.1 have been satisfied.

                  "Code"  means the Internal  Revenue Code of 1986,  as amended,
         and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

                  "Common  Stock"  means the  common  stock,  par value $.01 per
         share, of the Borrower.

                  "Compliance  Certificate" shall have the meaning attributed to
         that term in Section 7.1(c).

                  "Consistent  Basis" in  reference to the  application  of GAAP
         means the accounting  principles observed in the period referred to are
         comparable in all material respects to those applied in the preparation
         of the audited  financial  statements  of the  Borrower  referred to in
         Section 6.6(a).

                  "Consolidated  Amortization  Expense" of the  Borrower for any
         period  means  the  amortization   expense  of  the  Borrower  and  its
         Consolidated Entities for such period (to the


                                        7


<PAGE>


         extent  included  in  the  computation  of  Consolidated  Net  Income),
         determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

                  "Consolidated  Depreciation Expense" of the Borrower means the
         depreciation expense of the Borrower and its Consolidated  Entities for
         such period (to the extent  included in the computation of Consolidated
         Net Income of the  Borrower),  determined  on a  consolidated  basis in
         accordance with GAAP.

                  "Consolidated  EBITDA" means, with respect to the Borrower and
         its  Consolidated  Entities for any  Four-Quarter  Period ending on the
         date of  computation  thereof,  the sum of,  without  duplication,  (i)
         Consolidated Net Income,  (ii)  Consolidated  Interest  Expense,  (iii)
         Consolidated  Income  Tax  Expense,   (iv)  Consolidated   Amortization
         Expense,  (v) Consolidated  Depreciation  Expense and (vi) the minority
         interest  of any  Person  or  Persons  in the  income  of  Consolidated
         Entities for such period,  all  determined on a  consolidated  basis in
         accordance with GAAP applied on a Consistent Basis.

                  "Consolidated  Entity"  shall mean any Person whose  financial
         statements are appropriately consolidated with the Borrower's financial
         statements under GAAP.

                  "Consolidated  Indebtedness"  means  all  Indebtedness  of the
         Borrower  and  its   Consolidated   Entities,   all   determined  on  a
         consolidated basis.

                  "Consolidated  Interest  Expense"  means,  with respect to any
         Four-Quarter  Period  ending on the date of  computation  thereof,  the
         gross interest expense of the Borrower and its  Consolidated  Entities,
         including without  limitation (i) the current amortized portion of debt
         discounts to the extent  included in gross interest  expense,  (ii) the
         current  amortized  portion  of all fees  (including  fees  payable  in
         respect of any Rate Hedging  Obligation) payable in connection with the
         incurrence of  Indebtedness  to the extent  included in gross  interest
         expense,  (iii) the portion of any  payments  made in  connection  with
         Capital Leases allocable to interest expense,  and (iv) lease payments,
         other  than  the  Headquarters   Obligations,   made  pursuant  to  the
         Headquarters   Lease,  all  determined  on  a  consolidated   basis  in
         accordance with GAAP applied on a Consistent Basis.

                  "Consolidated Net Income" of the Borrower for any period means
         the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Consolidated  Entities
         for such period  determined on a consolidated  basis in accordance with
         GAAP,  without  giving  effect to  dividends on any series of preferred
         stock of any Consolidated Entity, whether or not in cash, to the extent
         such  consolidated net income was reduced thereby;  provided that there
         shall be excluded  from such net income (for all  purposes,  other than
         compliance  with  Section  8.1(a),  to the  extent  otherwise  included
         therein), without duplication,  (i) the net income of any Person (other
         than a Consolidated  Entity) to the extent that any such income has not
         actually been received by the Borrower or a Consolidated  Entity in the
         form of dividends  or similar  distributions  during such  period,  but
         including,  in any  event,  net  income  of any  Person  who  becomes a
         Consolidated Entity whose Acquisition is accounted for on a "pooling of

                                        8
<PAGE>
         interests"   basis;  (ii)  except  to  the  extent  includable  in  the
         consolidated  net  income  of the  Borrower  or a  Consolidated  Entity
         pursuant to the foregoing clause (i), the net income of any Person that
         accrued prior to the date that (a) such Person  becomes a  Consolidated
         Entity or is merged into or consolidated with a Consolidated  Entity or
         (b) the  assets  of such  Person  are  acquired  by the  Borrower  or a
         Consolidated Entity; (iii) the net income of any Consolidated Entity to
         the extent  that the  declaration  or payment of  dividends  or similar
         distributions  by  such  Consolidated  Entity  of  that  income  is not
         permitted by  operation  of the terms of its charter or any  agreement,
         instrument,  judgment,  decree,  order,  statute,  rule or governmental
         regulation  applicable to that Consolidated  Entity during such period;
         (iv) any gain (or loss), together with any related provisions for taxes
         on any such gain,  realized  during such period by the  Borrower or its
         Consolidated  Entities upon (a) the acquisition of any  securities,  or
         the  extinguishment  of  any  Indebtedness,  of  the  Borrower  or  its
         Consolidated  Entities or (b) any asset sale by the referent  person or
         any of its Subsidiaries;  (v) any extraordinary  gain (or extraordinary
         loss),  together  with any related  provision  for taxes or tax benefit
         resulting  from any such  extraordinary  gain or loss,  realized by the
         Borrower or its Consolidated  Entities during such period;  and (vi) in
         the case of a  successor  to any  Person  by  consolidation,  merger or
         transfer of its assets,  any  earnings of the  successor  prior to such
         merger,   consolidation  or  transfer  of  assets;  provided,  further,
         however,  that there  shall be added back to net income  non-recurring,
         non-cash  expenses and cash transaction  costs relating to professional
         fees arising in conjunction with an Acquisition  provided such expenses
         do not exceed 10% of the Cost of Acquisition.

                  "Consolidated  Net Worth" of the Borrower as of any date means
         the Consolidated  Stockholders'  Equity  (including any preferred stock
         that is classified as equity under GAAP, other than Disqualified Stock)
         of the Borrower and its  Consolidated  Entities  (excluding  any equity
         adjustment for foreign currency  translation for any period  subsequent
         to  the  Closing  Date)  on a  consolidated  basis  at  such  date,  as
         determined in accordance  with GAAP,  less all write-ups  subsequent to
         the Closing  Date in the book value of any asset owned by the  Borrower
         or any of its Consolidated Entities.

                  "Consolidated  Stockholders' Equity" shall mean at any time as
         at  which  the  amount  thereof  is to be  determined,  the  sum of the
         following  amounts  in  respect of the  Borrower  and the  Consolidated
         Entities:  (i) the par or  stated  value  of all  Capital  Stock of the
         Borrower,  (ii) retained  earnings,  (iii)  additional paid in capital,
         (iv) capital surplus and (v) earned surplus minus treasury stock.

                  "Consolidated  Tangible  Net Worth"  means,  as of any date on
         which  the   amount   thereof   is  to  be   determined,   Consolidated
         Stockholders'  Equity  minus  (without  duplication  of  deductions  in
         respect of items  already  deducted in arriving at surplus and retained
         earnings)  (i)  all  reserves  (other  than  contingency  reserves  not
         allocated to any  particular  purpose),  including  without  limitation
         reserves  for  depreciation,  depletion,  amortization,   obsolescence,
         deferred income taxes,  insurance and inventory  valuation and (ii) the
         net book value of all  assets  which  would be  treated  as  intangible
         assets, such as (without limitation) goodwill (whether representing the
         excess of cost over book value of assets acquired or

                                        9


<PAGE>
         otherwise),   capitalized  expenses,   unamortized  debt  discount  and
         expense,  consignment  inventory  rights,  patents,  trademarks,  trade
         names,  copyrights,  franchises  and  licenses,  all as determined on a
         consolidated  basis in  accordance  with GAAP  applied on a  Consistent
         Basis.

                  "Consolidated Total Assets" means, as of any date on which the
         amount thereof is to be determined, the net book value of all assets of
         the  Borrower  and  its  Consolidated   Entities  as  determined  on  a
         consolidated  basis in  accordance  with GAAP  applied on a  Consistent
         Basis.

                  "Consolidated  Total Capital"  means,  as of any date on which
         the  amount  thereof  is to be  determined,  the  sum  of  Consolidated
         Indebtedness plus Consolidated Stockholders' Equity of the Borrower and
         its Consolidated Entities.

                  "Continue", "Continuation", and "Continued" shall refer to the
         continuation  pursuant to Section 2.8 hereof of a Eurodollar  Rate Loan
         of one  Type as a  Eurodollar  Rate  Loan of the  same  Type  from  one
         Interest Period to the next Interest Period.

                  "Convert",  "Conversion"  and  "Converted"  shall  refer  to a
         conversion  pursuant  to Section  2.8 or Article IV of one Type of Loan
         into another Type of Loan.

                  "Contract Provider" means any Person who provides professional
         health  care  services  under  or  pursuant  to any  contract  with the
         Borrower or any Subsidiary.

                  "Controlled  Partnership" shall mean a general  partnership of
         which  the  Borrower  or a  Subsidiary  is a general  partner  (but not
         including  Alabama  World  Football),  or a limited  partnership  whose
         general  partners  include  the  Borrower  or  a  Subsidiary  (but  not
         including  Vanderbilt),  or a limited  liability  company whose members
         include the Borrower or a Subsidiary or another Controlled Partnership,
         which  partnership,  whether general or limited,  or limited  liability
         company  has  assets  with a value in  excess  of  $2,000.00,  and with
         respect to which  partnership or limited liability company the Borrower
         or a  Subsidiary  is  entitled  to  receive  not  less  than 50% of any
         distributions  of cash made to the partners or members  thereof,  other
         than any preferred  cash  distribution  arrangement in existence at the
         Closing Date or approved by the Required  Lenders in writing,  or which
         is otherwise a Consolidated Entity.

                  "Cost of Acquisition"  means,  in respect of any  Acquisition,
         the  sum of (i)  the  amount  of  cash  paid  by the  Borrower  and its
         Consolidated  Entities in connection  with such  Acquisition,  (ii) the
         Fair Market Value of all Capital Stock or other ownership  interests of
         the Borrower or any  Consolidated  Entity issued or given in connection
         with such Acquisition,  (iii) the amount  (determined by using the face
         amount or the amount payable at maturity,  whichever is greater) of all
         Indebtedness  incurred,  assumed or  acquired in  connection  with such
         Acquisition,  (iv) all additional purchase price amounts in the form of
         earnouts and other  contingent  obligations  that should be recorded on
         the financial statements

                                       10
<PAGE>

         of the  Borrower  and its  Consolidated  Entities  in  connection  with
         Generally  Accepted  Accounting  Principles,  (v) all  amounts  paid in
         respect of covenants not to compete,  consulting  agreements  and other
         affiliated  contracts in connection with such  Acquisition and (vi) the
         aggregate  fair market  value of all other  consideration  given by the
         Borrower  and  its  Consolidated   Entities  in  connection  with  such
         Acquisition.

                  "Default" means any event or condition which,  with the giving
         or  receipt  of notice or lapse of time or both,  would  constitute  an
         Event of Default.

                  "Default Rate" means (i) with respect to each  Eurodollar Rate
         Loan, until the end of the Interest Period applicable  thereto,  a rate
         of two percent (2%) plus the Eurodollar  Rate  applicable to such Loan,
         and  thereafter  at a rate of  interest  per annum  which  shall be two
         percent (2%) plus the Base Rate,  (ii) with respect to Base Rate Loans,
         at a rate of interest  per annum  which shall be two percent  (2%) plus
         the Base Rate and (iii) in any case,  the  maximum  rate  permitted  by
         applicable law, if lower.

                  "Disqualified  Stock"  means any Capital  Stock  that,  by its
         terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is  convertible or
         for which it is  exchangeable),  or upon the  happening  of any  event,
         matures  or is  mandatorily  redeemable,  pursuant  to a  sinking  fund
         obligation or  otherwise,  or is redeemable at the option of the holder
         thereof,  in whole or in part,  on or prior to the  Short  Term  Credit
         Termination Date.

                  "Dollars" and the symbol "$" mean dollars  constituting  legal
         tender for the payment of public and private debts in the United States
         of America.

                  "Eligible Assignee" means (i) a Lender, (ii) an affiliate of a
         Lender, and (iii) any other Person approved by the Agent and, unless an
         Event  of  Default  has  occurred  and is  continuing  at the  time any
         assignment is effected in accordance  with Section 11.1,  the Borrower,
         such  approval  not  to be  unreasonably  withheld  or  delayed  by the
         Borrower  or the Agent  and such  approval  to be  deemed  given by the
         Borrower if no  objection is received by the  assigning  Lender and the
         Agent from the Borrower  within two Business Days after written  notice
         of such proposed  assignment has been provided by the assigning  Lender
         to the Borrower;  provided,  however,  that neither the Borrower nor an
         affiliate of the Borrower shall qualify as an Eligible Assignee.

                  "Employee Benefit Plan" means any employee benefit plan within
         the  meaning  of  Section  3(3) of ERISA  which (i) is  maintained  for
         employees of the Borrower or any of its ERISA  Affiliates or is assumed
         by the Borrower or any of its ERISA  Affiliates in connection  with any
         Acquisition  or (ii) has at any time been  maintained for the employees
         of the Borrower or any current or former ERISA Affiliate.

                  "Environmental  Laws"  means  any  federal,   state  or  local
         statute, law, ordinance, code, rule, regulation,  order, decree, permit
         or license regulating,  relating to, or imposing liability or standards
         of  conduct   concerning  any  environmental   matters  or  conditions,
         environmental

                                       11


<PAGE>
         protection  or  conservation,   including   without   limitation,   the
         Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of
         1980, as amended;  the Superfund  Amendments and Reauthorization Act of
         1986, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended; the Toxic
         Substances Control Act, as amended;  the Clean Air Act, as amended; the
         Clean Water Act, as amended;  together with all regulations promulgated
         thereunder, and any other "Superfund" or "Superlien" law.

                  "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of
         1974, as amended from time to time,  and any successor  statute and all
         rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

                  "ERISA  Affiliate",  as  applied  to the  Borrower,  means any
         Person or trade or business which is a member of a group which is under
         common  control with the Borrower,  who together with the Borrower,  is
         treated as a single  employer  within the meaning of Section 414(b) and
         (c) of the Code.

                  "Eurodollar Rate" means the interest rate per annum calculated
         according to the following formula:

                   Eurodollar =    Interbank Offered Rate     +    Applicable
                                   ----------------------
                      Rate         1- Reserve Requirement           Margin

                  "Eurodollar  Rate  Loan"  means a Loan for  which  the rate of
         interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate.

                  "Event of Default" means any of the  occurrences  set forth as
         such in Section 9.1.

                  "Exchange Act" means the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
         amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

                  "Executive  Officer"  means any  Person  who from time to time
         holds the offices with Borrower listed on Exhibit J.

                  "Existing  Availability"  means  that,  at any  point in time,
         there shall be  available to the  Borrower  under the  Existing  Credit
         Agreement  for  borrowing or issuance of letters of credit an amount of
         $5,000,000 or more.

                  "Existing  Credit  Agreement" means the Credit Agreement dated
         June 23, 1998 among the Borrower,  NationsBank,  N.A. as agent, and the
         lenders  party  thereto  from  time  to  time,  as  amended,  modified,
         supplemented or amended and restated.

                  "Facility"    shall   mean   an   inpatient   or    outpatient
         rehabilitation facility,  certified outpatient rehabilitation facility,
         skilled  nursing   facility,   specialty   medical  center,   specialty
         orthopedic   hospital  or  acute  care  hospital,   subacute  inpatient
         facility, transitional living

                                       12


<PAGE>
         center,   medical  office  building,   outpatient   surgery  center  or
         outpatient  diagnostic  center  with  all  buildings  and  improvements
         associated therewith, that is owned or leased, in whole or part, by the
         Borrower or a Subsidiary or any Controlled Partnership.

                  "Fair Market  Value"  shall mean,  with respect to any capital
         stock or other ownership  interests  issued or given by the Borrower or
         any Consolidated  Entity in connection with an Acquisition,  (i) in the
         case of capital  stock that is Common  Stock and such  Common  Stock is
         then  designated as a national  market system  security by the National
         Association  of  Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  ("NASD") or is listed on a
         national securities exchange,  the average of the last reported bid and
         ask  quotations  or prices  reported  thereon for Common  Stock or such
         other  value as may be  ascribed  to the Common  Stock in a  definitive
         merger or  acquisition  agreement  provided  such  value is  determined
         according to customary  methods for like  transactions  and is approved
         (to the  extent  required  by  Borrower's  charter  or  bylaws)  by the
         Borrower's Board of Directors or (ii) in the case of capital stock that
         is not  Common  Stock  or in the  event  that  Common  Stock  is not so
         designated by NASD or listed on such national exchange,  or in the case
         of any other ownership interests,  the determination of the fair market
         value thereof in good faith by a majority of  disinterested  members of
         the board of directors of the Borrower or such Consolidated  Entity, in
         each case  effective  as of the close of business on the  Business  Day
         immediately preceding the closing date of such Acquisition.

                  "Federal  Funds Rate"  means,  for any day, the rate per annum
         (rounded upwards, if necessary,  to the nearest 1/100th of 1%) equal to
         the  weighted   average  of  the  rates  on  overnight   Federal  funds
         transactions  with members of the Federal  Reserve  System  arranged by
         Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal  Reserve
         Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day, provided
         that (a) if such day is not a Business  Day, the Federal Funds Rate for
         such day shall be such rate on such  transactions on the next preceding
         Business Day as so published on the next  succeeding  Business Day, and
         (b) if no such rate is so  published on such next  succeeding  Business
         Day,  the  Federal  Funds Rate for such day shall be the  average  rate
         charged to the Agent (in its  individual  capacity) on such day on such
         transaction as determined by the Agent.

                  "Fiscal Year" means, with respect to the Borrower,  the twelve
         month  fiscal  period of the Borrower  commencing  on January 1 of each
         calendar year and ending on December 31 of each calendar year.

                  "Four-Quarter  Period" means a period of four full consecutive
         fiscal quarters of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken together as
         one accounting period.

                  "GAAP" or "Generally  Accepted  Accounting  Principles"  means
         generally  accepted  accounting  principles,  being those principles of
         accounting  set forth in  pronouncements  of the  Financial  Accounting
         Standards  Board  or  the  American   Institute  of  Certified   Public
         Accountants or which have other substantial  authoritative  support and
         are applicable in the circumstances as of the date of a report.

                                       13
<PAGE>
                  "Governmental   Authority"  shall  mean  any  Federal,  state,
         municipal,  national  or  other  governmental  department,  commission,
         board,   bureau,   court,   agency  or   instrumentality  or  political
         subdivision  thereof  or any entity or  officer  exercising  executive,
         legislative,  judicial,  regulatory or  administrative  functions of or
         pertaining  to any  government  or any  court,  in  each  case  whether
         associated with a state of the United States,  the United States,  or a
         foreign entity or government.

                  "Guaranteed   Obligations"   of  any  Person  shall  mean  all
         guaranties  (including  guaranties  of  guaranties  and  guaranties  of
         dividends and other monetary  obligations),  endorsements,  assumptions
         and other contingent  obligations with respect to, or to purchase or to
         otherwise pay or acquire,  Indebtedness of others;  provided,  however,
         that such term shall not  include  obligations  under  leases and other
         contracts   initially   incurred   directly   by  another   Person  and
         subsequently directly assumed by the Person in question,  but such term
         shall include obligations that, if the same had been initially incurred
         directly by the Person in question,  would have constituted  Guaranteed
         Obligations.

                  "Hazardous   Material"   means  and  includes  any  pollutant,
         contaminant,  or  hazardous,  toxic or  dangerous  waste,  substance or
         material    (including   without   limitation    petroleum    products,
         asbestos-containing  materials,  and lead),  the generation,  handling,
         storage,  disposal,  treatment  or  emission of which is subject to any
         Environmental Law.

                  "HCFA"  means  the  United   States   Health  Care   Financing
         Administration and any successor thereto.

                  "Headquarters   Lease"  means  the  Lease  Agreement   between
         HEALTHSOUTH Holdings, Inc., as Lessee, and First Security Bank of Utah,
         N.A., as Lessor,  dated as of November 16, 1995 providing for the lease
         to  HEALTHSOUTH  Holdings,  Inc. of the land and  improvements  thereon
         located on the property described therein,  as such Lease Agreement may
         be amended,  modified,  supplemented  or restated in its entirety  from
         time to time.

                  "Headquarters  Obligations"  means all of the Holder  Advances
         and Loans, as each such term is defined in the Participation Agreement.

                  "Indebtedness"  of any  Person  at  any  date  means,  without
         duplication:  (i) all  indebtedness  of such Person for borrowed  money
         (whether  or not the  recourse  of the  lender  is to the  whole of the
         assets  of  such  Person  or  only  to a  portion  thereof);  (ii)  all
         obligations  of such Person  evidenced by bonds,  debentures,  notes or
         other  similar  instruments;   (iii)  all  obligations  (contingent  or
         otherwise)  of such  Person in  respect  of  letters of credit or other
         similar   instruments  (or   reimbursement   obligations  with  respect
         thereto);  (iv) all  obligations  of such Person  with  respect to Rate
         Hedging  Obligations  (other than those that fix the  interest  rate on
         variable  rate  indebtedness  otherwise  permitted  hereunder  or  that
         protect the Borrower and or its  Consolidated  Entities against changes
         in foreign exchange  rates);  (v) obligations of such Person to pay the
         deferred and unpaid purchase price of property or

                                       14
<PAGE>

         services,  except trade payables and accrued  expenses  incurred in the
         ordinary course of business;  (vi) all Capitalized Lease Obligations of
         such Person;  (vii) all indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any
         assets of such Person,  whether or not such  indebtedness is assumed by
         such Person; (viii) all Guaranteed  Obligations;  (ix) the Headquarters
         Obligations;  and  (x)  all  obligations  of a  like  nature  to  those
         described in clauses (i) through (ix) above of a  partnership  of which
         such Person is a general partner or of a limited  liability  company of
         which such Person is a member. The amount of Indebtedness of any Person
         at any  date  shall  be the  outstanding  balance  at such  date of all
         unconditional  obligations as described above, the maximum liability of
         such Person for any such  contingent  obligations  at such date and, in
         the case of clause (vii), the amount of the Indebtedness secured.

                  "Interbank  Offered Rate" means,  for any Eurodollar Rate Loan
         for the Interest Period applicable thereto, the rate per annum (rounded
         upwards, if necessary,  to the nearest one-one hundredth (1/100) of one
         percent)  appearing on Dow Jones  Telerate  Page 3750 (or any successor
         page) as the London  interbank  offered rate for deposits in Dollars at
         approximately  11:00 a.m.  (London time) two Business Days prior to the
         first  day of  such  Interest  Period  for a term  comparable  to  such
         Interest Period. If for any reason such rate is not available, the term
         "Interbank  Offered Rate" shall mean, for any Eurodollar  Rate Loan for
         the Interest  Period  applicable  thereto,  the rate per annum (rounded
         upwards, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) appearing on Reuters
         Screen LIBO Page as the London  interbank  offered rate for deposits in
         Dollars at  approximately  11:00 a.m.  (London  time) two Business Days
         prior to the first day of such Interest Period for a term comparable to
         such  Interest  Period;  provided,  however,  if more  than one rate is
         specified on Reuters Screen LIBO Page, the applicable rate shall be the
         arithmetic mean of all such rates (rounded  upwards,  if necessary,  to
         the nearest 1/100 of 1%).

                  "Interest  Period" means,  with respect to any Eurodollar Rate
         Loan,  each period  commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is
         made or  Converted  from a Loan of another  Type or the last day of the
         next  preceding  Interest  Period  for  such  Loan  and  ending  on the
         numerically  corresponding  day in the  first,  second,  third or sixth
         calendar  month  thereafter,  as the Borrower may select as provided in
         Section 2.2,  except that each  Interest  Period that  commences on the
         last Business Day of a calendar month (or on any day for which there is
         no numerically corresponding day in the appropriate subsequent calendar
         month) shall end on the last Business Day of the appropriate subsequent
         calendar  month.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing:  (i) if any Interest
         Period for any Eurodollar Rate Loan would otherwise end after the Short
         Term Credit  Termination  Date,  such Interest  Period shall end on the
         Short Term Credit  Termination  Date;  (ii) each  Interest  Period that
         would  otherwise  end on a day which is not a Business Day shall end on
         the next succeeding Business Day (or, in the case of an Interest Period
         for a Eurodollar Rate Loan if such next  succeeding  Business Day falls
         in the next succeeding  calendar month, on the next preceding  Business
         Day); and (iii) notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii) above, no Interest
         Period for any Loan  shall  have a duration  of less than one month (in
         the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan) and, if the Interest Period for any
         Eurodollar  Rate Loan would  otherwise be a shorter  period,  such Loan
         shall not be available hereunder for such period.

                                       15
<PAGE>
                  "Interest  Rate  Selection  Notice"  means the written  notice
         delivered  by an  Authorized  Representative  in  connection  with  the
         election of a subsequent  Interest  Period for any Eurodollar Rate Loan
         or the Conversion of any Eurodollar  Rate Loan into a Base Rate Loan or
         the  Conversion  of any Base Rate Loan into a Eurodollar  Rate Loan, in
         the form of Exhibit E.

                  "Issuing  Bank"  means  NationsBank  as issuer of  Letters  of
         Credit under Article III.

                  "LC Account Agreement" means the LC Account Agreement dated as
         of the date  hereof  between the  Borrower  and the  Issuing  Bank,  as
         amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

                  "Letter of Credit" means a standby  letter of credit issued by
         the  Issuing  Bank  pursuant  to  Article  III for the  account  of the
         Borrower  in  favor  of  a  Person  advancing  credit  or  securing  an
         obligation on behalf of the Borrower.

                  "Letter  of Credit  Commitment"  means,  with  respect to each
         Lender,  the  obligation  of such Lender to acquire  Participations  in
         respect of Letters of Credit  and  Reimbursement  Obligations  up to an
         aggregate  amount at any one time  outstanding  equal to such  Lender's
         Applicable   Commitment  Percentage  of  the  Total  Letter  of  Credit
         Commitment as the same may be increased or decreased  from time to time
         pursuant to this Agreement.

                  "Letter of Credit  Facility"  means the facility  described in
         Article III  providing  for the  issuance  by the Issuing  Bank for the
         account of the  Borrower  of Letters of Credit in an  aggregate  stated
         amount  at any  time  outstanding  not  exceeding,  together  with  all
         Reimbursement Obligations, the Total Letter of Credit Commitment.

                  "Letter  of  Credit  Outstandings"  means,  as of any  date of
         determination, the aggregate amount remaining undrawn under all Letters
         of Credit plus Reimbursement Obligations then outstanding.

                  "Lien" means any interest in property  securing any obligation
         owed to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the  property,
         whether such interest is based on the common law,  statute or contract,
         and including but not limited to the lien or security  interest arising
         from a mortgage, encumbrance,  pledge, security agreement,  conditional
         sale or trust receipt or a lease,  consignment or bailment for security
         purposes.  For the  purposes of this  Agreement,  the  Borrower and any
         Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the owner of any property which it has
         acquired or holds subject to a conditional  sale  agreement,  financing
         lease, or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the property has
         been retained by or vested in some other Person for security purposes.

                  "Loan" or "Loans"  means any  borrowing  made  pursuant  to an
         Advance under the Short Term Credit Facility in accordance with Section
         2.1(a) and all extensions and renewals thereof.

                                       16
<PAGE>
                  "Loan  Documents"  means this  Agreement,  the  Notes,  the LC
         Account Agreement, the Applications and Agreements for Letter of Credit
         and  all  other  instruments  and  documents  heretofore  or  hereafter
         executed  or  delivered  to or in favor of any  Lender  or the Agent in
         connection   with  the  Loans  made,   Letters  of  Credit  issued  and
         transactions  contemplated  under  this  Agreement,  as the same may be
         amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time.

                  "Material  Adverse Effect" means a material  adverse effect on
         (i) the business,  properties,  operations  or condition,  financial or
         otherwise,  of the Borrower and its Consolidated  Entities,  taken as a
         whole,  (ii)  the  ability  of  the  Borrower  to pay  or  perform  its
         obligations,  liabilities and indebtedness  under the Loan Documents as
         such payment or  performance  becomes due in accordance  with the terms
         thereof,  or (iii) the rights,  powers and remedies of the Agent or any
         Lender  under  any  Loan   Document  or  the   validity,   legality  or
         enforceability  thereof  (including  for  purposes of clauses  (ii) and
         (iii) the imposition of burdensome conditions thereon).

                  "Material  Group" shall mean, at any time, any group,  whether
         one or more, or combination of Consolidated  Entities (a) whose assets,
         in the  aggregate,  constitute 5% or more of the assets of the Borrower
         and the Consolidated  Entities on a consolidated basis or (b) whose net
         revenues,  in the aggregate,  constitute 5% or more of the net revenues
         of the Borrower and the Consolidated Entities on a consolidated basis.

                  "Medicaid  Certification"  means  certification  by  HCFA or a
         state  agency or entity  under  contract  with HCFA that a health  care
         operation is in compliance with all the conditions of participation set
         forth in the Medicaid Regulations.

                  "Medicaid Provider  Agreement" means an agreement entered into
         between  a state  agency or other  entity  administering  the  Medicaid
         program  and a health  care  operation  under  which  the  health  care
         operation  agrees  to  provide   services  for  Medicaid   patients  in
         accordance with the terms of the agreement and Medicaid Regulations.

                  "Medicaid  Regulations" means,  collectively,  (i) all federal
         statutes  (whether set forth in Title XIX of the Social Security Act or
         elsewhere)  affecting the medical  assistance  program  established  by
         Title  XIX of the  Social  Security  Act  and any  statutes  succeeding
         thereto;   (ii)  all  applicable   provisions  of  all  federal  rules,
         regulations,   manuals  and  orders  of  all  Governmental  Authorities
         promulgated pursuant to or in connection with the statutes described in
         clause  (i) above and all  federal  administrative,  reimbursement  and
         other  guidelines of all Governmental  Authorities  having the force of
         law  promulgated  pursuant  to  or  in  connection  with  the  statutes
         described in clause (i) above;  (iii) all state  statutes and plans for
         medical   assistance  enacted  in  connection  with  the  statutes  and
         provisions  described  in  clauses  (i) and  (ii)  above;  and (iv) all
         applicable provisions of all rules, regulations,  manuals and orders of
         all Governmental  Authorities  promulgated pursuant to or in connection
         with the  statutes  described  in  clause  (iii)  above  and all  state
         administrative,  reimbursement and other guidelines of all Governmental
         Authorities having the force of law



                                       17
<PAGE>
         promulgated pursuant to or in connection with the statutes described in
         clause (ii)  above,  in each case as may be  amended,  supplemented  or
         otherwise modified from time to time.

                  "Medicare  Certification"  means  certification  by  HCFA or a
         state  agency or entity  under  contract  with HCFA that a health  care
         operation is in compliance with all the conditions of participation set
         forth in the Medicare Regulations.

                  "Medicare Provider  Agreement" means an agreement entered into
         between  a state  agency or other  entity  administering  the  Medicare
         program  and a health  care  operation  under  which  the  health  care
         operation  agrees  to  provide   services  for  Medicare   patients  in
         accordance with the terms of the agreement and Medicare Regulations.

                  "Medicare  Regulations"  means,   collectively,   all  federal
         statutes  (whether set forth in Title XVIII of the Social  Security Act
         or elsewhere)  affecting the health insurance  program for the aged and
         disabled  established by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act and any
         statutes succeeding thereto; together with all applicable provisions of
         all  rules,   regulations,   manuals  and  orders  and  administrative,
         reimbursement  and  other  guidelines  having  the  force of law of all
         Governmental  Authorities  (including  without  limitation,  Health and
         Human Services  ("HHS"),  HCFA, the Office of the Inspector General for
         HHS, or any Person succeeding to the functions of any of the foregoing)
         promulgated  pursuant  to or in  connection  with any of the  foregoing
         having  the  force of law,  as each  may be  amended,  supplemented  or
         otherwise modified from time to time.

                  "Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

                  "Multiemployer  Plan" means a "multiemployer  plan" as defined
         in  Section  4001(a)(3)  of ERISA to which  the  Borrower  or any ERISA
         Affiliate   is  making,   or  is  accruing  an   obligation   to  make,
         contributions  or has made,  or been  obligated to make,  contributions
         within the preceding six (6) Fiscal Years.

                  "NationsBank" means NationsBank, N.A.

                  "1997 10-K" means the  Borrower's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K
         for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1997.

                  "Notes"  means,  collectively,  the  promissory  notes  of the
         Borrower  evidencing  Loans  executed  and  delivered to the Lenders as
         provided in Section 2.5,  substantially  in the form of Exhibit F, with
         appropriate insertions as to amounts, dates and names of Lenders.

                  "Obligations"   means   the   obligations,   liabilities   and
         Indebtedness  of the  Borrower  with respect to (i) the  principal  and
         interest on the Loans as evidenced by the Notes, (ii) the Reimbursement
         Obligations  and  otherwise in respect of the Letters of Credit,  (iii)
         all  liabilities of the Borrower to any Lender which arise under a Swap
         Agreement,   and  (iv)  the  payment  and   performance  of  all  other
         obligations, liabilities and Indebtedness of the



                                       18
<PAGE>
         Borrower to the Lenders or the Agent  hereunder,  under any one or more
         of the other Loan Documents or with respect to the Loans.

                  "Participation"  means, with respect to any Lender (other than
         the  Issuing  Bank) and a Letter of  Credit,  the  extension  of credit
         represented  by the  participation  of  such  Lender  hereunder  in the
         liability of the Issuing  Bank in respect of a Letter of Credit  issued
         by the Issuing Bank in accordance with the terms hereof.

                  "Participation  Agreement" means the  Participation  Agreement
         dated November 16, 1995 among HEALTHSOUTH Corporation,  as Construction
         Agent,  HEALTHSOUTH  Holdings,  Inc., as Lessee, First Security Bank of
         Utah, N.A., as Trustee,  the Holders  identified  therein,  the Lenders
         identified therein, and NationsBank, National Association, as Agent, as
         such Participation Agreement may be amended, modified,  supplemented or
         restated in its entirety from time to time.

                  "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty  Corporation and any
         successor thereto.

                  "Pension Plan" means any employee  pension benefit plan within
         the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA, other than a Multiemployer  Plan,
         which is subject to the  provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412
         of the Code and which (i) is  maintained  for employees of the Borrower
         or any of its ERISA  Affiliates or is assumed by the Borrower or any of
         its ERISA  Affiliates in connection with any Acquisition or (ii) has at
         any time been  maintained  for the  employees  of the  Borrower  or any
         current or former ERISA Affiliate.

                  "Permitted Encumbrances" shall mean:

                           (1)   liens   for   taxes,   assessments   and  other
                  governmental charges that are not delinquent or that are being
                  contested  in  good  faith  by  appropriate  proceedings  duly
                  pursued;

                           (2)    mechanic's,    materialmen's,    contractor's,
                  landlord's  or other  similar  liens  arising in the  ordinary
                  course  of  business,   securing   obligations  that  are  not
                  delinquent  or that  are  being  contested  in good  faith  by
                  appropriate proceedings duly pursued;

                           (3)    restrictions,     exceptions,    reservations,
                  easements, conditions, limitations and other matters of record
                  that do not materially  adversely  affect the value or utility
                  of the affected property;

                           (4)  Liens  on  assets  securing   Indebtedness   the
                  proceeds of which are used to acquire such assets;

                           (5) Liens and other  matters  approved  in writing by
                  the Required Lenders; and


                                       19
<PAGE>
                           (6) Liens in favor of landlords,  the amount  secured
                  by  which  landlords'  Liens,  in  the  aggregate,  would  not
                  materially  adversely affect the Borrower or a Material Group.

                  "Permitted Investments" shall mean:

                           (1) direct obligations of, or obligations the payment
                  of which is guaranteed  by, the United States of America or an
                  interest  in any  trust or fund  that  invests  solely in such
                  obligations or repurchase  agreements,  properly secured, with
                  respect to such obligations.

                           (2)    direct     obligations    of    agencies    or
                  instrumentalities  of the United  States of  America  having a
                  rating of A or higher by S&P or A2 or higher by Moody's;

                           (3) a  certificate  of  deposit  issued  by, or other
                  interest-bearing deposits with, a bank which is a Lender or an
                  affiliate of a Lender, or a bank having its principal place of
                  business  in the United  States of America  and having  equity
                  capital of not less than $250,000,000;

                           (4) a  certificate  of  deposit  issued  by, or other
                  interest-bearing deposits with, any other bank organized under
                  the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof,
                  provided  that such  deposit  is  either  (i)  insured  by the
                  Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or (ii) properly secured
                  by such bank by  pledging  direct  obligations  of the  United
                  States of America having a market value not less than the face
                  amount of such deposits;

                           (5) the capital  stock of and  partnership  interests
                  in, and loans made by the Borrower to, Controlled Partnerships
                  and Subsidiaries;

                           (6) prime  commercial  paper maturing within 270 days
                  of the  acquisition  thereof and, at the time of  acquisition,
                  having a rating of A-1 or  higher by S&P,  or P-1 or higher by
                  Moody's;

                           (7)   eligible   banker's   acceptances,   repurchase
                  agreements and tax-exempt municipal bonds having a maturity of
                  less than one year,  in each case having a rating,  or that is
                  the full recourse  obligation of a person whose senior debt is
                  rated, A or higher by S&P or A2 or higher by Moody's;

                           (8)  loans  made by the  Borrower  or a  Consolidated
                  Entity  in an  aggregate  amount  of  $2,000,000  or  less  to
                  employees of the Borrower or of a Consolidated Entity;

                           (9)  loans  made  by  the  Borrower  or a  Controlled
                  Partnership  in an aggregate  amount of  $1,000,000 or less to
                  limited partners (or potential limited



                                       20


<PAGE>
                  partners)  of  Controlled  Partnerships  for  the  purpose  of
                  enabling such limited partners to acquire limited  partnership
                  interests  in  Controlled   Partnerships,   to  operate  their
                  practices or to restructure partnership interests;

                           (10)   loans  in  an   aggregate   amount  of  up  to
                  $20,000,000  made by the Borrower to the HEALTHSOUTH  Employee
                  Stock Benefit Plan;

                           (11)  scholarship  loans made by the  Borrower  in an
                  aggregate  amount not exceeding  $1,000,000 to individuals who
                  meet certain  eligibility  requirements  as established by the
                  Borrower from time to time;

                           (12) up to 100% of the outstanding shares of stock of
                  Caretenders  Healthcorp  (formerly  known as Senior  Services,
                  Inc.) provided that aggregate  costs incurred to purchase such
                  shares shall not exceed $12,000,000;

                           (13) other investments of less than $5,000,000 in the
                  aggregate  expressly  approved  in  writing  by the  Agent and
                  investments  of  $5,000,000 or greater  expressly  approved in
                  writing by the Required Lenders;

                           (14) any  other  investment  having a rating  of A or
                  higher  or A-1 or  higher  by  S&P or A2 or  higher  or P-1 or
                  higher by Moody's;

                           (15)  loans to health  care  practitioners  and other
                  persons not to exceed in the aggregate $5,000,000;

                           (16)   investments   in  Acacia   Venture   Partners,
                  HEALTHSMART,  MedPartners  and Austin Medical Office  Building
                  which in the aggregate do not exceed $5,000,000; and

                           (17) additional  investments  existing on the Closing
                  Date and described in Exhibit G.

                  "Person"  means  an  individual,   partnership,   corporation,
         limited  liability   company,   trust,   unincorporated   organization,
         association,  joint  venture  or a  government  or agency or  political
         subdivision thereof.

                  "Prime Rate" means the per annum rate of interest  established
         from time to time by NationsBank as its prime rate,  which rate may not
         be the lowest rate of interest charged by NationsBank to its Customers.

                  "Principal   Office"   means  the   office  of  the  Agent  at
         NationsBank,  N.A., 101 North Tryon Street, 15th Floor,  NC1-001-15-04,
         Charlotte,  North Carolina 28255,  Attention:  Agency Services, or such
         other office and address as the Agent may from time to time designate.



                                       21

<PAGE>
                  "Rate Hedging  Obligations"  means any and all  obligations of
         the Borrower or any Consolidated Entity, whether absolute or contingent
         and howsoever and whensoever  created,  arising,  evidenced or acquired
         (including  all  renewals,  extensions  and  modifications  thereof and
         substitutions therefor),  under (i) any and all agreements,  devices or
         arrangements  designed  to protect the  Borrower  or such  Consolidated
         Entity from the  fluctuations  of  interest  rates,  exchange  rates or
         forward  rates  applicable  to  such  party's  assets,  liabilities  or
         exchange    transactions,    including,    but    not    limited    to,
         Dollar-denominated or cross-currency interest rate exchange agreements,
         forward  currency  exchange  agreements,  interest  rate cap or  collar
         protection agreements,  forward rate currency or interest rate options,
         puts,  warrants  and  those  commonly  known as  interest  rate  "swap"
         agreements;  and (ii) any and all cancellations,  buybacks,  reversals,
         terminations or assignments of any of the foregoing.

                  "Rating" means the rating of senior unsecured  Indebtedness of
         the  Borrower  in effect at any time which  rating is made by either of
         Moody's or S&P.

                  "Regulation D" means Regulation D of the Board as the same may
         be amended or supplemented from time to time.

                  "Reimbursement  Obligation"  shall  mean,  at  any  time,  the
         obligation  of the  Borrower  with  respect  to any Letter of Credit to
         reimburse  the  Issuing  Bank and the  Lenders  to the  extent of their
         respective Participations (including by the receipt by the Issuing Bank
         of proceeds of Loans  pursuant to Section 3.2) for amounts  theretofore
         paid by the Issuing  Bank  pursuant  to a drawing  under such Letter of
         Credit.

                  "Required Lenders" means, as of any date, Lenders on such date
         having Credit Exposures (as defined below)  aggregating at least 51% of
         the  aggregate  Credit  Exposures of all the Lenders on such date.  For
         purposes of the preceding sentence, the amount of the "Credit Exposure"
         of each Lender shall be equal to the aggregate  principal amount of the
         Loans,  so long as there  exists  no Event  of  Default,  owing to such
         Lender plus the aggregate  unutilized  amounts of such  Lender's  Short
         Term  Credit  Commitment  plus the amount of such  Lender's  Applicable
         Commitment Percentage of Letter of Credit Outstandings;  provided that,
         if any  Lender  shall  have  failed  to pay to  the  Issuing  Bank  its
         Applicable  Commitment  Percentage  of any drawing  under any Letter of
         Credit  resulting  in an  outstanding  Reimbursement  Obligation,  such
         Lender's  Credit  Exposure   attributable  to  Letters  of  Credit  and
         Reimbursement  Obligations  shall be deemed  to be held by the  Issuing
         Bank for purposes of this definition.

                  "Reserve  Requirement" means, at any time, the maximum rate at
         which reserves (including,  without limitation, any marginal,  special,
         supplemental,  or emergency  reserves)  are  required to be  maintained
         under regulations issued from time to time by the Board by member banks
         of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) by member banks of the
         Federal Reserve System against "Eurocurrency liabilities" (as such term
         is used in Regulation D). Without limiting the effect of the foregoing,
         the Reserve Requirement shall reflect any other reserves required to be
         maintained by such member banks with respect to



                                       22
<PAGE>
         (i) any category of liabilities which includes deposits by reference to
         which the Eurodollar Rate is to be determined,  or (ii) any category of
         extensions  of credit or other assets  which  include  Eurodollar  Rate
         Loans. The Eurodollar Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of
         the effective date of any change in the Reserve Requirement.

                  "Restricted   Payment"   means  (a)  any   dividend  or  other
         distribution, direct or indirect, on account of any shares of any class
         of stock of Borrower or any of its  Consolidated  Entities  (other than
         those payable or distributable solely to the Borrower) now or hereafter
         outstanding,  except a dividend  payable solely in shares of a class of
         stock to the holders of that  class;  (b) any  redemption,  conversion,
         exchange,  retirement or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition
         for value,  direct or indirect,  of any shares of any class of stock of
         the  Borrower  or any of its  Consolidated  Entities  (other than those
         payable  or  distributable  solely to the  Borrower)  now or  hereafter
         outstanding; (c) any payment made to retire, or to obtain the surrender
         of, any outstanding warrants, options or other rights to acquire shares
         of any  class  of  stock  of the  Borrower  or any of its  Consolidated
         Entities now or hereafter outstanding; and (d) any issuance and sale of
         capital  stock  of any  Consolidated  Entity  of the  Borrower  (or any
         option,  warrant  or right to  acquire  such  stock)  other than to the
         Borrower.

                  "S&P" means  Standard & Poor's Rating Group, a division of The
         McGraw Hill Companies.

                  "Short Term Credit  Commitment"  means,  with  respect to each
         Lender,  the obligation of such Lender to make Loans to the Borrower up
         to an aggregate  principal amount at any one time outstanding  equal to
         such Lender's Applicable  Commitment Percentage of the Total Short Term
         Credit Commitment.

                  "Short Term Credit  Facility" means the facility  described in
         Article II  providing  for Loans to the  Borrower by the Lenders in the
         aggregate principal amount of the Total Short Term Credit Commitment.

                  "Short  Term  Credit  Outstandings"  means,  as of any date of
         determination,  the  aggregate  principal  amount  of  all  Loans  then
         outstanding.

                  "Short  Term  Credit  Termination  Date"  means (i) the Stated
         Termination  Date or (ii) such earlier date of  termination of Lenders'
         Obligations  as may be  determined  pursuant  to  Section  9.1 upon the
         occurrence  of an Event of Default,  or (iii) such date as the Borrower
         may  voluntarily  and  permanently  terminate  the  Short  Term  Credit
         Facility by payment in full of all Short Term Credit  Outstandings  and
         all Letter of Credit  Outstandings  and  cancellation of all Letters of
         Credit, together with all accrued and unpaid interest and fees thereon.

                  "Single Employer Plan" means any employee pension benefit plan
         covered by Title IV of ERISA in respect  of which the  Borrower  or any
         Subsidiary is an  "employer"  as described in Section  4001(b) of ERISA
         and which is not a Multiemployer Plan.

                                       23
<PAGE>

                  "Solvent" means, when used with respect to any Person, that at
         the time of determination:

                              (i) the  fair  value of its  assets  (both at fair
                  valuation  and at present  fair  saleable  value on an orderly
                  basis) is in excess  of the total  amount of its  liabilities,
                  including contingent obligations; and

                             (ii) it is then able and  expects to be able to pay
                  its debts as they mature; and

                            (iii)  it has  capital  sufficient  to  carry on its
                  business as conducted and as proposed to be conducted.

                  "Stated Termination Date" means September 27, 1999.

                  "Subordinated  Debt" means any unsecured  Indebtedness  of the
         Borrower  or  any   Consolidated   Entity  (other  than   inter-company
         Indebtedness) which is subordinated in right of payment in all respects
         to the Obligations in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Agent.

                  "Subsidiary"  means any  corporation  or other entity in which
         more than 50% of its  outstanding  voting stock or more than 50% of all
         equity interests is owned directly or indirectly by the Borrower and/or
         by one or more of the Borrower's Subsidiaries.

                  "Swap  Agreement"  means one or more  agreements  between  the
         Borrower and any Person with respect to  Indebtedness  evidenced by any
         or all of the Notes, on terms mutually  acceptable to Borrower and such
         Person and approved by each of the  Lenders,  which  agreements  create
         Rate Hedging Obligations;  provided,  however, that no such approval of
         the Lenders shall be required to the extent such agreements are entered
         into between the Borrower and any Lender.

                  "Termination  Event" means: (i) a "Reportable Event" described
         in Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations  issued thereunder (unless
         the notice  requirement has been waived by applicable  regulation);  or
         (ii) the  withdrawal  of the  Borrower  or any ERISA  Affiliate  from a
         Pension  Plan  during  a plan  year  in  which  it  was a  "substantial
         employer" as defined in Section  4001(a)(2) of ERISA or was deemed such
         under Section  4062(e) of ERISA;  or (iii) the termination of a Pension
         Plan,  the filing of a notice of intent to  terminate a Pension Plan or
         the  treatment  of a Pension  Plan  amendment  as a  termination  under
         Section  4041 of  ERISA;  or (iv) the  institution  of  proceedings  to
         terminate  a  Pension  Plan by the  PBGC;  or (v) any  other  event  or
         condition which would constitute grounds under Section 4042(a) of ERISA
         for the  termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer,
         any Pension  Plan;  or (vi) the partial or complete  withdrawal  of the
         Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan; or (vii) the
         imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302
         of  ERISA;  or (viii)  any  event or  condition  which  results  in the
         reorganization or insolvency of a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4241
         or Section 4245 of ERISA,

                                       24


<PAGE>

         respectively;  or (ix) any  event or  condition  which  results  in the
         termination of a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA or the
         institution  by the PBGC of  proceedings  to terminate a  Multiemployer
         Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA.

                  "Total  Letter of Credit  Commitment"  means an amount  not to
         exceed $25,000,000.

                  "Total Short Term Credit  Commitment" means a principal amount
         equal to $500,000,000,  as reduced from time to time in accordance with
         Section 2.1(a) and Section 2.7.

                  "Vanderbilt" shall mean Vanderbilt  Stallworth  Rehabilitation
         Hospital,  L.P.,  the  partners of which are the  Borrower,  Vanderbilt
         University and Vanderbilt Health Services.

                  "Voting  Stock"  means  shares of  Capital  Stock  issued by a
         corporation,  or equivalent  interests in any other Person, the holders
         of which are ordinarily,  in the absence of contingencies,  entitled to
         vote for the  election  of  directors  (or persons  performing  similar
         functions)  of such  Person,  even if the  right  so to vote  has  been
         suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

         1.2.     Rules of Interpretation.

                  (a) All accounting terms not specifically defined herein shall
         have the meanings  assigned to such terms and shall be  interpreted  in
         accordance with GAAP applied on a Consistent Basis.

                  (b) The  headings,  subheadings  and  table of  contents  used
         herein or in any other Loan  Document  are solely  for  convenience  of
         reference  and  shall not  constitute  a part of any such  document  or
         affect the meaning, construction or effect of any provision thereof.

                  (c) Except as otherwise expressly provided,  references herein
         to  articles,  sections,  paragraphs,   clauses,  annexes,  appendices,
         exhibits  and   schedules  are   references   to  articles,   sections,
         paragraphs,  clauses, annexes, appendices, exhibits and schedules in or
         to this Agreement.

                  (d) All  definitions  set forth  herein  or in any other  Loan
         Document shall apply to the singular as well as the plural form of such
         defined term, and all references to the masculine  gender shall include
         reference  to the  feminine or neuter  gender,  and vice versa,  as the
         context may require.

                  (e) When used herein or in any other Loan Document, words such
         as "hereunder", "hereto", "hereof" and "herein" and other words of like
         import  shall,  unless the context  clearly  indicates to the contrary,
         refer to the whole of the applicable document and not to any particular
         article, section, subsection, paragraph or clause thereof.



                                       25
<PAGE>
                  (f) References to "including" means including without limiting
         the generality of any description preceding such term, and for purposes
         hereof the rule of ejusdem  generis  shall not be applicable to limit a
         general  statement,  followed  by or  referable  to an  enumeration  of
         specific matters, to matters similar to those specifically mentioned.

                  (g) All dates and times of day specified herein shall refer to
         such dates and times at Charlotte, North Carolina.

                  (h)  Each of the  parties  to the  Loan  Documents  and  their
         counsel have reviewed and revised, or requested (or had the opportunity
         to  request)  revisions  to,  the  Loan  Documents,  and  any  rule  of
         construction  that  ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting
         party shall be inapplicable in the construing and interpretation of the
         Loan Documents and all exhibits, schedules and appendices thereto.

                  (i) Any  reference  to an officer of the Borrower or any other
         Person by  reference  to the title of such  officer  shall be deemed to
         refer to each other officer of such Person, however titled,  exercising
         the same or substantially similar functions.

                  (j) All  references  to any  agreement or document as amended,
         modified or supplemented,  or words of similar effect,  shall mean such
         document  or  agreement,  as the case may be, as  amended,  modified or
         supplemented  from  time to time  only as and to the  extent  permitted
         therein and in the Loan Documents.

         1.3. Classes and Types of Loans.  Loans hereunder are  distinguished by
"Type".  The "Type" of a Loan refers to whether such Loan is a Base Rate Loan or
a Eurodollar Rate Loan, each of which constitutes a Type.


                                       26
<PAGE>
                                   ARTICLE II

                                    The Loans

         2.1.     Loans.

                  (a)  Commitment.  Subject to the terms and  conditions of this
Agreement,  each Lender  severally agrees to make Advances to the Borrower under
the Short Term Credit Facility from time to time from the Closing Date until the
Short Term Credit Termination Date on a pro rata basis as to the total borrowing
requested  by the Borrower on any day  determined  by such  Lender's  Applicable
Commitment  Percentage up to but not exceeding the Short Term Credit  Commitment
of such  Lender,  provided,  however,  that the Lenders will not be required and
shall have no obligation to make any such Advance (i) so long as a Default or an
Event of Default has occurred and is  continuing  or (ii) if the maturity of any
of the Notes has been  accelerated  as a result of an Event of  Default or (iii)
there is Existing  Availability;  provided  further,  however,  that immediately
after giving  effect to each such Advance,  the  principal  amount of Short Term
Credit  Outstandings  plus Letters of Credit  Outstandings  shall not exceed the
Total Short Term Credit Commitment. Within such limits, the Borrower may borrow,
repay and reborrow  under the Short Term Credit  Facility on a Business Day from
the Closing Date until, but (as to borrowings and  reborrowings)  not including,
the Short Term Credit Termination Date; provided, however, that (y) no Loan that
is a  Eurodollar  Rate Loan  shall be made  which has an  Interest  Period  that
extends beyond the Short Term Credit  Termination Date and (z) each Loan that is
a Eurodollar Rate Loan may,  subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, be repaid
only on the last day of the  Interest  Period with respect  thereto  unless such
payment is accompanied by the additional  payment,  if any,  required by Section
4.5.

                  (b) Amounts.  The  aggregate  unpaid  principal  amount of the
Short Term  Credit  Outstandings  plus Letter of Credit  Outstandings  shall not
exceed the Total Short Term Credit  Commitment  and, in the event there shall be
outstanding any such excess,  the Borrower shall  immediately make such payments
and prepayments as shall be necessary to comply with this restriction. Each Loan
hereunder,  other than Base Rate  Refunding  Loans,  and each  Conversion  under
Section 2.8, shall be in an amount of at least $5,000,000,  and, if greater than
$5,000,000, an integral multiple of $1,000,000.

                  (c) Advances. (i) An Authorized  Representative shall give the
Agent (1) at least  three  (3)  Business  Days'  irrevocable  written  notice by
telefacsimile  transmission  of a Borrowing  Notice or Interest  Rate  Selection
Notice (as applicable) with appropriate  insertions,  effective upon receipt, of
each Loan that is a Eurodollar  Rate Loan  (whether  representing  an additional
borrowing  hereunder or the  Conversion of a borrowing  hereunder from Base Rate
Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans) prior to 10:30 A.M. and (2) irrevocable  written
notice by  telefacsimile  transmission  of a Borrowing  Notice or Interest  Rate
Selection  Notice (as applicable) with  appropriate  insertions,  effective upon
receipt,  of each Loan (other than Base Rate  Refunding  Loans to the extent the
same are effected without notice pursuant to Section  2.1(c)(iv)) that is a Base
Rate  Loan  (whether  representing  an  additional  borrowing  hereunder  or the
Conversion of borrowing hereunder from Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans)
prior to 10:30 A.M. on the day of such proposed Loan.

                                       27


<PAGE>
Each such notice  shall  specify the amount of the  borrowing,  the Type of Loan
(Base Rate or Eurodollar  Rate), the date of borrowing and, if a Eurodollar Rate
Loan, the Interest Period to be used in the  computation of interest.  Notice of
receipt of such Borrowing Notice or Interest Rate Selection  Notice, as the case
may be,  together  with  the  amount  of each  Lender's  portion  of an  Advance
requested  thereunder,  shall  be  provided  by the  Agent  to  each  Lender  by
telefacsimile  transmission with reasonable promptness,  but (provided the Agent
shall have  received  such notice by 10:30 A.M.) not later than 1:00 P.M. on the
same day as the Agent's receipt of such notice.

         (ii) Not later than 2:00 P.M. on the date  specified for each borrowing
under this Section 2.1, each Lender shall,  pursuant to the terms and subject to
the  conditions  of this  Agreement,  make the amount of the Loan or Loans to be
made by it on such day  available by wire transfer to the Agent in the amount of
its pro rata share,  determined according to such Lender's Applicable Commitment
Percentage of the Loan or Loans to be made on such day. Such wire transfer shall
be  directed  to the Agent at the  Principal  Office and shall be in the form of
Dollars constituting  immediately available funds. The amount so received by the
Agent shall,  subject to the terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement,  be made
available  to the  Borrower  by  delivery  of the  proceeds  thereof as shall be
directed in the applicable Borrowing Notice by the Authorized Representative and
reasonably acceptable to the Agent.

         (iii) The  Borrower  shall have the option to elect the duration of the
initial  and any  subsequent  Interest  Periods  and to  Convert  the  Loans  in
accordance  with Section 2.8.  Eurodollar  Rate Loans and Base Rate Loans may be
outstanding at the same time, provided,  however, there shall not be outstanding
at any one time Loans having more than eight (8) different Interest Periods.  If
the Agent does not receive a  Borrowing  Notice or an  Interest  Rate  Selection
Notice  giving  notice of election of the  duration of an Interest  Period or of
Conversion of any Loan to or Continuation of a Loan as a Eurodollar Rate Loan by
the time  prescribed by Section  2.1(c) or 2.8, the Borrower  shall be deemed to
have elected to Convert such Loan to (or Continue such Loan as) a Base Rate Loan
until the Borrower notifies the Agent in accordance with Section 2.8.

         (iv)  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  if a drawing  is made under any
Letter of Credit, such drawing is honored by the Issuing Bank prior to the Short
Term Credit  Termination  Date,  and the Borrower  shall not  immediately  fully
reimburse  the Issuing Bank in respect of such  drawing,  (A) provided  that the
conditions  to making a Loan as herein  provided  shall then be  satisfied,  the
Reimbursement  Obligation arising from such drawing shall be paid to the Issuing
Bank by the Agent without the requirement of notice to or from the Borrower from
immediately  available  funds which  shall be advanced as a Base Rate  Refunding
Loan by each Lender  under the Short Term Credit  Facility in an amount equal to
such Lender's Applicable Commitment Percentage of such Reimbursement Obligation,
and (B) if the conditions to making a Loan as herein  provided shall not then be
satisfied,  each of the  Lenders  shall  fund by  payment  to the Agent (for the
benefit of the Issuing Bank) in  immediately  available  funds the purchase from
the Issuing Bank of their respective Participations in the related Reimbursement
Obligation based on their respective  Applicable  Commitment  Percentages.  If a
drawing is  presented  under any Letter of Credit in  accordance  with the terms
thereof and the Borrower  shall not  immediately  reimburse  the Issuing Bank in
respect  thereof,  then  notice of such  drawing  or payment  shall be  provided
promptly by the Issuing Bank to

                                       28

<PAGE>
the Agent and the Agent  shall  provide  notice to each Lender by  telephone  or
telefacsimile  transmission.  If notice to the  Lenders  of a drawing  under any
Letter of Credit is given by the Agent at or before  12:00 noon on any  Business
Day, each Lender  shall,  pursuant to the  conditions  specified in this Section
2.1(c)(iv),  either make a Base Rate  Refunding Loan or fund the purchase of its
Participation in the amount of such Lender's Applicable Commitment Percentage of
such  drawing or payment  and shall pay such amount to the Agent for the account
of the  Issuing  Bank at the  Principal  Office in  Dollars  and in  immediately
available  funds  before  2:30 P.M. on the same  Business  Day. If notice to the
Lenders of a drawing  under a Letter of Credit is given by the Agent after 12:00
noon  on any  Business  Day,  each  Lender  shall,  pursuant  to the  conditions
specified in this Section 2.1(c)(iv),  either make a Base Rate Refunding Loan or
fund the purchase of its Participation in the amount of such Lender's Applicable
Commitment  Percentage  of such  drawing or payment and shall pay such amount to
the Agent for the account of the Issuing Bank at the Principal Office in Dollars
and in  immediately  available  funds  before  12:00 noon on the next  following
Business Day. Any such Base Rate  Refunding Loan shall be advanced as, and shall
Continue as, a Base Rate Loan unless and until the Borrower  Converts  such Base
Rate Loan in accordance with the terms of Section 2.8.

         2.2.  Payment of Interest.  (a) The Borrower  shall pay interest to the
Agent for the account of each  Lender on the  outstanding  and unpaid  principal
amount of each Loan made by such Lender for the period commencing on the date of
such Loan until such Loan shall be due at the then applicable Base Rate for Base
Rate  Loans  or  applicable  Eurodollar  Rate  for  Eurodollar  Rate  Loans,  as
designated by the Authorized  Representative  pursuant to Section 2.1; provided,
however,  that if any amount payable under this Agreement shall not be paid when
due (at maturity,  by  acceleration  or otherwise,  subject to the provisions of
Section  9.1(a)),   all  amounts  outstanding   hereunder  shall  bear  interest
thereafter at the Default Rate.

                  (b)  Interest on each Loan shall be computed on an  Actual/360
Basis.  Interest on each Loan shall be paid (i) quarterly in arrears on the last
Business Day of each March, June,  September and December,  commencing  December
31,  1998,  for each  Base  Rate  Loan,  (ii) on the last day of the  applicable
Interest  Period for each  Eurodollar  Rate Loan and,  if such  Interest  Period
extends for more than three (3) months,  at  intervals of three (3) months after
the first day of such  Interest  Period,  and (iii) upon the Short  Term  Credit
Termination  Date.  Interest  payable  at the  Default  Rate shall be payable on
demand.

         2.3.  Payment of Principal.  The principal amount of each Loan shall be
due and  payable  to the Agent  for the  benefit  of each  Lender in full on the
Stated  Termination  Date,  or  earlier  as  specifically  provided  herein.  No
principal  amount shall be repaid under the Existing Credit Agreement so long as
there are Short Term Credit  Outstandings.  Any  principal  payments made to the
Agent shall be applied first to the Short Term Credit  Outstandings  and then to
any outstandings  under the Existing Credit  Agreement.  The principal amount of
any Base Rate Loan may be prepaid in whole or in part at any time. The principal
amount  of any  Eurodollar  Rate  Loan  may be  prepaid  only  at the end of the
applicable  Interest  Period unless the Borrower  shall pay to the Agent for the
account of the Lenders the  additional  amount,  if any,  required under Section
4.5. All  prepayments  of Loans made by the  Borrower  shall be in the amount of
$5,000,000 or such greater amount which



                                       29
<PAGE>
is an integral  multiple of  $1,000,000,  or the amount  equal to all Short Term
Credit  Outstandings,  as the case may be, or such other  amount as necessary to
comply with Section 2.1(b) or Section 2.8.

         2.4. Non-Conforming  Payments. (a) Each payment of principal (including
any  prepayment) and payment of interest and fees, and any other amount required
to be paid to the Lenders with respect to the Loans,  shall be made to the Agent
at the  Principal  Office,  for the  account of each  Lender,  in Dollars and in
immediately  available funds,  without setoff,  deduction or counterclaim before
10:00  A.M.  on the date such  payment is due.  The Agent may,  but shall not be
obligated  to,  debit the amount of any such  payment  which is not made by such
time to any ordinary  deposit  account,  if any, of the Borrower with the Agent.
The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower of any such debit; however, failure
to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such debit.

         (b) The  Agent  shall  deem any  payment  made by or on  behalf  of the
Borrower hereunder that is not made both in Dollars and in immediately available
funds and prior to 10:00 A.M. to be a non-conforming  payment.  Any such payment
shall not be deemed to be  received by the Agent until the later of (i) the time
such  funds  become  available  funds  and  (ii)  the  next  Business  Day.  Any
non-conforming  payment may  constitute or become a Default or Event of Default.
Interest shall continue to accrue on any principal as to which a  non-conforming
payment  is made  until the later of (x) the date such  funds  become  available
funds or (y) the next Business Day at the Default Rate from the date such amount
was due and payable.

         (c) In the event that any payment  hereunder or under the Notes becomes
due and payable on a day other than a Business  Day, then such due date shall be
extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless provided otherwise under the
definition of "Interest Period"; provided that interest shall continue to accrue
during the period of any such extension and provided  further,  that in no event
shall any such due date be extended beyond the Stated Termination Date.

         2.5.  Notes.  Loans made by each Lender  shall be evidenced by the Note
payable to the order of such Lender in the  respective  amount of its Applicable
Commitment  Percentage  of the Total  Short Term Credit  Commitment,  which Note
shall be dated the Closing Date or a later date  pursuant to an  Assignment  and
Acceptance and shall be duly completed, executed and delivered by the Borrower.

         2.6. Pro Rata Payments.  Except as otherwise  provided herein, (a) each
payment on account of the  principal  of and  interest on the Loans and the fees
described in Section 2.9 and the first  sentence of Section 3.3(a) shall be made
to the Agent for the account of the  Lenders pro rata based on their  Applicable
Commitment  Percentages,  (b) all  payments to be made by the  Borrower  for the
account of each of the Lenders on account of principal, interest and fees, shall
be made without  diminution,  setoff,  recoupment or  counterclaim,  and (c) the
Agent will promptly  distribute to the Lenders in  immediately  available  funds
payments  received  in fully  collected,  immediately  available  funds from the
Borrower.

                                       30

<PAGE>
         2.7.  Reductions.  The Borrower  shall,  by irrevocable  notice from an
Authorized  Representative,  have  the  right  from  time to time  but not  more
frequently than once each calendar month,  upon not less than three (3) Business
Days' written notice to the Agent, effective upon receipt, to permanently reduce
the Total Short Term Credit Commitment. The Agent shall give each Lender, within
one (1)  Business  Day of  receipt  of such  notice,  telefacsimile  notice,  or
telephonic notice (confirmed in writing), of such reduction. Each such reduction
shall be in the aggregate  amount of $10,000,000 or such greater amount which is
in an integral multiple of $1,000,000,  or the entire remaining Total Short Term
Credit  Commitment,  and shall  permanently  reduce the Total  Short Term Credit
Commitment.  Each reduction of the Total Short Term Credit  Commitment  shall be
accompanied by payment of Loans to the extent that the principal amount of Short
Term Credit  Outstandings plus Letter of Credit  Outstandings  exceeds the Total
Short Term Credit  Commitment  after giving effect to such  reduction,  together
with accrued and unpaid interest on the amounts  prepaid.  If any such reduction
shall result in the payment of any  Eurodollar  Rate Loan other than on the last
day of the Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan such prepayment shall be
accompanied by amounts due, if any, under Section 4.5.

         2.8. Conversions and Elections of Subsequent Interest Periods.  Subject
to the limitations set forth below and in Article IV, the Borrower may:

                  (a) upon  delivery,  effective  upon  receipt,  of a  properly
completed Interest Rate Selection Notice to the Agent on or before 10:30 A.M. on
any Business Day,  Convert all or a part of  Eurodollar  Rate Loans to Base Rate
Loans on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loans; and

                  (b)  provided  that no Default or Event of Default  shall have
occurred and be continuing upon delivery,  effective upon receipt, of a properly
completed  Interest Rate  Selection  Notice to the Agent on or before 10:30 A.M.
three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such election or Conversion:

                           (i) elect a subsequent  Interest  Period for all or a
                  portion of  Eurodollar  Rate Loans to begin on the last day of
                  the then  current  Interest  Period for such  Eurodollar  Rate
                  Loans; and

                           (ii) Convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans
                  on any Business Day.

         Each  election  and  Conversion  pursuant to this  Section 2.8 shall be
subject to the  limitations on Eurodollar Rate Loans set forth in the definition
of  "Interest  Period"  herein and in  Sections  2.1 and 2.3 and Article IV. The
Agent  shall give  written  notice to each  Lender of such notice of election or
Conversion  prior to 3:00 P.M. on the day such notice of election or  Conversion
is received.  All such  Continuations  or Conversions of Loans shall be effected
pro rata based on the Applicable Commitment Percentages of the Lenders.

         2.9.  Unused Fees.


                                       31
<PAGE>
         (a) For the  period  beginning  on the  Closing  Date and ending on the
Short Term Credit Termination Date, the Borrower agrees to pay to the Agent, for
the benefit of each  Lender,  an unused fee equal to the  Applicable  Unused Fee
multiplied  by the  average  daily  amount by which the Total  Short Term Credit
Commitment  exceeds  the  aggregate   principal  amount  of  Short  Term  Credit
Outstandings  plus  Letter of  Credit  Outstandings.  Such fees  shall be due in
arrears on the last  Business Day of each March,  June,  September  and December
commencing December 31, 1998 to and on the Short Term Credit Termination Date.

         (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing,  so long as any Lender fails to make
available any portion of its Short Term Credit  Commitment when requested,  such
Lender  shall not be entitled  to receive  payment of its pro rata share of such
fees until such Lender  shall make  available  such  portion.  All fees  payable
pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be calculated on an Actual/360 Basis.

         2.10.  Deficiency  Advances.  No Lender  shall be  responsible  for any
default of any other Lender in respect of such other Lender's obligation to make
any Loan or fund its purchase of any Participation hereunder nor shall the Short
Term Credit  Commitment of any Lender hereunder be increased as a result of such
default of any other Lender.  Without  limiting the generality of the foregoing,
in the event any Lender shall fail to advance  funds to the  Borrower  under the
Short Term Credit Facility as herein provided,  the Agent may in its discretion,
but shall not be obligated  to,  advance under the Note in its favor as a Lender
all or any portion of such amount or amounts (each, a "deficiency  advance") and
shall  thereafter  be entitled to payments of  principal of and interest on such
deficiency  advance in the same manner and at the same interest rate or rates to
which such other Lender would have been  entitled had it made such advance under
its Note; provided that, upon payment to the Agent from such other Lender of the
entire outstanding amount of each such deficiency advance, together with accrued
and unpaid  interest  thereon,  from the most recent date or dates  interest was
paid to the  Agent by the  Borrower  on each  Loan  comprising  such  deficiency
advance at the interest rate per annum for overnight borrowing by the Agent from
the Federal  Reserve Bank of  Richmond,  Virginia,  then such  payment  shall be
credited  against  the  applicable  Note of the  Agent in full  payment  of such
deficiency  advance and the Borrower shall be deemed to have borrowed the amount
of such deficiency  advance from such other Lender as of the most recent date or
dates,  as the case may be, upon which any payments of interest were made by the
Borrower thereon.

         2.11. Use of Proceeds.  The proceeds of the Loans made pursuant to this
A