) ( 68 Ill. App.2d 260, 263-264. Accord, Sentel v. James (1958), 16 Ill. App.2d 373, 148 N.E.2d 22.) In Pope v. Speiser (1955), 7 Ill.2d 231, 130 N.E.2d 507, also relied upon by the plaintiff, the plaintiff placed valuable improvements on the defendant's farm with the knowledge and consent of the defendant and after repeated statements by the defendant that the farm would belong to the plaintiff upon the defendant's death.
While the cases they cite make such statements, they are dealing in situations clearly distinguishable from that before us. Crane v. Caldwell, 14 Ill. 468. [1-6] The trend of modern decisions is to hold that in the absence of an express contract, a lien based upon the fundamental maxims of equity may be implied and declared by a court of equity out of general considerations of right and justice as applied to the relationship of the parties and the circumstances of their dealing, Sentel v. James, 16 Ill. App.2d 373, 148 N.E.2d 22. An equitable lien is the right to have property subjected in a court of equity to payment of a claim. It is neither a debt nor a right of property, but a remedy for a debt.