Exhibit 10(bj)

                     SECOND RENEWAL PROMISSORY NOTE


  $3,033,330.00                                         November 19, 1999

       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Hallmark Financial  Services,
  Inc., a Nevada corporation with its  principal offices at 14651  Dallas
  Parkway, Suite 900, Dallas, TX 75240, ("Maker"), hereby unconditionally
  promises to pay to the order of DORINCO REINSURANCE COMPANY, a Michigan
  corporation with its principal offices  at 1320 Waldo Avenue,  Midland,
  MI  48642 ("Payee"), by wire  transfer so as to constitute  immediately
  available funds, or as otherwise directed,  the principal sum of  Three
  Million   Thirty-Three   Thousand   Three   Hundred   Thirty    Dollars
  ($3,033,330.00), in  lawful  money of  the  United States  of  America,
  together with interest (calculated on the basis of a 360 day year),  on
  the unpaid principal balance  from day-to-day remaining, computed  from
  the date hereof until maturity at  the rate per annum which shall  from
  day-to-day be equal to the lesser of (a) the maximum rate allowable  by
  law, or (b) eight and one-quarter percent (8.25%).

       The principal of  and interest  upon this  Note shall  be due  and
  payable as follows:

       (a)  Sixteen (16) quarterly installments of accrued interest  plus
            One  Hundred  Eighty-Two   Dollars  ($182,000.00)   principal
            reduction due on the last day of each March, June,  September
            and  December  commencing  March  31,  2000,  and  continuing
            through and including December 31, 2003; plus

       (b)  A final  payment  of  all  previously  unpaid  principal  and
            accrued interest due on February 29, 2004.

       All past due principal and, to the extent permitted by  applicable
  law, past due interest upon this Note shall bear interest at the lesser
  of the maximum  rate allowable  by law  or thirteen  percent (13%)  per
  annum.

       All payments shall be made to Citibank, N.A., New York (ABA  #021-
  00-0089) for credit to the account of Payee, Account Number  3900-6944,
  if by wire, or,  if by check,  to Box #8157,  Citibank, P.O. Box  7247-
  8157, Philadelphia, PA 19170.

       The occurrence of any  one or more of  the following events  shall
  constitute an Event of Default under this Note:

       (a)  the  failure  to   pay  any  amount   hereunder  within   ten
            (10) business days of the due  date (whether at maturity,  by
            reason of acceleration or otherwise); or

       (b)  any other event of default under that certain Loan Agreement,
            dated as  of March  10, 1997,  between  Maker and  Payee,  as
            amended by an Amendment No. 1  executed by Maker on July  31,
            1998 and by  Payee on  August 14,  1998, an  Amendment No.  2
            dated March 5, 1999,  and an Amendment  No. 3 dated  November
            19, 1999.
<PAGE>
       Maker agrees that if such Event of Default under this Note occurs,
  then, at the option of Payee, all  or any part of the unpaid  principal
  balance of this Note and accrued interest shall immediately become  due
  and payable  without notice  or demand.   Failure  of Payee  hereof  to
  assert any right contained  herein shall not be  deemed to be a  waiver
  thereof.

       Maker may prepay this Note,  in whole or in  part, at any time  or
  from time to time, without liquidated damages or other penalty.

       In the event any one or more  of the provisions of the Note  shall
  for any reason  be held to  be invalid, illegal,  or unenforceable,  in
  whole or in part  or in any respect,  or in the event  that any one  or
  more of  the provisions  of this  Note operate  or could  prospectively
  operate to invalidate this  Note, then and in  either of those  events,
  such provision or provisions  shall be modified  to the minimum  extent
  necessary to make the application of such provision or provisions valid
  and enforceable and shall not affect  any other provision of this  Note
  and the remaining provisions of this Note shall remain operative and in
  full force and effect and shall  in no way be affected, prejudiced,  or
  disturbed thereby.

       Maker hereby  forever  waives  presentment,  demand  for  payment,
  protest, notice of protest,  notice of dishonor of  this Note, and  all
  other demands and notices in connection with the delivery,  acceptance,
  performance, and enforcement  of this Note.   Maker  further agrees  to
  indemnify and hold harmless Payee for all costs of collection including
  reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses that Payee may incur by  reason
  of Maker's failure promptly to pay when due the indebtedness  evidenced
  by this Note.

       This Note shall be paid without deduction by reason of any setoff,
  defense, or counterclaim of Maker.

       No amendment or waiver of any  provision of this Note nor  consent
  to any departure  by Maker therefrom  shall in any  event be  effective
  unless the same shall be in writing and signed by Payee, and then  such
  waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance  and
  for the specific purpose for which given.

       No failure  on the  part of  Payee to  exercise, and  no delay  in
  exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof;  nor
  shall any single or  partial exercise of  any right hereunder  preclude
  any other or  further exercise  thereof or  the exercise  of any  other
  right.  The remedies herein provided  are cumulative and not  exclusive
  of any remedies provided by law.

       This Note shall be  governed by and  construed in accordance  with
  the laws  of  the State  of  Michigan and  shall  be binding  upon  the
  successors and assigns of Maker and  shall inure to the benefit of  the
  successors and assigns of Payee.
<PAGE>
       THIS NOTE  IS AN  EXTENSION AND  RENEWAL OF  THE UNPAID  PRINCIPAL
  BALANCE OF THAT CERTAIN PROMISSORY NOTE FROM MAKER TO PAYEE DATED MARCH
  11, 1997, IN THE  ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT  OF $7,000,000.00 AND  THAT
  CERTAIN RENEWAL PROMISSORY NOTE FROM MAKER TO PAYEE DATED MARCH 5, 1999
  IN THE ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $7,000,000.00.


                                HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.



                                By:____________________________________
                                Name:     Linda H. Sleeper
                                Title:    Executive Vice President