The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-04
CHATTER XIX.

The OUty or NOurtesy
 Leonard was getting very tired of waiting when he received his summons to Normanstand.
 But despite his impatience he was iil- pleased with the summons which came in the shape of a polite note from Miss R0wIy asking him to come that after noon at tea time; he had expected to hear from stephen.
 However, he turned up at a little be- fore o'clock, spruce and dapper and well dressed and groomed as usual. He was shown, as before, into the blue drawing room. Miss Rowly, who sat there. rose as he entered, and coming across the room, greeted him, as he Thought. effusively. He actually winced when she called him my dear boy" be- fore the butler.
 She ordered tea to be served at once, and when 1t was over she opened large envelope. and taking from 1t a number of folios, looked over them carefully. Holding thcrp in her lap. she said quietly:
 ssxon will find writing materials on the table. am all ready now to hand over the receipts" Ills eyes giistened. This was good news at all events; the debts were paid. He was free again! In a rapid flash of thought he came to the cohclusion that If the debts were actually paid he need not be civil to the old lady. As 1t was, however, he could not yet afford to have any un- pleasantness. There was still to come that lowering interview with his fath- CT. and he could not look towards 1t satisfactoriiY until he had the assur- ance of the actual documents that he was safe. Miss Rowly was. in her own way reading his mind in his face Her forgnon seemed to follow his every ex- pression like a searchlight. He remem- bered his former interview with her. and how he had been bested in 1t; so he made up his mind to acquiesce In time. He went over to the table and sat down. Taking pen he turned to Miss Rowly and said:
 What shall I writer She answered calmly:
 "Date 1t, and then say Received from Miss Laetitia Rowly the receipts for the following amounts from the va rious nrms hereunder enumerated :" She then proceeded to read them, out, he writing and repeating them as he wrote. Then she added:
 The same being the total amount of my debts which she has kindly paid for naess He paused here; she asked: : s'Why don't you go onf'
 T thought it was Stephen-Miss Nor man," he corrected, catching sight of her lorgnon, "who was paying them" 1"
 Good Lord. man." she answered. 4what does 1t matter who has paid khem, so long as they are paidr'
 sBut I didn't ask you to pay them" he went on obstinately. There was a pause, and then the old lady, with a distinctly sarcastic smile, said.
 : Tt seems to me, young man, that you are rather particular as to how things are done for you. If you had begun 10 be just little bit as particular in making the debts as you are in the way of having them paid, there would be a little less trouble and expense all around. However, the debts have been paid. and we can't unpay them. But Of course you can repay me the money if you like. It amounts in all to four thousand three hundred and seventeen pounds, twelve shillings and sixpence. and have paid every penny of 1t out pf my own pocket. If you can't pay it yourself, perhaps your father would like to do so."
 The last shot told: he went on writ tng: " Kindly paid for me-" she con-