The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-09-01
SHE COLLECTED
THE ACCOUNT
By MARY D. JENNINGS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

sent collector after him, and the man
came back with a black eye. He sent
another man, and he came back with
broken jaw. Reinhart found it i'm
possible to get any more collectors
after that, for he felt in honor bound
to tell them that Merritt was fight
ing man and sent every collector back
with some damage instead of the
amount due.
One day young woman came into
| Remnants store and asked him If he
had any bad debts to give her for
collection. She was pretty, and good
natured smile continually played about
her red lips, just like a humming bird
fitting near flower.
Suddenly bright thought struck
Relnhart. He would give this girl
Merritt's debt to collect He told her
that there was an amount he would
like to get in, but felt bound to in
form her of the reception his men col
lectors had met and to warn her
that she would be liable to receive
some pretty rough treatment
"Just the kind of man l like" she
said, with the same delightful smile
81 have no use for these mild man
nered men-ha, ha! But you don't
think he'll really hurt me, do your?
Reinhart told her that any man
who would hurt such a charming
young woman would be brute indeed
and assured her that If she received
any bodily injury from Merritt he
ReinharD would have Merritt arrested
and see that he was punished.
The amount of the bill was $1S5.57,
told the girl Miss Anthem she called
HERSELF that he would give her half
the amount If she succeeded in collect
ing 1t all and 30 per cent Of whatever
amount she did collect. He made out
a fresh bill and gave it to the collector,
and she went away smiling.
The next day Miss Anthem went to
see Merritt, with the same pleasant
smile on her face, and succeeded in
getting into his house without his
knowing her errand. He received her
kindly, but when she sprung the bill
on him he told her that If she didn't
leave instantly she would be elected.
She replied by sitting down in Mer-
ritts study-he was literary man
and, removing her hat, let him see
that she was going to stay till she
chose to go. But she smiled on him
that perpetual smile Of hers, and the
debtor, forgetting his debt, watched 1t,
wondering where it came from. She
didn't seem bit afraid, paying no at
tention to his threat to have her put
out. She ratified on about various
things in q simple and childlike way,
saying nothing more about the collec-
ton. She sat an hour, after which
she arose and asked if Merritt would
take up the matter Of paying Rein
harris account if the interest were re-
mitted. Since there was nothing very
definite in this, Merritt said that If
the interest were deducted he would
surely consider putting the matter IN
shape for ultimate payment.
He chuckled when he closed the
door on the collector and thought
what an innocent, guileless girl she
was. Surely Reinhart had resorted to
very stupid method of getting his
account. But Merritt noticed that the
girl had left her smile behind her.
He was writing q story at the time OF
her entrance and attempted to con-
tinue it after her departure. 1t re-
fused to be continued. 1t seemed to
Merritt that his characters We're
laughing at him. He threw down his
pen and, taking up his hat, started out
to walk off this indispOsition for work
that had come upon him.
The next afternoon Miss Anthem call
ed again on Mr.. Merritt, and it seemed
TO the author that fountain sparkling
and making rainbows in the sun had
come in with her. She began by say
ing something pleasant, and ran from
that to something else pleasant, and
then something else pleasanter still, till
II occurred to Merritt that she was
like the girl in the fairy story who
every time she spoke, dropped pearl
from her lips. She made herself at
home as before, and Merritt made no
threat of ejectment. When she depart
ed she told him that Reinhart was
perfectly willing to throw off the In
terest from his bill, and she wished to
know what Mr.. Merritt thought Of a
compromise Of the account at 80 cents
on the dollar.
Merritt dismissed her, saying that
he thought 30 cents on the dollar quite
enough to pay under the circumstances,
and Miss Author took her departure,
again leaving her smile behind her. A
fortnight passed and she had not
called again. Merritt missed her. One
dav he met her on the street and asked
her when she was coming to receive
payment for the compromise amount
of the Reinhart bill. She told him that
Reinhart wanted the full amount OF
the bill, with the interest.
"Well, come in and talk it over" he
said.
The next day Merritt was revived by
call from the collector. 1t seemed
that he had been living at the north
pole in December and with her en-
trance he had been transferred to the
land of the never setting sun.
To shorten a long story, Merritt
agreed to pay the full amount of the
account on installments. Miss Anthem
called for the installments, giving a re-
ceipt and a smile for each. For the
last installment she gave him kiss
and he gave her an engagement ring.
HOW'S This!
We offer one Hundred Dollars Reward for any