The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1919-12-11
Paid in Full
o0
By WALTER J. DELANEY
Copyright. 1919. by the Western News
paper Union)


For a dying man. Mark Walton was
strangely jOyial, cheersome and rec
onciled. The fiat had gone forth from
his physician that his days were num-
bered, and when some twenty friends
and relatives We're invited to his house
at a prescribed hour one afternoon,
they stared at one another and then
at the tlower-decorated house, at an
orchestra made up of violin, cello and
harp in an alcOve and then through
an open doorway into the capaciouS
dining room, where a table was set
cleaning with crystal and silver aS
though anticipatory of some rare fes-
tai occasion.
Il wonder what we are here for?'
whispered a half-third cousin of their
host to an equally distant relative.
supposed it was 10 say good-by
to a dying man." came the low-Spolen
response, but the layout suggests
feast"
When dinner was announced and
| The guests trooped into the dining
room they found Mr.. Walton propped
| up in an invalid chair, pale and thin,
/ but with welcoming smile on his
/ face. He remained at the table, but
/ partOok very sparingly of the meal,
/ while urging his guests to enjoy a
| good dinner. He chatted Familiarity
with one and all Of those present.
/ His niece Estele Bliss. great ia
/ vorite with the old man, SAT- at his
right hand. The chair at his left was
occupied by Alan Bruce. The latter
was a young man in nOwise related
to Mr.. Walton, but he had been sort
of occasional secretary for the latter
off and on for a year.
"My friends" spoke Mr.. Walton,
when the sumptuous repast had been
dispatched, you include all the peo-
pie, relatives and friends, for whom l
have warm sentiment of confidence
and liking. I wish you to enjoy
pleasant evening-music and dancing
and visiting together, and toward
midnight when you have fully enjoy
ed yourselves I will meet you all in
the library. There / wish to distrib-
ute my fortune among you"
There was a vast fiutter among the
throng. Suddenly vague hopes were
raised. The envious ones looked at
Estelle and Alan.
But all the innocent, gentle-hearted
thought of Estelle was fidelity to this
good old man, while Alan considered
that he had been well paid for all he
had done for a generous employer,
and had no right to expect any share
in the announced distribution.
my physician, Mr.. Walton" pur-
SIZED, tells me l may live here a
month. In another climate perhaps
q half a year, so l am going away and
you will probably never see me again.
I want no squabbling over my small
possessions when / am gone, but har-
mony and satisfaction among you all.
have converted my holdings into
ready cash. Each of you will receive
a sealed envelope containing what l
have thought best and just to award
you. would prefer that none Of you
ever discloses the amount you have re-
ceived.
Estelle and Alan drifted together,
danced together, conversed together
all the evening. They were very well
acquainted and had become warm
friends. When the goodnight melody
was played each one Of the group pass
ed into the library, received sealed
envelope, and Mr.. Walton shook hands
with them with kindly word and they
saw him for the last time, for he died
on his journey South two days later.
Alan Bruce was startled and then
mystified as he opened the envelope
addressed to himself. 1t contained
twenty one thousand dollar bills. In a
corner of the envelope, however, wad-
ded up as if it had got there acciden-
tally, was a note, or rather what was
left of it. The same bore an old date
The signature was torn Off 1t. Had
been made out to Robert Thorne,'
whoever he was, and was Cancelled by
him. "Paid in full"
Alan placed the twenty thousand
dollars in safety deposit box and said
nothing to anybody about 1t. But he
did a deal of thinking. Somehow he
felt that there must be some mistake
Had he got money intended for some
one else. And then the mystery OF the
Cancelled note. He learned that 1t hac
leaked out that Estelle had received
only five hundred dollars, and thai
many were censuring Mr.. Walton fol-
leaving so mean a pittance to his ia
vorite niece. One day he met Estell'
on the street.
"Mr. Bruce" she said, 81 value you
good opinion and / know you respected
and esteemed Uncle Mark. People arr
condemning him because he left M
only five hundred dollars. The trutl
is he acted most literally, for we learn
ed he had paid five thousand dollars
father owed to a Mr.. Thorne. Fathe
is like another being since that ter
rible load Is honorably lifted from hi
shoulders. Are you illf'
No! Only electrified with suddel
illumination. In a fash Alan discern
ed that there had indeed been a mis-
take. The twenty thousand dollar
and the Cancelled note were intende'
for Estelle and the five hundred dollar
II