Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-09-13
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 10 1929
The Debt of
Honor
By JANE OSBORN
,oooooooooooooooooo,

A DEPRESSING and unaccustomed
silence hung over the supper Ia.
BILE in the Yates dining room. Occa
sionally Mrs. Yates cast knowing
looks at her husband, with side
glances at her Daughter. Dorothy.
who was eating vallantly despite an
aching heart. Her brother Samuel
Yates. was silent because the only
thing he wanted to talk about
was the thing that his father had or
dered him not to mention.
Finally Father Yates said, "Ahem,"
by way Of beginning, and then nfter
a pause and with his eyes on his
wife to see that she approved he be-
gan: II suppose you have heard the
news, Dorothy"
YES" was all she answered
"Have you any idea what made him
leave?"
"No, father" she said, and then bit
her lip and looked down to stlne the
sob in her voice.
well. then there Is something
crooked about II. He would have told
you, guess, If there hadn't been"
Dorothys eyes. now raised daring
ly, were glowing with Indignation.
"How can you say that?" she asked.
"You know Tom Payson didn't take
anything with him. know what
you've been doing all day You've
been asking down at the bank and nll
around TO see II he forged check
or anything"
"That's just what we have been
doing said the father. 80 far ev-
erything seems to be o. X. And the
funny thing about It Is that he went
Off without ever getting cent Of
what's due him for the work he hns
done"
'Why, papa" interjected Mrs.
Yates, "Tom has worked here nearly
three months. Why In the world
didn't you pay him regularly. same ms
the other hired menu"
"'Cause he asked me not to when
he came.' said Mr. Yates, with sat
isfactlon Mt not being to blame. HE
said he'd rather have the money pill
ing up, or something of the sort.
Yes" went on Mr.. Yates, 1--WE had
the other thing happen, but ! don't
know as ever heard of just this sort
of thing | remember the time Henry
cleared out owing me for horse fod.
der I'd been supplying him all winter"
How much did he owe you, dad"
asked the practical Samuel.
Just three hundred and ninety
two dollars and half" said Mr..
Yates. 81 remember" Then lie
stopped short and looked around ut
the faces of the members of his fam
lily round the supper table. They had
all been struck by the same fact Mt
the same time.
"Did 1t ever strike YOU" Mr.. Yates
asked his wife slowly, that this Eel.
low looked mite like Henry Glover
like enough to be his SOM"
"But how could he be his son when
his name Is Paysoni' asked Dorothy.
A week later Mr.. Yates announced
that he had had letter from that
fellow that disappeared"
"What I was going to say" said
Mr.. Yates, "ls that this young fellow
Tom Payson is GIover's nephew. lie
went out West and so did his folks.
and seems like now old Glover has
died and Payson found out that he'd
left this debt. Might have been dy.
ing request of the old mans. And 50
Paysou comes on and pays the debt in
the only way he can, by working II
ont He doesn't say Il I'm lust that
manv words In his letter" Mr.. Yates
continued "but Iudpe that ts what
bappened Ue saws though that he
sin owes the interest. bnt hem got