. Counting out three ten dollar greenbacks,
the boy requested the tanner to figure up the interest on the note.

"There's no interest to pay and there's no note to pay; here is the
cancelled note paid in full." As the man pushed the note toward the boy
he was written in red ink across the face, "Paid", and also the date.

Alfred demurred. "No, Mr. Steele, I never paid the note, I won't have it
that way."

"Well," replied the tanner, "I am not in the habit of taking that which
is not coming to me. A friend of yours called sometime ago and informed
me that he owed you money and that you was desirous of paying off the
note."

"Joe Thornton!" guessed Alfred, without a moment's hesitation.

"Yes, he was the man. How did Mr. Thornton know that I held your note?"

"Well, that's where I broke my word with you, but I couldn't very well
get around it. I did Mr. Thornton a favor, he told me he wanted to
reward me. I told him I was in trouble, I owed money and I had no way to
pay it and I would apply whatever he gave me on the note. He gave me an
order for a suit of clothes but he never mentioned the note. I am as
much surprised as you; I never dreamed he would pay the note for me."

"Then you did not borrow the money from Thornton?"

"No sir, I did not."

"Well, I would not contract the borrowing habit. The borrower is always
a servant to the lender."

The mother was troubled. "How did it come that Eli paid for services in
advance? Others never paid their employes until they performed their
labor."

Alfred airily informed her that it was the custom in the show business
to pay in advance, that is, the good actors always drew their pay in
advance. In fact, he assured the mother that it was the only way to keep
good actors, keep them in debt to you; even then, sometimes, they'll run
off with another troupe.

"Well, what do you purpose doing with this money Mr. Eli left here for
you?" enquired the mother.

"Oh, I want you to keep it for me. I'm going to send you all my money;
you use whatever you please, use it all if you want to."

"I will keep this money for you," she said, "something seems to tell me
you will need it later on."

Lin allowed that Alfred would never need money thereafter. "Ef ye git a
good start ye'll jes hev cords of greenbacks, an' I believe yere on the
right road. I jes tol' yer muther, I ses, 'Mary,' ses I, 'Alfurd ain't
fit fer nuthin' only minstrel showin', he's gittin' more un more like a
ni