Payment in Full

Willard McCourtney buys a farm in the west from Moreland Ellington, and finds that he has been buncoed. The property is worthless. Returning east for redress, he discovers that Ellington has closed his place of business and fled. McCourtney is forced, by his poverty, to take a job as waiter in a disreputable café. Some time later, he recognizes Julia, the daughter of Ellington, whom he had met at her father's office, entering the restaurant with a white slaver. McCourtney watches their actions in an alcove box, and is convinced that the girl is about to be drugged and kidnapped. He is filled with the joy of revenge. When Ellington, who has received word of the plot, rushes in a few minutes later, inquiring for his daughter, the man he once wronged tells him that Miss Ellington had been there, but that she had just left. At this moment, a note is handed to McCourtney. He reads that his wife is the mother of a baby girl. Suddenly, his own daughter, in years to come, seems to have exchanged places with Julia Ellington. Horror-stricken, the waiter rushes into the alcove and knocks from Julia's hand the cup of drugged wine just as she is raising it to her lips. Ellington, still unconvinced, returns. He is just in time to rescue his daughter. The slaver escapes. The triumphant father, not recognizing McCourtney, attempts to press upon him a bill. The waiter refuses the money. However, in pulling out his handkerchief to mop his brow, the swindler broker drops his wallet. On returning to inquire for it, he finds that the roll of bills is considerably depleted and accuses McCourtney of having robbed him. In reply, the waiter hands him a paper on which is written, "Received of Moreland Ellington $2,000 repayment in full for the 200 acres of worthless land he sold me. (Signed) Willard McCourtney."