Cañon City record., 1911-10-12
The Gate In
The Hedge
Why 1t Was Closed and
How Opened
BY d-ARIssA MAckIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciation- 1911
BY cLARIssA MAckIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911


breath as she tied the ribbons Of her
little white shoes and reached for he.
tennis rack With swing of snowy
linen skirts he tripped down the stairs
and out into the golden California sur
shine.
Playing tennis by oneself Is never
an enterta- ming pastime. but 1t Is
good exercise. and when one lives with
beautifu' bur melancholy maiden
aunt on retired country estate even
daily gymnastics can border on the
widest excitement
Pauline's method consisted in serv
ing one or more balls across. the net
and then dashing around into the op-
posite cour' and returning the serv-
Ice with lightning rapidity and again
darting back to return the stroke.
Pauline fitted back and forth with
pink cheeks and shining eyes. Her loos-
ened hair fell in two long braids below
her slender waist. and under b,
breath she hummed the happy little
tune broken by painting breath.
Once her strong young arm sent the
ball sailing high over the tall hedge Of
Cherokee roses into the grounds of the
adjoining estate. and IL was returned
to her with such surprising swiftness
that involuntarily she sent It back
again with II cry Of triumph.
Again II returned. and once more
Pauline sent II fiying over the hedge.
There wis a sharp exclamation. soft
steps on the turf. and then over the
dividing wall OF roses appeared a
shock of sun bleached hair. pair -
good gray eyes and a handsome tan
ned countenance.
knocked me out there. little GIRL
grinned ths young man. holding out
the ball.
Pauline's hands few to her long
braids and wound them In their accus
toned coronet. Even then she did not
look a day 'ver fifteen. while she wrs
really twenty-five.
II beg your pardon" said the
stranger. his grin fading away. II
thought you were a little girl. don'f
you known
I'm not" explained Pauline with
dignity. Thank you for returning the
ball. holding out her hand. why. rs
not mine" she added. with puzzl
glance Mt him. although 1t has m
initials on -
"P. CT" laughed the man Those
are mine too. I'm Paul Graham-I
live in the stone house yonder." be es
plair ed "Your ball disappeared. and
substituted this one"
II know said Pauline. with a shy
smile. ''Tre peeped Mt the hous.
through thu trees II looks very lone
iy and mysterious with Its shuttere,i
windows"
"They are all wide open now, and II
you care for neigbbors-here we arer'
He smiled ingratiatingiy. i've heard
there used % he a gate In this Chero-
kee hedge. | wonder where II is"
Pauline flushed delicately and looked
away with embarrassed eyes II be-
lieve the gate was down iu the TO
garden. 1t is nailed mp now and over
grown with roses"
why was 1t nailed up? DO you
know" he asked bluntiy.
She shook her bead slightly, 81 have
often wondered. Once ] asked my
aunt, Miss Greye, but she never an
swered my question. gate between
two gardens always seems so friendly.
Don't you think SOP
He nodded This used TO be our
home. you know-the stone house. :
mean-but II is many years since we
lived here. Since ] was little boy i
distinctly recollect that gate In the
hedge. and ] have always retained a
vision OF stately young woman with
Jet black hair and n coldly beautiful
face. who ialked In a wilderness C
roses on the other side of the gate"
THAT must have been Aunt Ruth" :"
said Pauline. Only her hair is like
snow. But she IL still beautiful and
so cold. wish she were not
I'm taxi g holiday. ] wish your
aunt would nvite me over 10 play ten
mis-. Perhaps she remembers me-" sug
gcsted Graham.
I'm sure she would invite you II she
knew you were here" said Pauline
politely. L must run In now She
would scold II she knew had talked
so long with n stranger. But it,
awfully dull here That Is my onl'
excuse" She moved slowly away and
nodded friendly farewell.
The door the library was ajar. and
Pauline pushed II gently open and
peeped insi, !.
Seated ~ fat desk was Ruth
Greye. In the subdued light Of the
dimly lighted room shr looked like
marble statue Her gown wns white.
and above u Ter white throni arose
q stately colnmn 10 support her beau.
tifui hend Her face was lovely in
spite Of IL lwiior and crowned with
soft masscs Of prrmaturely whitened
hair. Her brows formed straight black
lines. and The dark lashes and brown