Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-07
The Kingdom of.
Slender Swords
ByHallie Erminie Ripes
Author of Hearts Courageous. Satan
Sanderson," Etc
Copyright. 1910. The Bobbs- Merrill Co.


1T will be here" the bishop said.
answering her thought. ut is to be put
in place in time for the dedication serv-
ice tomorrow morning" He stepped to
the door and peered into the interior.
You will want to look about a bit, no
doubt. L have a call to make in the
neigh born ood-suppose l stop on my
way back for you"
For a few moments after his depar-
ture Barbara stood listening to the
dulled sound Of the workmen S. tools. The
roof of the temple opposite had a curv-
ing. Tartar-like ridge. at either end of
which was huge fish, it's head pointed
inward, its wide forked tail twisted high
in air.
She crossed the lane and looked into
the shady Enclosure, where the bronze
lanterns and the tombstones stood, as
gray and lichened as the stone beneath
her feet. The whole place was drenched
in tone limped and serene, the very
infusion of peace. Only in the black
temple interior she caught the dim glow
of candles and somewhere a mufIied
baton was tapping on hollow wood.
Min -. Min . Min -. :.
Min Min Min :. Min-Min-
Min Observation-Disclosures ~ :" At first
slowly, then faster and faster, till the
notes merged and died away in NUT
IeTlnKs TOLL 10 DGElH once more Will
the slowness of a leisure metronome.
The ornate front of the building on
the right of the yard attracted her and
she went nearer. Beyond the hedge she
could see a portion of it's garden. Re-
fiecting that this was temple property,
and hence, no doubt. open to the public,
she Unmatched It's, bamboo gate and en-
tered.
Before her curved line of fiat step
ping stones set in clean, gray gravel.
On one side was a low camellia hedge
spotted with blossoms of deep crimson
and on the other a miniature thicket of
fern and striped ground-bamboo. Beyond
this rose messy hillock up whose green
sides clambered an irregular pathway,
set with tall Shinto lanterns and large
stones, like gigantic, many-colored quartz
pebbles. Here and there the flushed pink
of cherry trees made the sky tapestry
of blue-rose, and in the hollows grew
a FURNISHED, purple shrub that seemed to
be powdering the ground with the velvet
petals OF pansies. For a moment Bar
bara shut her eyes to fix the picture for
ever on her brain.
she opened them again to a flood of
sunlight on the gilded carvings of the
ancient structure. Its shoji had been
noiselessly drawn open, and man
stood there looking fixedly at her.
ALA.
1t was the man she had seen that
morning at the entrance to the little
park.
Barbara realized instantly and uneas-
ily that she was an intruder Yet she
felt an intense interest, mixed of what
she had heard and of what she had
imagined His outer street costume had
now been laid aside; he wore japanese
dress, with dark gray houri and White
cleft sock. His iron-gray head was bare
The expression of his face was con-
scious and alert, with a sort of savage
shyness.
Il am afraid am intruding," she
said.
~ ought to have known the garden
was private"
private gardens may sometimes o.
seen. l suppose"
The words were ungracious. though
the timber OF The
and soft. Il beg your pardon. she
said. and moved away.
He made gesture, QUICK timld
movement of one hand, and stepped
down toward her. No" he said almost
violently. II don't want you to so
Can't you see 1 mean you to stay
Barbara saw clearly now the vari-
alton in his eyes; the larger one was
clouded, as though a film covered the
IT'S. 1t gave AcI Slight LCChA6 "a
repugnance, which she instantly regret
ted, for, as though rendered conscious
of 1t through a sensitiveness almost
telepathic, he turned slightly, and put
a hand to his brow to cover it.
"Oh," she said hastily, II am glad
This is the most beautiful garden
have ever seem
He looked at her. quickly and keen'y
with his one bright tye. 1t held none
-. r1flo
Of the Japanese; IT was sharp and rest
less. Its brilliance. under eyebrows
that seemed on the verge OF rroIr,
was almost fierce. The curved. gray
mustache did not hide the strong. lr-
regular, white teeth
You know japanese gardens?
Not yet" she answered. Japan is
new to me L needn't say how lovely
think this is-you must grow tired
hearing strangers rhapsodize over 1t.
strangers" he laughed; the sound
was not musical like his spoken voice
but harsh and grating. Il have one
joy-no stranger ever dreams of com
ing to see met
Il should have said your friends
said Barbara.
Friends would be more troublesome
than my enemies" he said grimly, who
at least, never ask me where | don't
want to CO."
She looked at him wonderingiy. she
had never met any one in the least ike
him His features were refined ami ul-
questionably aristocratic, but his whole
expression was quiveringly sensit tive.
resentfully shy 1t was the expression,
she thought. of one whom a look might
cut like a whiplash, word sting lSe
a soaring acid.
1.-The only foreigners l know are those
who write me letters: malicious bus;
bodies, people who want subscriptions
to all sorts of shams. or invite me 10
join respectable, humbug societies, or
write merely to crafty a low CURIOSITY.
AS for friends. have none.
Surely, I saw you with one this
morning" she said, with a smile.