Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-11
3 3 "The Gates of Silence 3 3
BY Meta SDumtuA lluth@ u FLUSHED

His tone was eminently reasona hle;
remington realized that Yet, much as
he desired 10 see Betty. essential as it
vas that he should tell her about the dis
covery Of her bag. an almost womansh
instinct prompted him to refuse. The
thought of that hour OF vigil in the silent
house in Tempest street rose up again
within him. Of Saxes voice outside in
earnest colloauy with the besieging po
lice Then. looking up, he encountered
tho gaze of Paul SAKE steady eyes. vel
low now in the sunlight like the under
markings Of snake
But YOU will not refuse" SAKE re-
peated
And something in that look as utte"ly
beyond reason as his own prompting in
stinct told Rimington thai he could not
reuse
At the Sian Of the Toby JUG.
The wind thai had risen with surpris-
ing suddenness. swept ssva gely around
the corner OF the street 1t raised a com
pact column Of dust and leaves from the
scorched plane trees in the adjoining thor
oughfare, and sent it circling about the
creakng sgnboard Of the corner shop.
Whereon an obese gentleman in flowing
Wastcoat and three cornered hat stared
t'' i'N1 itV WdN Will RtiilIoSV ~ 60 lilC
Swaying movement gave to the low 'front.'
cd figure an odd semblance of life: the
pursy. incarnadned countenance seemed
tn glow with wrath the thick lips to
culver and gobble with Indignation
Tho door Of the shop opened. and little
girl came out and looked UP 1t the sway
int sign
"l.ool,s fit to bust imselt grandad, g"
She called over her shoulder into the
shop Gee Amt e angry? Not alt E
aIn't"
She gave little squeal OF laughter as
She spoke looking up al the pictured man.
herself weird, elfsh little figure, with
bacll-cad legs looking extraordinaIily
long under the abbreviated skirts OF
frock of Rob Roy tartan. Her haid, Of
4 crude. uncompromising red, was parted
with geometrical precision from her brow
10 Tho nape Of her neck. and tightly
plated in two long pigtails.
The sound of her laughter was as elhn
2 her aspect 1t conveyed an impress
sion that she found deliberate Joy in
The contemplation of the imaginary sut-
ferng with which she credited the figure
on the sgnboard an uneasy suspicion
that had they been the actual sufferings
of a real person, her pleasure would have
The sound served ia bring her unseen
auditor 70 the shop door He showed
himself as small fra gile- looking man,
greatly bent, as through age or illness
with pale rather we'll featured face
that Nss refined and even sweet in eX-
prcysiun untn he smiled as he did now
laying his band on tho rcd head of the
lttlo ci;l But when he smiled the thin
archcd nose came down little too low
over coorlcss lips and the bushy eve
hroWg. black and pleuifully sprinlded
with gray, went UP a little too high into
the lined forehead 10 he plea SAINT. and re-
1caed 7air Of eyes just d tri1e too
near set
NE stood Tor moment with his hand
on trc cbilds head. looking down The
NiudsNcld street, where die first slow
drops OF thunder shower we're begin
INNS to paiter % the pavement
seems Ia be blowing mp for storm.
Rc.s." He said. "1hats what's bother
ing our friend up there Hes feelin'
tNiugcs Of rheumatism been livin' too
VOL I expect.
Ills voice had pleassnt quality, even
certain refinement Of tone, despite
distressing huskness lie drew out his
watch. cumbrous and old fashioned thai
had hulged on his wsistcoat like some
mous,rous growth, glanced al it,: then,
pulling the little girls pgtails gently,
hade her set back into the shop.
"Go into your nanny" he said. She
viii be ceiling frghtened-h6e She al
WAYS knows when there's storm coming.
shouldn't be surprised il this was
pretty sharp one heard the first peal.
The child scampered back obediently.
bat The old man himself stood for
moment or Two in the doorway, looking
nm the street Presently from the shop
cat came siding out 1t rubbed itself.