Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-30
The Gates of Silence
BY Meta Smm1n5, Aufh0y Of "Hn5hed Up"

there with a gun. You would not dare
| TO shoot-even If YOU knew how, which
YOU don't, my good Jex"
! ooh. YES I can shoot straight enough,
| Mr. SAKE. lex said. He had dropped the
redundant sir" but there was still that
infection Of ironic respect in his voice.
! Straight enough, I assure you; only that
/ is a pleasure ! must deny myself The
police are coming. and / mustn't inter
] fere with the due course Of the law
The Game Up.
THE police What do YOU mean"
! Saxe's iusolence was superb, but he
passed the tip Of his tongue over his
/ dry lips. He knew well enough what he
meant The game was up; the colossal
carelessness which had overlooked this
! brass bound box and its contents had
done him in at last. He saw ruin star
ing him in the face. once the police be
gan. where would they end? All the ugly
| secrets Of Tempest street would come out
his connection with the murdered man.
/ the trade they had shared Perhaps
/ knew? they might even connect him
with the murder
! The skin under Saxe's hair pricked All
the CAV insouciance Of his manner was
gone; over the golden hued skin the ugly
pallor Of fear lay Ike mask OF gray
paint
| do I need TO be more expHcit-M Des-
| chapel? The English police have a sum
mary method Of dealing with blackmail
i 1t is not one Of those Professionals which
commend themselves to the English mag
! nation"
! Just for moment his malice got the
better of him, his arm wavered a little,
his weapon lowered SAKE vgilant and
agile as a cat, saw his chance. With a
sudden !unge forward he had caught the
weapon and the hand that held it in a
grip that was like a wise
I'm do for you" he cried you
treacherous cur Of an informer! I'll make
| YOU curse the day that you were born"
For the moment Jex, slight and fragile,
| In no physical sense a match for the man
who stood over him with the living fire
Of hatred in his eyes, was absolutely at a
disadvantages then suddenly, unexpected-
! w. he kicked out. Taken utterly by sur
| prise, SaXe's grip relaxed There was a
report cry hoarse and ugly like that Of
a wounded beast. and Paul SAKE mrched
and stumbled and fen face forward by the
/ side OF the round table by the bed
/ lex stood looking down at him, his
face white and terror stricken
! What had he done?
With fingers that trcmhled he thrust
the revolver under Paul Saxes outflung
/ hand, then, on an almost unconscious
/ impulse seeing that dusk had fallen on
the room, he struck a match and lighted
the oil lamp that stood on the table
above the dead man.
The police must have light to guide
them when they came He drew the
blind up 10 the top and left the bed
room door wide open; then. cautiously
and stealthiy. az though hidden eyes
and ears watched and listened, he crept
down the stairs and out into the desert
ed street.
The sguboard Of the Toby jug rat
tied and swung in the rising wind as
the little figure came down the street
a quaint figure with pgtais flying and
long legs on which the ungartered black
stockings hung discons olately like with
ing snakes, necessitating frequent and
irritated clutches on the part of their
woarer TO prevent them descending alto
gether
At the door Of the shop the child
stopped and looked up at the swayng
sign with eyes of ecstatic welcome.
Looking 1T to bust ITSELF as usual,
bless I'm" she said, then opening the
| shop door. cautiously she went in.
No one came out of the parlor at the
sound OF the tinkling bell, but on the
threshold of the shop the gray cat met
her with agitated mewinEs and appraised
tail There was a slight haze in the
air, and an acrid smell MS OF slnged wool.
Ress raised her head and shifted dis
tastefully
"Somehnks on fire, don't fink" She
said. Then, raising her voice, she called
"Grandad. Grandad"
There was no answer. and a little
tremor shook the child She was tired
and on the verge Of tears as it was.
Since early morning she had not tasted
food The journey from Sussex had
cost her every penny Of the carefully
boarded pocket money her grandfather
had sent her from time TO time For
Bess had fulfilled her threat-she had
4 run away from the "Renuewoman" who
had. for consideration. consented to
mold her future after her own model
back 90 the beloved shop in the West
minister Stun and III, old man and the
cat that SO far as she was capable of
affection she loved
"Wots appened2" the child said. with
a little catch in her breadth. "Oh, my
lor. wots appened?"
She stepped 60 the foot of the stairs
and looked mp. There was a great blaze
of light and the smell of burning had
increased. with a choking little cry She
ran upstairs
To Be Continued in Next Issue.