Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-24
INITIALS ONLY" 1z1M4

death. If these brothers were to meet on
the morrow 1t must be with the full un-
deEs landing that this especial topic was to
| be completely avoided But in what
words could he urge, such a request upon
this man? None suggested themselves,
yet he had promised Miss Scott that he
would ensure his silence in this regard,
and il was with this difficulty and no
other he had been struggling when Mr..
BrotheFson came upon him in the other
room
You have stiB something to say sug-
gested the latter, as an oppressive silence
swallowed up that icy sentence / have
already recorded.
II have" returned Mr. Challoner, re-
gaining his courage under the exigencies
of the moment Miss Scott is very anx-
ious to have vur promise that you will
avoid all disagreeable topics with your
brother till the doctor pronounces him
strong enough to meet the trouble which
awaits him
You mean"
He is not as unhappy we. He
knows nothing of the affliction which has
befallen him. He was taken ILL" The
rest was almost inaudible
But Orlando Brotherson had no diff
Guilty in understanding him, and for the
second time in this extraordinary inter
view, he gave evidences of agitation and
of mind shaken from it's equipoise. But
only for an instant. He did not shun
the others gaze or even maintain more
than o momentary silence. Indeed, he
found strength to smile, in a curious,
sardonic way, as he said:
DO you think ! should be apt TO
breach this subject with any one. let
Ii
I shall need days to realize? I'm not 50
given to gossip. Besides, he and l have
other topics Of interest 1 have no in
vention ready with which / propose TO
experiment in place he has already pre-
pared for me. We can talk about that"
! The irony, the hardy self-posession with
which this was said struck Mr.. Challoner
| to the heart. Without a word he wheeled
about towards the door Without word
Brotherson stood, watching him go till he
saw his hand fall on the knob when he
quietly prevented his exit by saying:
Unhappy truths can not belong con-
cealed How soon does the doctor think
my brother can bear these Inevitable rev
| lations?''
HE said this morning that if his pa
tient were as well tomorrow as his pres
ept condition gives promise of, he might
/
Orlando bowed his appreciation of this
| fact, but added quickly:
who is to do the tellng?"
Doris Nobody else could be trusted
with so delicate a task"
II wish to be present"
| Mr.. Challoner loked up, surprised al the
feeling with which this request was
charged
! f'As his brother-his only remaining
relative, | have that right. Do you think
that Dor-that Miss Scott, can be trusted
not TO forestall that moment by any
previous hint of what awaits him."
IF she so promises. But will you ex-
act this from her? 1t surely can not be
necessary for me to say that your pres
ence will add infinitely to the difficulty of
her task"
! Yet it is a duty can not shirk.
will consult the doctor about it, | will
make him see that both understand and
shall insist upon my rights, in this matter
But you may tell Miss Doris that l will
sit out of sight, and that l shall na OBJ
trude myself unless my name is brought
up I'm an undesirable way"
/ The hand on the doorknob made a sud
| den movement
Mr.. Brotherson. can bear no more
! tonight With your permission. / will
leave this question TO be settled by 9TH
ers" And with repetition of his former
bow the bereaved father withdrew
| Orlando watched him till the door
closed, then he too dropped his mask
| But 1t was on again, when in q litte
while he passed through the sitting room
on his way upstairs
No other day in his whole life had been
J like this TO the hardy inventor for in 1T
| both his heart and his conscience had
/ been awakened and up to this hour he
/ had not really known that ne possessed
either
What Is He Making
other boxes addressed 10 . Brotherson
had been received at the station. and car