Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-15
"The Gates of Silence
r., ATet, C,uyt,c A Ufboy of g InrbaJ TTh'

should l pretend to you? l have taken
house near-near Bilmouth l want to be
near Jack. 1t has come to me that it is
my duty"
You are going down to Blmouth to
be near JACKIE. Betty Lumsden repeated
in startled voice. "Oh, Mrs. Rimington.
how grand how noble of you!"
There was a hushed note in her voice,
and she looked at the woman before her
with eyes full Of reverence. as a child
might look at some suddenly vouchsafed
vision of an angel.
Don't speak like that; detest ELUSIVE
ness and emotion" the widow said Harsh
ly. There is nothing in the least spen-
did in doing what is Your obvious duty.
believe nay nephew to be a wrongfully
accused man, and as such his impriSon-
ment is not a punishment, bat martyr
dom. can do nothing to help him. |
have no money to spend i'm trying to es-
tabltsh his innocence, and ! am certain
that it would he money Uselessly spent if
had. But | have my life that l can
give to his segvice-the hours of the long
days to spend in prayer for him. 1t will
save him from losing all hope to know
that somewhere. very near. within sight
and sound fhis prison-there is one
faithful heart that believes and watches"
Betty made a sudden impulsive move
ment Of her hands.
But it is splendid" she said. Most
splendid, Mrs. Remington. | would give
all that l have to do what you are doing
for the joy of such service"
% Deborah Huntington laughed.
For the joy of living in a three-roomed
cottage on desolate moor, my dear
Betty" she said. "Of living on practical
ly prison fare, of rising and seeking rest
at prison hours? l Doubt greatly doubt
that even your love for Jack would
stand that test"
Try me-" cried Betty. She moved for
ward, her hands clasped in entreaty
Give me the chance. If you have any
pity for one who is desolate and OPP
pressed and full of fears, give me the
chance. Let me come with you-as your
servant. | ask for nothing better. | ask
for no charity, for no wages; let me come
just as your servant-for house room and
food"
Deborah Rimingtons eyes glowed sud
denly beneath the veil, drawn low on her
brow, that all but shrouded them
'I'll give you the trial." she said, grimly
But don't cry out if you are hurt You've
lived as princess Betty Lumsden; you
will have to learn to live as a herdsmans
daughter at my cottage on the moor"
The girl gave short laugh that was
threaded with tears
All, you don't know me-" she cried
TT is much for a woman to do for the
man she loves? It has been done before
by brave women-by mothers-by
wives
But never as l will do it," said De-
borah Rimington.
There was a gale raging out at sea;
the noise of it's great guns came echo
| ing over the desolate stretches of open
moorland; the sparse growing trees bent
! before its violence as It rushed inland
the barren fruit trees and stunted shrubs
In the garden surrounding the matched,
| single-storied cottage were bowed al
most fat as it whirled and eddied about
the building. snarling and bowling.
Like an EVIL Spirit
1T is like an evil spirit bowling and
threatening, demanding admittance," Bet
| ty Lumsden whispered to herself She
put her hands to her ears to try and
shut QUIT he sound. She was weary of
it. For the two weeks she had been at
the cottage on the moor she had heard
no other sound but this-save the far
off clang of the prison bell But it was
not to be shut Quit seemed to have
| found an entrance to her very brain
To her life's end Betty Lumsden dreaded
and hated the complaining, clustering
voice of he wind.
Only two weeks now since Mrs Riming-
ton and she had reached this isolated
cottage which Mrs. Rimington had bought
within sight and sound Of Bilmouth Jail
weeks that seemed like years to the
girl The slow dragging length of the
days bit into her consciousness all the
more clearly the realization of what those
days that are like a year" must be to
the man she loved. Betty Lumsden was
not coward; she had counted the cost
before she threw in her lot with Deborah
Rimingtcn. Yet already she was begin
ming to realize that it would take all
her fortitude to keep up and not to faint
| with heart WEAKNESS. Mrs. Rimington
had taken her offer absolutely by the let
ter; her position in the cottage was one
! Of subordination. She had her own tiny
bed room and the kitchen as her king
| DOM Mrs. Remington used the remain
ling room as her own, coming out only for
the meals shared in the kitchen, and
speaking little She had always been a
silent woman, and Betty had neevr found
her silence oppressive until now.
To Be Continued in Next Issue.