Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-15
The Gates Of Silence
BY Meta Smmins, Author Of"Hn5hed Up"

should | pretend to you? have taken a |
house near-pear Bilmouth | want to be |
near Jack. II has come to me that it is
my duty
You are going down to Bilmouth TO |
be near jack Betty Lumsden repeated /
in a startled voice. "Oh, Mrs Rimington, |
how grand, how noble of you"
There was hushed note in her voice, !
and she looked a the woman before her
with eyes fun OF reverence, as a child
might look a. 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 SPLEEN
did in doing what is your obvious duty.
! believe my nephew to be wrongfully
accused man. and such his imprison-
ment is not punishment. but martyr
dom. ! can do nothing 20 help him: !
have no money to spend in trying to es-
| tabiish his innocence. and | arm certain
that it would be money Uselessiv spent II
l had But l have my life that l can
give TO his se-vice-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 sudden impulsive move
ment Of her hands
| But il is splendid" she said. Most
| splendid. Mrs. Rimington | would give
all that l have to do what you are doing
! for the JOY of such service
/ Deborah Rimington laughed.
! For the JOY of living in a three-roomed
! cottage on a desoate moor. my dear
Betty she said. "Of living on practical
! ly prison fare of rising and seeking rest
at prison hours? 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. l ask for nothing better I ask
| for no charity, for no wages; let me come
| just as your serVant-for house room and
food"
Deborah Rimington's eyes glowed sud
denly beneath the veil, drawn low on her
brow that all but shrouded them
| I'm give you the trial. she said. grimly
But don't cry out if YOU are hurt. You've
lived as a princess. Betty Lumsden; you
will have to learn to live as herdsman's
daughter at my cottage on the moor"
The girl gave a short laugh that was
| threaded with tears.
All, YOU don't know me-" she cried.
ut is much for a woman to do for the
man she loves? 1t 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 its great guns came echo
ipp
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.
slngle-storied cottage were bowed al
most fiat 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
~ 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 LIES 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 Remington 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 year must be to
the man she loved. Betty Lumsden was
not a coward; she had counted the cost
before she threw in her lot with Deborah
Remington. 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. Rimngton
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 her king
dom; Mrs Rimington used the remain
ing 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.