Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-08

| "Olu9 VI! scraps OF SoulleSS pa per. ard |
am glad that they can not, I love you
lor your impotence; for your purpose.
and for the manliness which will win for
you yet all that you covet Of fame. ac-
comphshment and love You expect no
reply but there are ways in which one
can keep silent and yet speak. Won't
you be surprised when your answer comes
III manner you have never thought OFF,
| Confusion
| In his interest in what was going on on
| the other side of the wall. Sweetwa+er
had forgotten himself Daylight had de-
clined, but in the darkness of the closet
this change had passed unheeded Night
Itself might come, but that should not
! force him to leave his post so long as his
neighbor remained behind his locked door,
! brooding over the words of love and de-
votion which had come to him. as it were,
from the other world
But he was brooding? That sound of
/ iron gathering upon IRON That smother
ed exclamation and the laugh which
| ended It! Anger and determination rang
! IN that laugh. 1t had a hideous sound
| which prepared Sweetwater for the smell
which now reached his nostrils. The let =
ters were burning; this time the lid had
]
ing purpose. Poor Edith Challoner' $
touching words had met a different fate
/ from any which she in her ignorance of
this mans nature.-a nature to which she
/ had ascribed untold 7erfections-could
possibly have conceived
! As Sweetwater thought of this he stir
! red nervously in the darkness, ard
| broke into silent investivo against the
! man who could so insult the memory of
one who had persisted under the blight
| of his own GOODNESS and misunderstand-
hing. Then he suddenly started back sur
prised and apprehensive. Brotherson had
unlocked ihs door. and was com 'ng rapid
| ly his way Sweetwater heard his step
! in the hall and had hardly time to bound
/ from his closet. when saw his own door
burst in and found himself face to face
with his redOubtable neighbor, in a state
of such rage as few men could meet with
out quailing. even were they of his own
stature physical vigor and prowess: and
! SWeetwater was a small man.
| However, disappointment such as he
had Just experienced brings with it a
desperation which often outdoes courage
and the detective, smiling with an air
! Of gay surprise. shouted out:
/ We'll. what's the matter now? Has
Ere or sailed away to lands unknown out
If your open window"
You were coming out of the closet, "
was the fierce rejoinder. What have you
got there? Something which concerns
me, or why should your face go pale at
my presence and your forehead drip with
! sweat? Don't think that you've deceiv-
cd me for a moment as to your business
d aere. I recognized YOU Immediately.
You've played the stranger well, but
you've nose and an eye nobody could
forget | have known all along that had
police spy for neighbor; but it didn't
se2Hc me, I've nothing to conceal, and
wouldn't mind a regiment of you fellows
II you'd only play a straight game. But
when it comes to foisting upon me a par
Gel Of letters to which | have no right.
and then setting fellow like you to count
my Eroans or whatever else they expect
ed to hear, I have q right to defend my
self, and defend myself | will by God!
But first let me be sure that my accuse =
tons viii stand. Come into the closet
with me. 1t abuts on the wall of my
room and has its own secret. l know.
What is it? l have you at an advantage
now, and YOU shall tell
He did have Sweetwater a an advan-
tage and the detective knew it, and dis
dained a struggle which would have only
called. up crowd friendly to the other
but inimical to himself Allowing Broth
ersOn to drag him into the closet. he stood
gUiescent, while the determined man who
= held him with one hand felt about with the
I other over the shelves and along the parti-
tons till he came to the hole which had
offered such a happy means of commun-
inn, hat 4I,, MI
with a laugh almost as bitter in tone as
that which rang from Brotherson's lip he
acknow)" ged that business had it's neces-
sites and that apologies from him were
in order; adding, as they both stepped
'out into the rapidly darkening room:
We've played a bout we two; and
you've come out ahead. Allow me to
congratulate you, Mr.. Brotherson. You We
cleared yourself 50 far as l am concerned.
! I leave this ranch tonight"
The frown had come back to the fore
/ head Of the indignant man who confronted
him
80 you listened" he cried; Listened
when you weren't sneaking under my
eye! y fine occupation for a man who
can dovetail a corner like an adept I
| wish | had let you join the brotherhood
YOU were good enough to mention. They
/ would know how to appreciate your dou-
Bile gifts and how to reward your excel
lence in the one. If not the other What
did the police expect to learn about me
that they should consider it necessary to
call into exercise such extraordinary tai
ents?"
Pm not good at conundrums. 7 was
given a task to perform, and l performed
it," was Sweetwaters sturdy reply Then
slowly, with his eye fixed directly upon
his antagonist, 81 guess they thought you
a man. And so did I until l heard you
burn those letters. Fortunately we have
copies"
"Letters!" Fury thickened the speak
er's voice, and lent a savage CLEAN to his
eye. "Forgeries' Make believes Miss
| Challoner never wrote the drivel you dare
to designate as letters 1t was concocted
at police headquarters. They made me tell
my story and then they found some one
who could WELD the poetic pen. I'm OBJ
liged to them for the confidence they
show in my credulity / credit Miss Chal-
Toner with such words as have been given
me to read here today? l knew the lady,
and ] know myself. Nothing that passed
| between US, not an event in which we