Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-15
TODAY'S INSTALLMENT.
The Red House.

Just for a moment, as she looked at
him in the clear candlelight of the Croft
drawing room, the man who spoke to her
in such kindly accents, with so deferen-
tial a sympathy. had doomed up before
Betty's eyes in a terrible guise. An en-
emy-a man VINO had trapped her father
and destroyed nina man who wished
to make capital of her distress and her
need, that he might destroy her, too. She
hardly knew how she had got rid of him
how she had performed that hardest of
all tasks, the parrying OF offers of help,
but what she had known with perfect
Clearness was that she must seek sane
tusry where he would not dare to intrude
she must find a protector for herself
Before SAKE had left the house Bet
tvs thoughts had fed to the widowed
mistress of the Red HOuse-to Jack Rim
ingtons aunt There had never been
much intimacy between them. Like Rim
ington himself she had always felt that
this was a woman whose real life was
interior and remote from the world in
which she moved; as a child, she had
often wondered at Toby Rimington's te-
merity in playing his boyish jokes upon
her, vet she had never taken them amss
she was kindly. She was a good wOm-
an, if reserved one. 1t was not posi-
bic that she could refuse to help her in
her present distress.
The gates of the Red House stood open
That was fact that ought to have sur
prised Betty, had her thoughts not been
flying like scattered sheep before the wolf
of fear. There were deep ruts on the
gravel of the drive, as though some heavy
vehicle had recently passed up or down.
Betty, as she reached the front door, saw
that 1t stood open and realized with a
startled dismay that the old stone hall
was dismantled and empty, save for the
debris of straw and paper that removal
leaves behind it.
Mrs Rimingtonu With little gasp
ing cry of relief. Betty sprang forward
and aCcosted the figure of the mistress of
the house, who, in bonnet and cloak, with
heavy veil covering her face, was crossing
through to one of the rooms. II had
no idea you were going away"
why, Betty" Mrs. Rimington turned,
putting back her veil There was sur
prise in her eyes as she looked a the girl
who stood on the threshold, for Betty, in
her panic, had seized a lace scarf and
she was in the thin house dress she had
been wearing when SAKE called. The
evening was sharply chill, but until that
moment she had not been conscious OF it.
My dear child, l hope nothing has hap
pened. You look terribly upset"
Everything has happened" Betty
cried. with a great fearless sob. And
now you are going away, Mrs. Remington.
Oh, don't know what ] shall do! T.
She broke down completely, hiding her
face on the elder woman's shoulder, blurt-
ing out the story of her fathers death,
hurting out something. too, of the fears
that had driven her there tonight.
Il hoped prayed-that perhaps you
would take me in-give me shelter" Betty
whispered. "For-for Jacks sake"
She could feel aauiver run through Mrs.
Rimington's slight form.
A Noble Act.
MY dear child, you know how gladly |
would have helped you; but 1 am going
away Didn't you know that? l am leav-
ing Weybourne forever" There was a
perceptible hesitation in her voice. and
she continued, almost hardly: Il am
going into the country. No, Betty why