The Marshall republican., 1912-01-26

The Gate In
The Hedge
Why Il Was Closed and
How Opened
BY dARIssA MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911
BY o-ARIssA MAcKIE

little white shoes and reached for her
tennis racket. With a swing of snowy
linen skirts she tripped down the stairs
and out into the golden California sun.
shine.
Playing tennis by oneself Is never
an entertaining pastime. but 1t Is
good exercise, and when n lives with
a beautiful but melancholy maiden
aunt on a retired country estate even
daily gymnastics can border on the
widest excitement.
Pauline's method consisted in sery
ing n or more balls across the net
and then dashing around into the op.
posite court and returning the serv
Ice with lightning rapidity and again
darting back to return the stroke.
Pauline fitted back and forth with
pink cheeks and shining eyes. Her loos.
ened hair fell In two long braids below
her slender waist, and under he-
breath she hummed the happy little
tune broken by painting breath.
Once her strong young arm sent the
ball sailing high over the tall hedge Of
Cherokee roses into the grounds of the
adjoining estate. and II was returned
to her with such surprising swiftness
that involuntarily she seit II back
again with a cry Of triumph.
Again It returned. and once more
Pauline sent It flying over the hedge.
There was n sharp exclamation. soft
steps on the turf. and then over the
dividing wall Of roses appeared a
shock Of sun bleached hair, n pair OF
good gray eyes aud a handsome tan.
ned countenance.
Knocked me out there, little girl"
grinned the young man, holding out
the ball
Pauline's hands dew TO her long
braids and wound them In their accus.
toned coronet. Even then she did not
look a day over fifteen. while she vas
really twenty-five.
IL beg your pardon" said the
stranger. his grin fading away. II
thought you were a little girl. dom
you known
I'm not" explained Pauline with
dignity. THANK you for returning the
ball." holding out her hand. why. It's
not mine." she added. with a puzzled
glance at him. although II has my
initials on IT,"
up. G.f" laughed the man. Those
are mine too. I'm Paul Graham-I
live In the stone house yonder." he ex-
plair ed. "Your ball disappeared. and I
substituted this one"
II know" said Pauline, with a shy
smile. 'rve peeped at the house
through the trees. II looks very lone
iy and mysterious with It's shattered
windows."
They are all wide open now. and II
you care for neighbors-here we nre!'
He smiled in~gratiatingly. "rve heard
there used 10 DO q gate In this Chero.
kee hedge. ! wonder where Il L."
Pauline flushed delicateay and looked
away with embarrassed eyes. 81 be-
lieve the gate was down In the ros,.
garden. II Is nailed up now and over.
grown with roses"
why was II nailed up? DO you
known" he asked bluntiy.
She shook her head slightly. ~ have
often wondered Once asked my
aunt. Miss Greye. but she never an.
swered my question. A gate between
two gardens always seems SO friendly.
Don't you think sor"
He nodded This used TO be our
home. you know-the stone house, I
mean-but II Is many years since we
lived here. Since I vas a little boy !
distinctly recollect that gate In the
hedge, and l have always retained a
vision Of a stately young woman with
Jet black hair and q coldly beautiful
face, who walked In q wilderness OF
roses on the other side Of the Rats."
"That nus have been Aunt Ruth
said Pauline. Only her hair q Ike
snow. But she is stili beautiful and
30 cold. ! wish she were not
I'm taking q holiday. I wish your
aunt would invite me over to play ten
mis-. Perhaps she remembers me-" sug-
gested Graham.
SIN sure she would invite you II she
knew you were here" said Pauline
politely. Il must run In now. She
would scold II she knew I had talked
30 long with a stranger. But it's
awfully dull here. That Is my only
excuse" She moved slowly away and
nodded a friendly farewell.
The door of the library was ajar, and
Pauline pushed IL gently open and
peeped inside.
Seated e a hat desk was Ruth
Greye. In the sabdued light Of the
dimly lighted room she looked like 4
marble statue. Her gown was white.
and above II her white throat arose IN
. stately column to support her beau
tiful head. Her face was lovely In
spite Of Its pallor and crowned with
soft masses Of prematureiy whitened
hair. Her brows formed straight black
lines. and the dark lashes and brown
eyes were dropped over the desk. One
white hand glided smoothly across the
paper as she wrote.
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