Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-07-31
The Gates of Silence
By Meta SmmnJ, Author 0f"Hushed Up"
TO-DAY s INSTALLMENT.

4
TO Jack Rimington waiting in prison
for death with resignation which had in
it nothing short of apathy, the news had
not Yet come
Up until now he had not heard so much
as whisper of the agitation which was
being conducted in his favor In the con-
demned cell there is al least the mercy
Of silence The chaplain. who had not
so long since left him, had said nothing
Of it. He had spoken to Rimington of
resignation to the will of God of a heart
serene in the storm as in the sunshine
spoken In q manly way that had brought
a rush of feeling to the prisoners heart
A prison chaplain has to ape the i'm
partiality of Fate itself Yet this old man,
as he talked to Rimngton, speaking as he
might have spoken had the interview been
conducted in his own study instead of in
a prison cell had left with him an inn
preston that he believed him TO be what
he without protestaton or asseverations,
had stated himself to bean innocent
man.
Next to the interview with Betty, Rim
ington thanked God for his impression
II helped him more than he knew-for II
gave him back that most precious Of gifts
Of which Imprisonment robs a man-his
self respect
AS Remington sat now with an open
book on his knee. facing the wall on
which hung those texts which spoke of
Justice and mercy-of those Four Last
Things which the world contrives so sue
cessfully to forget-Rimington was think
ing of the chaplain, wondering II 1t would
be possible to intrust him with some last
message OF hope for Betty that would
carry conviction to that broken heart
Words formed themselves in his brain,
grouped themselves into phrases. For an
instant It was almost as though he spoke
face 10 face with her.
The Governor.
Then with thrill almost Of vexation,
he heard the clang OF the opening OF
the cell door.
No chance now OF visitor-of any Wis
itor he cared to see. He had forbidden
the timid. horror stricken woman al the
Red House TO come up, as she had wished
10 do. His uncle, II was probable, would
receive the order Of Release before he
himself did. David Rlmington was ly-
ing at the point of death. SAKE would
not come again And Betty-never again
in his life would he look on Betty That
was not possible for either OF them
ITO go before the governor"
THAT was the curt direction given to
him Stin with rebellion in his mind
Remington marched between his warders.
Couldn't they leave him at peace now?
That condemned cell was home-his last
home on earth He felt an odd reluctance
to leave II.
Even now as he went he had no thought
Of what awaited him. Had the hour been
earlier he might have thought perhaps
that it was the end The warders, who
probably knew, or at least guessed, cast
curious glances at him as they went
Afterwards Remington remembered lit
tie enough of the interview What hap
pened al it wiped the details from his
mind He remembered vaguely the gov
ernor and the chaplain and some prison
officials to whom he could not have given
q name his own warders and that pre-
vailing note OF prison life, the remem
hrance of which never leaves the man
who has done "time"-the click and clang
OF the keys
He noticed one thing and one thing only
the look on the faces Of the two men,
the governor and chaplain--a new light
in the eyes with which they regarded him.
which seemed TO tell him, or so he
thought, the news before their lips did
"In consequence of the home
secretary has seen fit TO commute
penal servitude !"
Vague words buzzing in Jack Riming
tons ears, that had grown strangely
dulled. and above them all one booming
word repeated over and over again; Re
proved, Repreved!
And then that word, too, was drowned
by the strange buzz and roar that sound
ed in his ears and a great veil Of dark
ness descended on him, hottinR out the
glomy room and the oddly impressive face
of the governor the frankly joyful face Of
the old chaplain. He felt himself falling
falling into an abyss where nothing mat
tered, neither the things of life nor death.
Tainted. poor wretch one of the pris-
on officials in attendance on the governor
said. as they watched a warder kneeling
by Rimington's side and forcing brandy
between the tightly clenched teeth "lf he
only knew. he'd take 1t quick enough: it's
the last drink he's likely to get for many
a long day Twenty years it works out at
] suppose BY George, it's hard to say
hut ! think II the choice were offered to
me I'd prefer to swing Twenty years
poor beggar