Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-11

His tone was eminently reasona BILE ;
Rimington realized that. Yet, much as
he desired to see Betty. essential as it
was that he should tell her about the dis
covery of her bag, an almost womanish
instinct prompted him to refuse The
thought of that hour of vigil in the silent
house in Tempest street rose up again
within him, of SaXes voice outside in
earnest colloquy with the besieging po-
lice. Then. looking up, he encountered
the gaze of Paul Saxes steady eyes. yell
low now in the sunlight like the under
markings of a snake
But you will not refuse" Sake re-
peated.
And something in that look, as utterly
beyond reason as his own prompting in
stinct. told Rimington that he could not
refuse.
At the Sign of the Toby jug.
The wind that had risen with surpris-
ing suddenness, swept savagely around
the corner of the street. 1t raised a COM
pact column of dust and leaves from the
scorched plane trees in the adjoining thor
oughfare, and sent it eircling about the
creaking signboard of the corner shop,
wherein an obese gentleman in flowing
wastcoat and three cornered hat stared
across the way with bellicose eyes. The
swaying movement gave to the low 'front.'
ed figure an odd semblance of life; the
pursy, incarnadined countenance seemed
to glow with wrath. the thick lips to
culver and gobble with indignation.
The door of the shop opened, and a little
girl came out and looked mp at the sway
ing sign.
Looks fiji to bust imself, grandad "
she called over her shoulder into the
shop. Gee! Amt e angry? Not 'alf e
amt
She gave little squeal of laughter as
she spoke, looking up at the pictured man,
herself a weird, elfish little figure, with
black clad legs looking extraordinarily
long under the abbreviated skirts of a
frock of Rob Roy tartan Her haid, of
crude uncompromising red, was parted
with geometrical precision from her brow
to the nape of her neck. and tightly
plated in two long pigtails.
The sound of her laughter was as elfn
as her aspect 1t conveyed an impress
sion that she found a deliberate JOY in
the contemplation of the ina ginary suf-
fering with which she credited the figure
on the signboard-an uneasy suspicion
that had they been the actual sufferings
of a real person, her pleasure would have
been augmented. not impaired.
The sound served to bring her unseen
auditor to the shop door. He showed
himself as a small, fragile looking man,
greatly bent, as through age or illness,
with a pale, rather we'll featured face,
that was refined and even sweet in ex-
preston until he smiled. as he did now,
laying his hand on the red head of the
little girl But when he smiled the thin,
arched nose came down little too low
over colorless lips and the bushy eye
brows black and plentifully sprinkled
with gray. went up little too high into
the lined forehead to be pleasant. and re-
vealed pair of eyes just a trifie too
near set,
He stood for a moment with his hand
on the childs head. looking down the
windswept street where the first slow
drops of a thunder shower were begin
ming to patter on the pavement.
Seems to be blowing up for a storm,
Bess,' he said. That's what's bother
ing our friend UP there. He's feelin
twinges of rheumatsm-bee livin' TOO
well, | expect
His voice had pleasant quality, even
a certain refinement of tone, despite a
distressing huskness He drew out his
watch cumbrous and old fashioned. that
had bulged on his waistcoat like some
monstrous growth, glanced al ii; then,
pulling the little girls pigtaus gently
babe her get back into the shop
Go into your nanny" he said. She
will be feeling frightened-lik She al
ways knows when there's storm coming
I shouldn't be surprised if this was d
pretty sharp one 7 heard the first peal -
The child scampered back obediently.
but the old man himself stood for a
moment or two in the doorway, looking
up the street Presently from the shop a
cat came siding out 1t rubbed itself