Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-24
Men Keep Silent.

.
Men Keep Silent.
No answer. The men smoked on
in silence
You know I've got some money
myself, suggested Gordon Maybe
you and I can make some kind Of
deal"
No answer.
IAN right" said Gordon. after a
pause. Think It over When you
get ready to talk business let me
know"
But the men were never ready to
talk. He took up the subject more
than once, but could get nothing
out of the men. II became evident
that they preferred the bird in the
hand rather than a bird in the bush
they were not sure of getting After
/ studying his captors for several DAYS
Gordon became convinced that they
were not overburdened with intelli-
gence. There was nothing even crafty
about them. They We're not mean or
vicious and they never bothered
Gordon or interfered with him solong
as he stayed within the prescribed
limits Of what might be called the fail
yard; but their vigil was unceasing
ana Gordon could not move a step
without one Of the men following him
within distance of 10 or Is feet.
with a gun ever ready in his hand.
II was a peculiar situation and
would have been lauEhabIe for Cor
con except for the annoyance of the
whole thing He was allowed to write
to Mildred every five or six days. but
Of course, he could not write the
words he desired TO write. nor could
he tell her openly where he was or
why he could not come to her. He
continued the simple cryutczram Ia.
/ began in his first letter. Something
told him that before long Mildred. or
4 perhaps the active minded Elmer.
/ would decipher the hidden meaning
( and would organize a rescue party.
Closely Watched.
If there be youthful readers Of this
narrative, they have doubtless asked
themselves why Gordon Kelly. the
big, strong, powerful man. did not sail
into the mountaineers. take their
guns away from them give them all
good thrashing and march them
triumphantly. to the nearest lookup.
Some of the youthful readers might
not be satisfied unless Gordon Kelly
killed them all and left them for the
buzzards, while he rushed back to
the bungalow and threw himself N
Mlldreds arms. That would be very
nice, indeed, but things didn't go that
way Gordon had no opportunity TO
end his captivity in this sauguinary
manner. He looked for ioopholes Of
escape, and he watched carefully
(Whlle appearing not to do 500 for an
opening which would enable him 20
spring upon his guard y-rngt +ba
weapon from his hand and turn the
tables on his captors. But while these
men might have been considerably
below the average in intelligence. and
while they might be sluggish in their
movements, they certainly knew. how
to do the work they had cut out for
themselves, which was simply to
watch over Gordon Kelly night and
day, so that he could not get away
from them or overcome them.
For example. when he desired to
exercise with bat and ball not less
than two of them went with him to
little cleared space near the cabin
and saw to it that he was never more
than twenty feet from them at any
time. And what kind Of exercise
could Gordon take with bat and ball
alone? He had the knaCk Of batting
the ball straight III in the air to a
tremendous height and catching il
when it came down. never having to
move more than Ten feet in any di-
rectiOn TO do so, This would seem to
be a foolish performance. but i
served to keep his muscles limbered
mp, his eyes bright his condition good
and his hands toughened to the shock
Of catching a baseball.
Two Flashes.