The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-01
WHEN THE GATE CLOSED
BY DONALD HOPPER.

rel Tor tney were uO iOu6Ci cn6So0
Nancy had given Robert his ring
and he had taken it. She could
hardly forgive him for that! 4
Mrs. Arden sat in the living room,
reading the evening paper The WIN
dows were open to the balmy night.
She knew Nancy and her lover were
walking in the garden. I
] Her daughter came in. She was
quite pale, but her blue eyes cleaned
strangely.
What was that sound heard?'
went on Mrs. Arden. "A creaking
sound-did you hear it?'/
Nancy flushed.
at was the gate" she said.
"The gate!" Mrs. Arden's voice
expressed her wonder.
Bob closed the gate" said Nancy.
| "But-why?'
II told him to, mother"
"It has never been closed all these
wears. don't understand it. I don't
like it." The little lady was visibly
disturbed.
81 told Robert to close the gate;
: our engagement is broken" ex-
planned Nancy.
: Mrs. Arden was silent for some
: time. Her eyes were thoughtful, and
she did not reproach her daughter,
l as Nancy expected.
| perhaps it is just as well, my
dear. OF course you and Bob are al
most too young to be quite certain OF
your hearts. We were all very happy
over the thought of the families being
j united: still, it may be for the best,
: after all"
c why, mo.her?" asked Nancy in a
q queer tone. BEST for me-or for
q Bob?"
81 was thinking that now Bob
would be free to take that trip to
India with Professor Morrison. Colo
l. mel Leigh said it would be world of
n benefit for Fob to go merely as the
l. professors private secretary
l. "They are to be gone a year" said
Il Nancy slowly.
Eighteen months, believe" said
Mrs. Arden, picking up her paper
~ 1--WE just been reading about 1.-THE
Id expedition sails day after tomorrow
IS Bob will have to hurry"
D Nancy stared into space.
h.
r. Colonel Leigh looked across thu
n table at his placid wife.
50 What was that sound, my dear?'
he inquired.
=, 1T sounded like a gate,' she said
= 1T could hardly be a gate,' sal
the colonel. There is only one gat
ly on the place, and that has never bee
w closed"
lal Just then Robert came in, tall an
ms grave.
,re Your father thought he heard tn
=. gate closing" smiled Mrs. Leigh
~ "but I told him the idea was absur
le the gate has never been closed"
ct 1T is closed now" said Robel
NJ grimly.
Die Two pairs of eyes questioned hin
NO "Why?" asked his mother.
ii ITS all of between Nancy and n
~, we are no longer engaged" Robe
a." picked up a magazine and sat dow
nc under the lamplight.
lda The colonel and his wife stared
Try each other in CONSERVATION. The
Mrs. Leigh dropped her eyes to b
old knitting and a long-forgotten dimp
raw appeared at the corner Of her mouth
for Her husband recognized that dimp
80, in younger days he had surrender
to its wiles. Now he watched
W. fascinated.
go $50 the engagement is broker
murmured Roberts mother. de
me, l am sorry, but perhaps it's
for the best. Nancy is dear 81
but perhaps she would get along b
ter with a man who could mana
her more than you do, Bobby de-
But l shall finish that luncheon
con. am embroidering for her. It v
OF be ready as soon as she does mar
3O4 There's that young Kenyon FRI
sing Overbrook-he is very devoted"
and Mrs. Leigh rambled on. her dim
h,;c always in evidence.
IN, The colonel watched his wife, q
-. Robert stared at nothing.
u"y TITS not too late to join Morriso
'eei expedition" reminded the color
has after a while. "Of course, we hate
, or let you 60, son, but If you feel n
par that you are -free-why hell
seri- where's the boy gomez
biz, He stared at Roberts empty CHI
- For the first and last time In
oiu conventional life Mrs. Leigh actu,
way. winked at her husband.
De-!
ings Somewhere in the distance q
oing was striking ten.
oted The moonlight still flooded
hiuo garden, and shone on the closed g
j. of Nancy stepped hurriedly down
path to the closed gate. She
, her hands on the gate to push 1t Of
Han At the same instant pair. Of Wa
are strong hands covered hers.
tour Nancy" exclaimed Robert. "W
one are you doing here, dear?"
has II came to open the gate,"
whispered. "Oh, 1t must never
closed between us again."
Never, sweetheart" he said