The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-08-27
Chapter IL
Mr.. Gates

j.. Mr.. GATES y - f..<
THAT evening Mrs. O'Connor
= called up the stairs: There's
somebody to see you, Miss Tor
rance"
Carol put aside the French exer.
cises she was correcting and went
down.
Hes on the porch" Mrs. O'Con-
nor whispered. "He wouldn't come
in"
The porch light shone on shabby.
middle-aged little man with sad
dark eyes and an enormous droop-
ing moustache. The little man
snatched at his hat and said, "Miss
Torrance :" and stopped.
She looked at him in surprise. He
seemed familiar, but she couldn't
have seen him before. She said,
eyes," and motioned to a chair.
won't you sit DOWN."
"I'm all right" he said uncomfort-
ably, and leaned against the porch
railing. She sat in the swing and
waited.
He twisted the hat and looked at
his feet. "I'm-Sam Cates's father"
he said finally.
Carols heart dropped, heavily.
The little mans eyes had the voice
less appeal of dogs, and he bore
the scars Of a heavy bludgeoning
from life. She said:
I "Oh, Mr.. Gates I'm desperately
sorry :" and let her voice fall of
its own weight.
IT,. come to ask you to give him
another chance. He-he's awfully
sorry. Miss Torrance. He says he'll
apologize to you and the little girl
%. before the whole class. 80"
e., The tears on her eyelids were
scalding and unmanageable.
"It's not-just today, Mr.. Gates. II
it had been I wouldn't have asked to
have him expelled. He doesn't study,
and he-cheats. I've caught him
time after time. :"
Mr.. Gates didn't seem to doubt or
resent that. It only bore out what he
had learned to expect. But he made
another attempt. a. sEE
T-never had no education, Miss
Torrance. I'm a carpenter. and the
buildin' trades been awful hard hit
these last few years. Sometimes I've
went six months without a sign OF
work. And made up my mind to
see that Sam got a education SOS
he'd have a chance to be somethin'
better. but it don't seem like he ap.
,preciated it till today. He never has
done no good in school, much, but
now he wants another chance. ;"
Loathing for Sam gave her cour.
age. It's the kindest way. she told
herself harshly. You despise senti.
mentalists: don't be one.
'Mr. Gates. II Sam had ever shown
the least interest in school-in any
one class-Td say yes. But he hasn't:
I checked his record to see. BY keep.
, Ing him there, at his age, you're
making loafer Of him. The fairest
thing, to you and to him, Is to take
him out and put him to work help.
ing you, even if you can't pay him a
cent. He may make a fine carpenter,
or a fine brick-mason, but he'll never
hold down an Office job"
! He digested that patiently. punish.
ing the shabby hat. you mean-you
won't take him back"
II can't" She burst out suddenly:
,"Oh, please. please see that I'm not
just being mean: that it's the best
thing for him."
He nodded. "Yes'm. see how you
feel about it. Well - thank you,
ma'am, for bein' so nice about it."
WHEN Mr.. Gates had gone she lay
! w on her face in the swing and
cried, quietly. luxuriously, as IL that
might wash out the picture Of him.
| Denis's voice penetrated her de.
spair. why. Carol. sweetheart. ;"
She sat up and blinked. "Oh. good
gosh! What are you doing here?"
| He came over and put his arms
around her. produced an adequate
handkerchief.
! Liar. You said you had to correct
papers tonight. ! was just passing
the house :" He laughed at the
thinness Of that, but the laugh was
shaken.
: She sat for o minute with her face
against his shoulder. loving him In
spite of herself, grateful 70 him for
ignoring her refusal to see him. ?
I IT was correcting papers when
that little man came. -"
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