Show I i I The e Lord of Thunder Gate By SIDNEY HERSCHEL SMALL Copyright by The Bobba Bobbt Co BOB IN AMERICA In In a a. low drinking place In the Japanese town of Kayama dissolute ion eon of ot th the wealthy Lord of or the Thunder Gate Gale boasts of ot a girl he heIe heIs hela Is la to purchase with gold stolen from his father Following a alight tight light In In the place a drunken white whit man speaking perfect Japanese Japanese Jap anese Is Ie left lett unconscious Karama Kayama Kara Kara- ma m. dreading his fathers father's anger sees Bees a way of escape He lie changes clothes with th the unconscious white man to whom he bears bean a a. remarkable resemblance leaving a note not of explanation Leaving I Kayama II robbed and stain slain The white whits man as Kayama Is II tan lakEn unconscious to the hou house home e of HI Nis name Is III Robert Hobert Wells Wells Vella awakes bewildered but to familiar scene scenes In s hou house e. e almost sightless from age does not perceive the deception He Its had determined his unworthy son Ion should be put to death but Wells Wells' deportment leads him to think a reformation Is possible dies that day Wells Wella finds ands X Kayama's yama note and understands Print Priests remind him of a bargain he has he made to buy a girl lIe He Heroes roes goes to the temple and purchases the girl Irl to all appearances white though the priests assure him she has hu Chinese blood She tells him Ih she Is III white white all all white and white and begs him to spare her CHAPTER IV Continued IV-Continued Continued IV 5 5 But Dut with all the explanations which Doctor Wells must make and the disruption dis to the household affairs the coming of MIsako was a boon to the frightened mother lady-mother of little Bob nob- ble bie MIsako brought It was all they could do a letter from the tile missionarIes missionaries missionaries mission mission- aries In a village near six months later Inter she became Hobbles Hobble's tuck me an on kiss me kiss rue for forthe forthe forthe the mother lady died Ills His father always a n silent man became became be he came doubly stern stem devoted torU tartly to his duties Insistent that the Ule boy spend l long ng hours over dry books Dabble Bobble saw him seldom As contact with his father tather decreased de de- decreased creased so did dill MIsako usurp all of ot Bobbles Bobble's affection Long tales she told him as they sat sot evenings s upon tl the tle e mats Most of all of ot the town from froni whence she had come Its grandeur and nd richness the terrific c god who lived In the Thunder God whose hose face was veiled that ordinary men and women might live To look upon the god cod save sate for the highborn was certain death leath so awful was his visage Usage As the child grew a sturdy brown brown- skinned youngster love became became become be be- came come rapt devotion de It was typical of Doctor Wells that lie Ie bad had not flinched at having ha been sent to although although although al al- though he had bid seen sell Its location upon the map and knew that he would be bethe bethe bethe the only missionary for miles lIes around This Thill had not daunted him Inspired rather lie Ill did not consider It as martyrdom It was his duty Now this very thing reacted n against him More than once he be had felt that If It If only he had bad been able aull to secure medical attention he mightn't have ha lost Elsie Now he saw his son playing In the dust with the ragged urchins of the village It Itself itself It- It fOe self lf as DR a Ii town might well have been any of ot n a thousand lie He did not con con- elder alder It as u a town It was a place puce of at heathen who 10 did not listen or listenIng listenIng listen listen- Ing did not learn Ills wife In her brief bret SIR stay hart had been been delighted with it This Wells Relis did not not understand stand He lie remembered only her last tired hours and hud had them with Ith him often That Bobble should acquire the mannerisms of his playmates WitS natural nat lint ural urah but that his hla skin became a crt amell el low In tan that creamy creamy- w v long days in the hot sun should cau cause e his lISto eyes ejes to narrow narrow tills this III gave ga his father tather secret dismay The lad swam pla played with the till rest His Ills arms and legs browned the tle missionary saw nothing In the boy that resembled either his wife or himself The lad was OS bright Ills His subtle II and nIl brilliant cross crocs cuts eute through problems In mathel mathematics were Doctor Wells Wella felt means menns to learn with superficial rapidity Nor or had bad the hoy boy proper reverence re he hind bad early arly been disgraced for clapping his hands In Shinto prayer praye r learned at the while Doctor Wells temple was performing per forming n R funeral ceremony over oEr a departed church member The he excuse was that He lie wath a fa fa- ther I thought he would like hike It Bobble sa saw IV In the village many things that were beautiful These his father with the stern taste laste of the th West already developed Old did nt not t see I or would not look for tor Especially were the temples and abominable ble bie he had no patience with the very ery few fW missionaries who saw them as objects ob ob- ob- ob of ot art It can be seen that Doctor Wells had hall no sympathy with the very ery air which his son on breathed since that air was titled tilled with ancient lore folk-lore and myths myth filled with perfumes perfumes per per- fumes and habits He lie felt that application to 10 his studies would soon goon remove e Bobble Hobble for far from this Insidious Influence even en better better bet bet- ter han ban he himself might do It lt It was 1 as Wely an Induced ph phase asp MIsako became toothless There was no DO more Bobble nobble She could remember no such person Instead there lived In the house e the heir to the hou house e of the Thunder Gate She bowed ho before him calling the boy I Kayama Doctor Hoctor Wens Wells did not exist save Sll as a sort fort of upper servant The house was wn Bobbles Bobbies Hobble Bobble was II served first lint Hobbles Bobbles wishes must mast t be he consulted before she would permit a n servant to carry out one of Doctor Wells Wells' orders Bobble It II as a matter of ot cour course le MIsako liked It That was ns enough Wasn't lasut she his little mother moth muth- er lr To please plen e her he would memorize long Shinto pra prayers Became Beame adept In the Rules Bules of ot CourtE Courtesy Because It II delighted her to see st him Imperious he could adopt a commanding manner before her and the other sen servants mils I I. I MIsako had one principal worry The boy was old enough to be married To whom 7 In vain she Fhe painted a picture for tr the boy There would be a beautiful girl Irl versed In every ery duty and appreciative of her exalted position A girl with long fine fingers with eyes eves that would shine like black blak jewels under brows curved as ns the wings of ot the her black hair would be woven wo with the blossom of ot the plum she would have kimonos of ot pale pole silk with shifting shift ing colors changing with the lI light ht Here ond and here lucre alone Bobble would laugh although he took pains to conceal con cal ceal his hs amusement from MIsako The position of Doctor Wells In his own household became Intolerable He lie could discharge e MIsako yet jet et dreaded dread dread- ed Id facing his Maker and admitting that he hind had acted so with one of ot such great nail and simple faith It was In a bitter moment that he fumbled through his scant correspond once ence He lie found a n letter already creamy with age It had been written shortly after the death of Hobbles Bobbles mol mother her Send the boy to me If It you will If It you jou OU want wont the little fellow educated In n America I 1 will see that It Is IJ done Elsie El m. Elsie sie would have liked it Ile He Ill will not he permitted to follow follo In his fathers father's footsteps I tell you OU that frankly To Tomy Tomy Tomy my wa way of ot thinking there Is more re- re In bringing water to a desert or housing the poor properly than In preaching to a horde of savages You wont won't do this at once Richard You I Wf were rp always s 's obstinate But Dut this is an open offer It Isn't a favor to you jou OU remember It Is for Elsie Else and the boy ho Doctor Wells from his window the letter upon the desk before him JIm watched d a n mendicant copper bowl banging bongIng against skinny shanks weary teary sore ore of feet extend his bowl at nt the doorway to begging a handful of rice the scrapings s of the curd bean pot a few shreds of ot fish fth Whimpering Whimper ing the mendicant thanked MIsako for her gift Doctor Wells heard beard her answer answer- that thanks he be poured down own upon her great and revered lord Ka Nonsense Nonsense What would the ho boy come rome to Better swallow his hili pride Suppose Bobble Dobbie were WE're left alone What would happen With sudden In Intent Intent In- In tent he clapped d his hands Send me my son son he lie ordered We see little of each ench other Hobert Robert Rob Hob ert he said when the boy hoy entered Sit down son How his voice voe faltered tel fal a u moment how old are you jou ou I was born In th th year of or the third Forty Blossoming of the Sacr Sacred l Plum In the Season Seison of ot- ot I Doctor noctor Wells shivering slightly c chim C Chim chim him short English Hubert Bobert I Eng Eng- IWi I Eighteen father So soon So soon son or RO Rn Ion long he paused vacant vacant eyed At eighteen Ills His own boyhood the great gloat square hout house e In a commodious ous yard jard ard 1 well Ill I'll shaded h by left over forest trees elm lint and walnut and beech with here anti and there a u line of ot leafy u I mores where the till creek had ban bein filed In tn Coolness Conness and quiet ordered dU days 8 A weli well marked program not too tOll staidly staidly staid staid- I ly delineated Cookies In the 1111 kitchen Ut lien Strange that he lie should remember that l The starchy of Ida his mother tier Her pride In him a R minister setting betting forth to strange I lends lands Would you oU like to tu go so to A America 1111 To a college for learning If It f you jou ou command father tather I do not command son it Is n a request You should go Yes Yu yes es I 1 do command You mu Roust must t go Bobble obLe bowed his head hend The son lion refusing to obE obey his father shall hull be punished with one hundred blows of or tile the bamboo he said sadly When Is IsIt isit It 1 you jou ou will that I depart Wh Why dont don't you want to go Are you jou ou only going hl because I order you jou ou Yes 18 father tather Why not not Only missionaries go to tu Jt The buy boy smiled sniped sagel sagely I would not care to to tobe be a n missionary Mather r be a mock lord ruler of a host host host-a a host consisting of ot a n doddering sen servant ant senile Wells said suld harshly adding somberly almost apologetically ly Iy Your uncle would see to It that you were not a n missionary coil and explained ex ex- what ct colleges l ees were for tor Listening MIsako without the door her ears earl sharp for tor all the many van seasons heard Doctor Wells Well put his question again and sent up a aall wall all allot of ot protest and anguish at Bobbles Bobbies delighted de do lighted answer CHAPTER V James Sanderson San was as pleased with the lads lad's build and clear eyt eyes The big house on Nob hill was pleased 1 with him likewise White While he was pres pressed ed with the grandeur taking It as ns n a matter of course yet jet et he had a R smile s for every one without being fa fa- It was not to be doubted that h he had hind n a manner ns us If it he were the masters master's son let alone the child of ot the masters master's sister and a penny penny- missionary When James Sanderson had hod arrived at that plate place which permitted Mm him to 10 build II a house of ot his own It was of a apiece apiece piece with Its neighbors a wonderful example of ornamentation The portico portico portico por por- tico was columned There were pinnacles and many angled roofs all alt wood painted gray Wherever a space permitted the whole was Iced 1 with carved wood acanthi and fat I Ilke ke babies all sprawling together to to- gether It was with a twinge after the fire and earthquake had swept away his house honse with all of ot the others that Sanderson San Son derson admitted that a R change would he be necessary This he agreed to astar as ns asfar tar far as DB the exterior of the house was concerned There was now nothing but severe Revere lines avid and even en his plea for tor fora tora a Doric column was overwhelmed by the architect lie Ho was wn however positive about two things lie He would have e none of your low 10 ce ceilings l He lie wanted large rooms where there was space for a man to breathe The other matter was a view room Formerly a cupola had served this purpose The nearest that Sanderson could roul 1 come lle was to Insist that upon the roof be built a pill box as the architect architect ar are ar- ar called It ht which set at the opposite site end from the roofs water tank It had many windows and was as reached by n spiral staircase which had a Inn handing landIng land hand 1 Ing before the door and then continued contin to n trapdoor In the roof From the windows of this tower room was a sheer drop of sixty feet Wisely Sanderson had this room prepared for Bob It was apart from tram the house No sense keepin the lad ladIn ladIn ladIn In a R boarding se s school ooh ool A fellow wants a little privacy A place to bring his friends where we grownups wont won't disturb disturb disturb dis dis- them nor hear henr them The room pleased Bob Doh Immensely Sanderson had fitted It up as he sold to give the lonely ly boy a R homelike place Actually he had adorned the therom room rom as ns he would have liked his own room when he was a lad Floor space nothing to speak of walls covered tred with the Clue sort of huntIng hunting hunt hunt- In Ing prints that Sanderson had always admired four chairs choIr all nil bought secondhand sec sec- hand ond so as to be homelike act and not stiff a rock rick of books filled with some of his uncles uncle's own A broad double bed curtained from the room Sanderson had bad slept upon grain grain- sucks sacks when wilen be hI first came around the Horn a n table w wh h a n humidor lest Bob take to cigarettes which he early did Ills first Ort dos days In the streets startled him It was vas strange to walk through the crowds of hurrying people and peno see pe no face that he knew Once or twice t he had hod greeted n a Japanese only to be rewarded with a n blank blonk stare or a so BU su supercilious giggle After that he Ill was silent Yet he lie could not help but feel each pah time he saw n a brown face tae disappear disappear pear In the crowd an unexpected poignant loneliness It seemed to him that a n fragment of his familiar world had vanished leaving him alone He Ile was entirely unaware of ot encouraging aging looks thrown at him Bob ob was as RS n II woman with two tin tiny bun bundles dIps re rl remarked remarked re- re marked to h her r companion not at all harJ to t look 1001 at ut There was something commanding about him Not Infrequently infrequently a girl or a free and free easy easy young joung matron found foun time to smile at him Sanderson liked tl tIe the e man It 1 gave e a him a u feeling that no guest no matter hull how Intimate could Instill The ho boys hoj's s rapt rupt attention when lie be spoke he took not II ns as duty but as nJ Interest I Iwas it H was a n combination of at both The slightest encouragement was wo sufficient to In start him reminiscing of ot his tie college days dnn lie He felt that Bob should hould be he forewarned forewarned fore fore- w warned but hilt did not realize that he was |