Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-11-13


"All the more reason why we should
not detain him when he wishes to
leave for town"
Let me send him an invitation, any.
way, please
Il would rather you did not"
1t had been a wonderful summer
and fall at Hopedene, her aunt's splen-
did seaside home at Narragansett. Be
fore the house lay the green rolling
downs to the shore over the downs
and the great brown rocks with their
clinging ever swaying masses Of sea-
weed.
1t was down there on the rocks she
had listened while he told her what
she meant to him in his life.
Every day Stanley managed to see
her. He was tall, and athletic. She
loved to watch him stride up the
sands from the boat landing, his head
back, the wind lifting his thick brown
curls, his keen gray eyes watching
her. She loved to sail out over the
bay with him. They would manage to
evade the rest of the party, and lean
over the rail close up In the prov,
hardly speaking but watching the curl
ing waves part below them, and al
ways there had been the quick close
embrace for an instant, and the touch
of his lips to hers.
( Yet he was Stanley Layton, a bach
elor with plenty of money, plenty of
leisure, plenty of amusement. Why
should he, as her aunt told her over
and over, why should he look twice
at little Kentucky girl who happen
ed to be blessed with brown eyes and
the most golden hair on the beach?
The night of the domino dance, Mrs.
Nesbitt told Gloria for the first time
what her plans were.
You will accept Harraden tonight,
my dear. He has spoken to me, and of
course, told him everything was
most satisfactory. / will write to
your mother tomorrow, and you are to
be congratulated. He may not be
exactly fascinating, but he will make
good husband"
Gloria fastened on her little satin
mask, raging inwardly. She did not
even reply. Down the broad staircase
she followed Mrs. Nesbitt's stately fig
ure, and took her place beside her
at the lower archway in the hall. Past
them streamed the dominoes, every
tint and hue imaginable. 1t seemed
to Gloria as though it we're travesty
ION life, this masking of forms and
faces, and the mad whirl of the dance
beyond. Was Stanley among them?
She had managed to let him know. but
the yacht had not been In the bay that
day.
Suddenly she noticed one domino
that seemed to linger just behind her.
Something in the walk drew her at
tention. II was yellow and black Her
own was of rose colored satin. Just
as Mrs. Nesbitt moved away to speak
to someone she had recognized, the
other domino stepped close to her. and
Stanley whispered quickly:
Change your dominoes with my Sis
ter. She is there In violet"
Gloria's heart beast fast In half
an hour they would unmask, and she
would be deliberately given into Fer
ris Harraden's keeping. The violet
DOMINO cama nearer. and as it pass
ed she whispered: go into the dress
ing ROOM
Five minutes later the violet domino
had vanished from the guests. and also
the black and yellow. When the un-
masking came Gloria was missing, and
after a hasty interview with Mr.. Har-
raden. IL was whispered Gloria had
been taken i'll and retired.
But out of the bay into the dark
waters of the Atlantic sailed the
Yacht. ocean bound. Katherine Lay
ton had gone below. declaring she
would not sit up and doze, playing
chaperone to them any longer. Stan
ley held his sweetheart close. there In
their old favorite nook at the prov.
Wen put in at some little place
and be married tomorrow, dear heart.
Xii is brick. She's stood by me
through It all. and says We may take
her place down at Isle of Pines for the
winter. Are you happy? How fast
your heart beatsf"
Gloria pushed back her hair. wind
blown over her eyes, and pressed her
cheek to his as they looked back al
the twinkling lights along the bay.
Il like TO follow the real starr
best" she whispered.