Las Vegas optic., 1913-07-25
CHAPTER x.

When Gloria Kerr returned from
st. Louis she found half hundred
calling cards awaiting her. The wom-
en- she was anxious to meet had called
while she was out of town. Those
who delayed their visits until her re.
turn were people whom she readily
recognized as being quite on the
outer fringe Of society. In them she
was not interested. When Gloria went
to return the calls Of those whom she
had come to know were regarded as
the first families of Belmont, she
found no one at home.
Somewhat mortified, but making nc
confession Of her feelings even to
Mrs. Gilbert, Gloria threw herself into
the work of remodeling Locust Lawn
with all the vigor she would other.
wise have expended upon social du.
ties. Her active superintendence kept
her good part Of the time in the
country, although she still made her
home with Mrs. Gilbert. Sometimes
she would pass the night at Locust
Lawn out of a sense of duty to her
father. The evenings spent in his
company were not ones Of unalloyed
pleasure. More and more she was
coming to acknowledge to herself that
her father did not, could not enter
into her life, into the activities which
gave her pleasure.
Kerr honestly tried, but 1t was i'm
possible. For one thing, he was en-.
gagged in a heated political campaign,
fighting to retain supremacy. Gloria,
on her side, saw that she had been
rebuffed socially, and was not on close
enough terms Of intimacy with her
father to tell him about it. The girl
knew that he had been the social lead
er in Belmont, and she was ashamed
that she had not been able to win ali
hearts as he had done
Gloria's admiration of her fathers
powers did not lessen upon their bet
ter acquaintance Strange as it may
seem, her loyalty to him was strength
ened by each turn Of fortunes wheel
which thrust her back upon herself.
The frivolous veneer in her nature
was being worn away and the real
Gloria was beginning to appear.
Kerr's was indeed powerful person.
ality, and Gloria was coming to see
why he was so successful. A woman's
Intuition and not an understanding Of
the facts in the case was the girls tu-
tor She hugged to her heart the com
parison Of Joe Wright and her father.
In the younger man she saw some of
the traits which made her father a
power magnetism, reserve strength,
and logical mind Wright had that
and more: he had all the social
eraces. To her. however, his great
est appeal was that he was youth,
eternal youth, and love.
What Gloria could not understand
was why Wright was avoiding her. In
her ears she could hear him whisper
rs he had that night:
spring on the hills, Beloved,
On the side Of a meadowed slope;
And Love in our hearts, Beloved,
Love, and Spring and Hope.
Now was spring here, and hope ant
the promise Of love, but he did moi
come, After her return from st
Louis she had waited in vain. TheT
she had asked to have him invited t
dinner. When Mrs. Gilbert telephoneC
him he refused owing to press o
business, but asked to speak to Clio
ria. She came to the telephone AM
they had a pleasant chat He told he
that he was busy finishing some mag
azine articles which the editor wa
pressing him for, and that he wa
working night and day For the tim
being Gloria accepted this explana
ton. The day of their telephone cor
yersation there came from him bo
OF red roses at the dinner hour.
It must not be thought that Gle
tria was entirely cut off from society
II was the society she craved. the il