The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-03-20

the changes could be made without
driving him from the shelter Of his
own roof.
At the same time Gloria was plan.
ming for the changes In the country
place she and Mrs. Gilbert we're also
busy preparing for the ball which
would serve as her formal introduction
to Belmont society. Her time was so
! engaged that she thought the sugges.
ton of her hostess an excellent one
when Mrs. Gilbert said that it might
be better not to become tangled I'D
with too many social engagements at
time when it was more vital to see
that the Locust Lawn alterations were
properly under way. The girl was
aware, from what she had heard her
father and others say, that things
were dull at present, and she did not
wish to spur them into a premature
activity When the ball was given for
her it would be time enough to begin.
Mrs. Gilbert was not letting things
drift, although the daughter of David
Kerr was not aware of it. Every one
in Belmont knew what Glora did not:
That she was about to make great
effort to secure recognition. Belmont
was not in a receptive mood. It's first
thought was that she was the child of
a shreWd political trickster who had
fattened at the expense of the town.
The offspring of the leopard should
not hope to be without spots.
Mrs. Gilbert was clever enough to
have girls to luncheon whom she
thought might become interested in
Gloria. They came, and in the major
ity of cases surprised Gloria by their
charming manners and their beautiful
clothes. Her court was to be even
more brilliant than she had dreamed.
The girls were invited one at time,
to give both Gloria and the visitor
the opportunity of becoming we'll &C.
quainted.
The luncheon guests came to call
afterward, but by strange mischance
it was always when Gloria was not at
home. She would go to the architects
Office with Mrs. Gilbert, and would
find on her return that several cards
had been left for her The ball was so
near that she made no attempt to pay
any calls herself She was too busy.
Although railing at the fate which
took him away most of the time. the
first three weeks after Gloria's re-
moval to town were spent by Judge
Gilbert in Chicago. Occasionally he
ran over for a day, but even then his
wife and their guest saw little Of him.
This would have made their evenings
hang heavy on their hands had it not
been for Joe Wright. He got into the
habit Of dropping in after dinner every
evening and several times week Mrs.
Gilbert had him to dine with them.
Late in the afternoons he and Gloria
often drove together, the season of
the year keeping them most Of the
time on the city streets, Once he
drove with her to Locust Lawn, but
as it was late when they reached there
he did not get out, sitting in the run
about while Gloria ran into the house
for few minutes.
Neither Wright nor Gloria ever made
an effort to direct the conversation
into the intimate channel it had taken
the night they first had met In Bel
mont. One might almost have thought
they had agreed to consider them
selves merely good friends, so imper-
sonal were they in what they said.
For this there was reason; rather,
there were two reasons, his and hers.
Wright was keeping a firm grip on
himself because he knew the truth and
was afraid Gloria was self-possessed
and would not have permitted him to
pass the border of friendship, had he
dared because she wished to know
Belmont we'll Even hint of an en-
tangling alliance would prove a him
drance. Thus it was that each was
happy in the others company And if
perchance they looked the sentiment
that each had inwardly resolved not to
breathe, they we're happier still In the
thought that some day their dreams
would come true. ~
The paper was occasioning Wright
no great anxiety. Somewhat to his
surprise the advertising revenue was
showing most gratifying gains caused
by the increase of local business. The
Banner had more advertising, but tn
new owner of the afternoon paper had
no cause to complain. Even his adver-
Using manager could not explain 1t.
Main street merchants who had been
out of the paper for years began to
send in copy without solicitation,
This made the head Of the advertising
department think that the millennium
was about due. The real reason, I'M
known to every one except the mer,
chants receiving the message, was that