The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-01-17


pressed monotone that cut him to the
heart, since l was little girl. too
young to understand. and l was
brought up to believe that my father
was-well, just the opposite of what
he is II was all mistake. Of course.
1t was no fault of mine. but l must
suffer for it just the same. l had ev-
erything money could buy; and then
you came-and-and had love"
Her voice trembled for the instant.
Wright could not stand 1t.
"Gloria." he cried, seeking to stop
her, but she went on again in the same
impersonal manner
But no one was really kind to me.
lived in FOOLS Paradise. l did not
know the truth" Then vehemently,
losing control of herself: "Oh. why
did you ever speak to me OF love!
You. Of all men. to make my humilia-
alton doubly great"
Don't speak SO. beg OF you."
Wright commanded. Can you believe
| that have not suffered"
She chose to ignore his question.
''Oh, il l had never come home! If
| had even not gone to Judge Gilbert's
| office that day! 1t was fate. Joe, it
was fate. ! can see it all now. We
boast that we dominate circumstances,
the gods laugh and are our masters
! still. Looking back the way we've
come from that first night l met you
here can see that every step. relent-
less as death, was leading to that day
when l learned the truth about my
father"
And you know"
Everything That's why I'm here.
1t was really such little time ago
that l came back to Belmont, yet it
seems ages. oh, why didn't you go
away! You must have seen how 1t
had to end. Since l came home and
first met you. I've lived and suffered
and grown old And | had dreamed
such dreams!" Here she paused, as If
to fight back the painful memories of
those rainbow dreams. Then she ad-
mitted them. And they became roster
and rosier-because of you, Even the
disappointments my fathers lack of
polish caused me we're nothing-be-
cause of you. Then you ceased to see
me, and l didn't understand.
Il wanted you SO very much-then-
and YOU did not come. l know now
what 1t was; the election was coming
on. you had begun to fight my father.
You knew I didn't realize his position
in Belmont. I'm sincere l want you
to know l understand how hard it was
for you, my friend-because-I be-
lieve you loved me-sincerely
Sincerely, Gloria" His reply was
almost sob. You know I begged
you to go away | would have fol-
lowed you. and you would never nave
known"
That's true, but the gods laugh and
are our masters still. l felt that l
owed 1t to my father to remain with
him in Belmont. Then came the day
in Judge Gilbert's office. Did ever
girl have a courtship crowded into half
an hour? So short time there was
between those few words of love and
the rude awakening which followed
that there remains to me now not
even a sweet memory of that avowal
which all girls cherish SO. And then
we'll, that's why I've come today. |
couldn't let you go away without ask
ing you to forgive me for what /
said in Judge Gilbert's office"
There's no need Of speaking of for
giveness. Please do not say any
more"
She was not to be deferred from her
set purpose. and therefore affected not
to hear, going straight on with her
narrative.
You see. I was proud of my father.
All my life he'd been an ideal, not a
reality, and l thought him incapable
Of anything else. 1t turned out l was
wrong-what l said about you"
NO, Gloria. you just didn't under
stand"
But just the same. l was wrong,
went away. I knew l should not be
here when you return, and SO l came
today"
You're not going to leave Bel
mont!"
Yes, I am. Do you think 1 could
stay!" Her tone made Wright's heart
sink. mo, l lack the courage, Joe,
the moral courage. There's that much
Of the butterfly left in me. I'm not
strong and brave like you are"
Gloria could not know how his
strength and bravery were slipping
from him little by little as they talk
ed. Her very presence was weaving
its subtle spell about him, snaring him
with her wan beauty, maddening him
with the thought that he was losing
her So she was going away. He
wondered why, speculating on how she !