The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-03-12
The DA1]GHrERof
DAVID KERR ste
BY Harry Mr5 6ofle !

listened. II have lived away from Bel
mont" she went on in an even, re-
pressed monotone that cut him to the
heart, "since 1 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. It was all mistake, of course.
1t was no fault Of mine, but must
suffer for It Just the same. had ev-
erything money could buy; and then
you came-and--and had love-"
Her voice trembled for the instant.
Wright could not stand it.
"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. 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, if had never come home! If
had even not gone to Judge Gilbert 8
office that day! It was fate, Joe. It
was fate. can see 1t all now. We
boast that we dominate circumstances,
the gods laugh and are our masters
still. Looking back the way we've
tH@Nt {-I
here can see that every step, relent-
less as death, was leading to that Gay
when learned the truth about my
father"
"And you know?"
Everything. That's why I'm here.
It was really such a little time ago
that 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 I came home and
first met you, I've lived and suffered
and grown old. And l 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 were nothing-be.
cause Of you. Then you ceased to see
me, and I didn't understand.
Il wanted you SO very much-then--
and you did not come. I know now
what it 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 understand how hard it was
for you, my acknowledgements be-
lieve you loved me-sincerely."
Sincerely, Gloria" His reply was
almost sob. "You know l begged
you to go away. l would have fol-
lowed you, and you would never have
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 a time there was
between those few words of love and
the rude awakening which followed
that there remains to me now not
even sweet memory of that avowal
which all girls cherish so. And then
well, that's why I've come today. II
couldn't let you go away without ask.
ing you to forgive me for what l
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. was proud of my father.
All my life he'd been an ideal, not a
reality, and l thought him incapable
If anything else. 1t turned out I vas
said about YOU"
mo, Gloria. you just didn't under
stand"
But Just the same, l was wrong,
Ind wanted to tell you 30 before | |
went away. l knew should not be
here when you return. and SO l came
:oday."
You're not going to leave Bel
month"
Eyes, am. Do you think could |
'tay!" Her tone made Wright's heart |
link. mo, I lack the courage, Joe,
he moral courage. There's that much |
II the butterfly left in me. I'm not !
strong and brave like you are"
Gloria could not know how his |
trength and bravery were slipping
rom him little by little as they talk. |
ID. Her very presence was weaving
t. subtle spell about him, sharing him
With her wan beauty. maddening him
With the thought that he was losing
Ter. So she was going away. He
,ze,, Gorod MIR,