Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-08-25

childishly happy, till he realized that,
after ALL she was only temporarily his.
she had escaped marrying the Seminole,
but that did not mean that she would
escape marrying somebody.
| After Gloria had enjoyed all the re-
| eseming influences of a tub and a
shampoo, ard line linen and a silk frock,
she found that her interest in Mr..
Freneau was as keen as ever. She even
felt grateful to Lois Freeman for flirt-
| ing with David. She sat out on the
ledge of the veranda and day-dreamed.
When her father sauntered by and
asked her what she was up to she an
| swered:
20, nothing! I'm Just basking in the
sun"
But when Pierpont came by that way
| a little later he found Dick Freneau
hasking in Glorias most bewitching
smile. They were Romeo and Juliet at
Palm Beach, separated only by a low
wall and clump Of rhododendrons. And
Romeo was reaching across that with
his walking stick
1t was the first time Pierpont had
seen his child in a Irritation. He did
not like her in that employment, He
took her by the ear and led her AWAY.
| She protested at the indignity.
Pierpont let go her ear. He had al
ways been afraid of her and unable to
manage her. He was not afraid Of
Freneau, however. He went for him at
once. He was about to begin with a
stout How dare you speak to my
daughter He paused, feeling that
without Freneaus help he might have
had no daughter to be spoken to.
Pierpont was used to accomplishing
1T d, IF fha phaCk
book He drew the weapon now and a
fountain pen and said:
s'By the way, there's that reward. 1t
will give me great pleasure to pay 1t
over"
He wrote after "Pay to the order Of
the name Richard Freneau" and the
amount Give thousand and no-hun-
dredths dollars-S5, 100000" Freneau's
fingers twitched to clutch the fortune,
but his brain advised him to play for
higher stakes. He put away the temp
tation with proud smile.
"It is reward enough to have been
able to be of service to Miss Stafford"
If Gloria had not adored him before,
that chivalrous speech would have won
her. 1t quite disarmed Pierpont. With
his check book ruled out, his best
weapon was gone. But he clustered all
the harder: my daughter is a little
girl 1 won't have her fooling time
away with you. She must get her edu-
cation first. She is hardly more than a
child" sr.
30, papa!" Gloria cried.
Pierpont went on "And she's going
to school at once. We start north on
the next train"
This was another thing again. Freneau
quailed before the old capitalists glare,
which was as fierce as the Indian chiefs
had been. But Gloria was used to that
glare. She knew the tender heart back
of it, and she said:
"Then Mr. Freneau will come north
too and we shall see each other all we
want to. For we love each other, don't
we, Mr.. Freneau?s Desperately! Don't
we Mr.. Freneau?"
Mr.. Freneau's answer was blurred
Pierpont studied the two young peo-
pie, He had his own opinion of
Freneau. 1t was formed on brief ac-
quaintance, but he was judge Of
men.
you love each other, Ell? Desper-
ately, too Well, we'll! Now look
here" he said, after quick balancing
of his mind, "of course, you both know
that Gloria is too young for marriage.
She must prepare herself for the sol
emn responsibilities of life and gradu-
ate at a good finishing school. Now, If
you will wait, and not see each other
or write to each other till then, and If
you still love each other then, 1 will
not oppose your marriage. I'll do all
can to make you happy Is it a bar
gain?"
Freneau had not the courage to refuse
the demand in the cold eyes of the mill
lionaire. To be accepted as his son-in-
law at any time was a marvellous prom
a1fa al IN civ ira
exchange for 1t.
When he had. promised there was
nothing left for Gloria to do but promise
also. She could not get married all by
herself II takes two to make mar
riage-or any other quarrel.
For five years, them said Pierpont
grimly, "you promise not to bother each
other or speak or write-for five
years"
"I promise" said Freneau quickly.
From tomorrow" said Gloria with
equal grimness.
1.-THE train leaves very shortly" said
the packing.
Reneau walked away in a daze. Yes
terday he was a brokers' clerk. Today
he was the son-in-law-elect of one Of
the country's wealthiest men. What
were five years to him?
He wished that he had accepted that
check. Yet, If he had, it would doubt
less have finished him with Gloria. He
would have been like a servant-pand Off
and discharged Now she and her fam
lily were in debt to acknowledged to
him till he came to collect.
Five years sounded unimportant to
Gloria, too, at the moment. She would
love that young man forever. Five years
were a small part of forever, and he
was such a wonderful man that she real
ly ought to prepare herself to be worthy
of him.
She wished that she might have had
one dance with him, however, or one
moonlight conversation. She had moi
five minutes chat with him since the
rescue. Even in the dugout there had
been stupid Indian looking on.
She did not help in the packing with
much grace. There was one consola-
tion. Her father was going to send her
to school. That meant an escape from.
her demon governess and those lonely
hours of study and recitation. She would