Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-17

, There there Gloria, child, don't tor
ture yourself so. You have simply been
delirious and imagined these things.
But to satisfy you 1 will go over there
at once--if you will promise to lie
quietly here on your bed. And try TO
believe that 1t is all a hideous night
mare-until 1 come back to assure you
that IL is-will your
Gloria nodded her head to him, unable
to speak but 1T seemed to Richards that
the doctors assurance had no effect upon
her and that she held herself in leash
only until she could get him out of the
room.
Then she turned to Miss Richards,
sobbing: Hold me, Miss Richards, hold
me up quickly to the window-first give
me the glasses. / must look again" =
Together they strained their eyes to-
wards the monument. She felt every
nerve and muscle Of Gloria's body taut
strung beneath her hands. And she
likened II to a bow. Gloria's soul was
the arrow and II was ready at any mo-
ment to speed on its swift and terrible
journey.
She felt the agony as If 1t had been
her own. The not knowing was the
most terrible part of it. for Richards
seemed to feel more bewilderment than
the girl herself. Her instinct and the
girls convic,.on seemed to point to the
truth of Glorias vision; yet her common
sense told her that such a thing was
almost impossible, and that Glorta's
fever would fully account for it all.
They watched the monument The
doctor appeared there shortly ana
walked about the empty spot, signal
ing to the window what he had said
before
There is nothing here-nothing.'
I'D then Gloria began to mutter.
Lay him down there"
She raised her arm and pointed to-
ward the chaise lounge. Then her arm
dropped. Richards put her hand to
Gloria's head, only to have it thrown
off by the girl as she shrilled in weak
voice: Loosen his collar-he's choking.
Dick-Dick-it's all right now, dear;
they shan't touch you again."
Richards felt thrill of joy mingled
with pity go through her. This was
something she could understand at last
this was delirium. Then the rest must
have been delirium, too?
The sound of the doctors step on the
landing brought her grateful relief. He
came in with a smile on his face. Go
ing at once to the bed, he took Gloria 3
hand to feel her pulse.
Richards said: "She is delirious now,
doctor; completely so. Did you find any,
thing?"
"There was nothing there" but the
doctor drawled the words with strange
listlessness, and: sinking into chair
covered his eyes YEARLY with his hand,
though Gloria babbled family:
HAS the mail come yet? Why don't
you give me Dicks letter?
On the following morning Gloria
awoke from her drugged sleep with a
feeling of lowering calamity. Presently
realization came. Her lover had been
murdered She hid her face in the pill
lows and moaned: ct can't be true; 1t
can't be true"
The day nurse tried to soothe her,
bathing her face and hands, arranging
her hair. Then the butler arrived with
telegram for Gloria, who took it from
him with trembling hands.
A glad cry escaped the girls lips as
she read it.
ARRIVED safely. Miss you terribly.
Hope you slept well and dreamed of me.
Am writing Devoted love. DICK"
Gloria passed her hand across her
brow in a daze. She read the telegram
again and called to Miss Armstrong and
DR.. Royce, who had just entered.
She showed them the telegram, trying
to hold her fingers over the words to let
them see only Arrived safely and Am
writing"
DR.. Royce started, but recovering him
self, expressed great delight.
81 told you 1t was a delirium. Yet
the nurse, CHANGING from the telegram
to the doctor, noted a puzzled look on
his face that beAed his words.
At last the doctor was able to place
the thermometer in Gloria's mouth. She
tried to speak, but he ordered her to
keep silence, and stood in brown study.
Gloria indicated by crude and impatient
pantomime that she wanted paper and
pencil. She proceeded to compose a tele-
gram, shifting her position that the
doctor might not see what she wrote.
DIR. Royce took the thermometer from
her lips and she went on writing, with
out noticing him. He nodded his head,
apparently satisfied, and the nurse en-
tered the temperature on the chart. Then
bidding Gloria goodby the doctor left
the room, still musing.
Gloria continued her task, apparently
a difficult one, and chewed the end OF
her pencil to bits. At last the result,