Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-27

passenger was heavy. Gloria was light, |
but her African was weak. 1t was any
body's race with every prospect of
spill for one Jockey or the other, since
the paths were filled with dawdling
strollers and the bicycle had come back
into fashion Everywhere women in eX-
quisite dresses were rowing about on
pedals. Dozens of other "afromoDiles
also cluttered the race course. Now,
Gloria gained and was about to head Off
her man, when a messenger boy on
wheel cut in ahead and it was necessary
for Gloria's chauffeur to back pedal
wildly or endure collision.
Mulry would shoot ahead and rejoice
at his triumph, only to find himself in
a tangle of pedestrians. His one-darky
power machine began to feel the effects
of his bulky cargo. Mulry applied gaso=
line in the form of dollar bill brand
.shed in front of popping white eye
balls, and that gave him the advantage
for time. But even money cannot fur
nish everlasting poweF. and the heavy
breathing back of him told, Mulry that
his engine was about to die.
He looked back and saw that Gloria s
car had taken a wrong turn and shot
down another avenue He gave three
silent cheers for himself.
Thus ended one of the most blood
curdling rolling chariot races since
Ben Hur's day. Mulry paid his
exhausted man we'll and took the
nearest way to the cottage where he was
guest. He did not leave. it that night,
and it was well, for Gloria hunted for
him everywhere. --' .t
She would not dance, though many
asked her. The music hurt her cruelty.
She remembered how she had wanted
to dance that moonlight night so long
ago, but had been put to bed by her
heartless governess. She remembered
how she had suffered till she could bear
it no longer, and had risen to dress in
the dark and steal out, leaving her gov
erness ashore.
She had envied David his liberty and
had stolen the car that David brought
around so that he might take Judge
Freemans daughter Lois for moon
light spin-and spoon. Gloria had not
prevented David from marrying Lois,
and she had run herself into series OF
adventures that had promised every
thing wonderful only to stop short In
black disaster. Her poor, brave, pa
tient lover would dance no more, smile
at her no more. Love was gone from
her life already and she was only
twenty.
Frank Mulry did not dance that night,
either He sat at his window, listening
to the music and wondering how long
this game of hide and seek would last.
He was tempted to go out and surren-
der to this young girl who was stalking
him with such relentless stealth
But he thought of the money her faith
er had given to Freneau and he was
afraid he would have to give II up. he
thought of his share in Freneau's trick
ery and the ugly look it would have IN
court He beat his fat head for some
clever lie that would explain everything
gracefully, but no inspiration came and
he went to bed like a spanked and sup
PEERLESS child.
The next morning Mulry looked out
late upon the flood of sunlight gliding
the LIQUID emerald sea. The breakers
called to him. He could not resist the
summons He stole down corridor ana
along an unfrequented walk, to a path
house He unpeeled his. clothes and
eoueezed into a bathing suit and so made
into the ocean. Friends OF his loHlhg on
the beach said that the water rose When
he went in and fell when he came out.
But Mulry was happy. He wallowed
and dived like a porpoise till he was
blissfully weary, then he stretched MINI
self on the sand for an Oriental snooze.
He heard a voice that sounded faIlll-
lar He sat I'D Gloria was coming
along the beach directly toward hiIn.
In her sea clothes she was the approval
of all eyes except Mulry's. He ola not
make the mistake of the ostrlch. he
buried his entire self in the sand and
tried to hold his breath till Gloria got
mast Luck was against him and she
casually stepped on him as she crossed
his equator.
When she had gone. he eXhumed him
self hastily and made for the water 10
clear off the sand that loaded him. Just
as he set his toe in the first froth'
Gloria sighted him. He could tell Oy
her start that she recognized MIN. he
ran into the waves, she followed. he
dived through the first breaker and a
second and a third. When he looked
back she was not to be seen. He laugh
ed and began to foat-which was the
easiest thing he did. Suddenly he saw
a red turban come through the wall Of
a big billow. Under it appered Clio
ria's face Mulry struck out to sea.
Gloria came crawling after. He was
astonished to see how we'll she swan.
But he swan well, too.
He wondered if he would have to cross
the Atlantic and he regretted the neces-
sity of landing in Europe with his bath
ing suit and nothing else. He was still
at some distance from Europe when he
suddenly felt a twings of pain IN his
ankle-then in his knee-in both knees.
He was doubling up with cramp! He
knew real fear now. He looked back TO
shore and the far off, misty crowd. He
shouted for help. Nobody heard him
except Gloria. and he placed no reliance
in her. ....'
She called to him. but he was past
ans wering Gloria had been raised as
an athlete and her brother David had
taught her how to rescue drowning peo-
pie. But her first practical demOnstra-
ton alarmed her. She had not counted
on so huge barge to take in tow.
She set up a cry TO shore. No one
heard her. No one missed her exec iot
one man. DR.. Royce was looking Tor
her. That was not STANCE. He was
almost always looking for her or at her.
Pierpont did not know where she was.
David and Lois had no idea of her
whereabouts. She was not among the
crowds on the beach.
Royce stared out into the farther
waters. He saw her turban-or
ar least lie was afraid that. it was
hers. He saw her put up her hand,
though he could not head her cry.
He .howled to the life saver in the
boat and pointed to where Gloria swan
with one hand, the other clutching at
AIulry's collar The life saver bent to
the oars; the shallop slipped across the
waves and Royce plunged in and swan
with all his might, diving through the
white caps, cresting the big rollers. The
life saver checked his boat alongside
Mulry, took him from Gloria, hauled him
over the stern seat, and left him face