Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-03
Continued from Last Issue.l

z
Gloria rounded on him with sudden
doubt. And you told me it was all a
delirium. Why?"
Royce was startled by her tone. He
lowered his eyes before her, and then
spoke suddenly: lit is too cold for you.
I'll get your furs."
He tried to lead her inside. She re-
fused. There seemed nothing for him
to do but leave her there and go for
her wraps.
She stared at the crowd, then on sud
den impulse ran down the steps to a
policeman standing on the walk Tl,nid-
" she tapped him on the arm. 1.-The
man who just went by so nurriedly-he
was poorly dressed, had SLOUGH hat
and a beard, did you see which way
he VENT" she asked.
The policeman pointed to the right
/ aud Gloria started Immediately TO
run that way. The streets were
i'll lit and poor, but she hurried on with
hardly glance at her surroundings. Tt
lose the real murderer now was unthink-
able to her; to have had him there in the
very arms of the law, the man whom she
had seen actually do her lover to death,
only 30 have him escape again, drove her
into Il frenzy. She ran on, peering into
dark doorways and alleys. Judge Free
man, whom she mad watched all evening
mete out punishment TO far lesser
crimes, had actually made no effort TO
catch this demon for her. What was
the mystery of it all? Why We're they all
in league to thwart her and to refuse
vengeance on Dicks slayer?
Her brain was whirling, her searching
eyes ached and burned as they peerei
vainly ahead for the dread figure Of the
the tramp So absorbed was Gloria IN
her pursuit that she gave no thought 10
no a 81 horse!
TO. and the dangers were many. 1t was
bad district, a very hOtbed of crime ana
poverty. The hour was midnight and
she was alOne-a young and beautiful
woman carrying money and jewels, as
well as her own priceless girlhood, but
the impetus of her search carried her on
without thought for her own safety.
Doctor Royce and her father had re-
turned with her wraps to the court
house steps only to find her gone, and
wild with anxiety, they started reckless
y in pursuit, each taking a different d.
rection. BY misfortune neither of them
was right.
Meanwhile Gloria FASTENED on. She
actually caught a glimpse of the tramp
ahead of her; he was lettering in door
way gnawing a crust of bread hungrily,
and she redoubled her speed but ne
started on and turned the corner Of d
a
block and when she got there he was no
where in sight.
Suddenly she realized she was tired
and weak, that she could actually go
no further and that she must rest AS
she slackened her pace she was alarmed
a seeing rough-looking man cross the
street toward her; he reeled as he came
on, so that she was further aroused to
danger at thinking him under the iufiu-
H.. 4 ly,,or I,nA
this was one of the numerous lodges Of
the pickpocket and that she would have
been safer with an actually intoxicated
man. She looked up and down the
street as far as she could see, but there
were no policemen in sight, and, hear
ing steps behind her, she turned to seek
protection. only to find three men more
evil looking than the oncoming drunk
ard.
Suddenly the whole world of Gloria
Stafford seemed to cTumble before her
eyes. Her dreams of vengeance, her
hopes of ferreting out the murderer. in
deed the murder itself became unreal as
the immediate danger to her own person
was felt. She longed to scream for help
but pluckily stayed quiet and, backing
into the steps of a tenement suddenly,
threw the following men into surprise
for an instant.
The thing who was crossing toward
her, however, came on without pause
and. lurching against the iron railing
TO which she chung, snatched the gold
bag she carried and fed with sure and
steady steps, the other three following
slowly IN apparent Oblivion of the theft.
With a sigh Gloria sank to a sitting
posture on the steps behind her The
loss of a gold mesh bag wit hits con-
tents meant nothing TO Gloria Stafford.
The sudden plunge into a whole new
world-a world of righteousness and
crime: world where murderers went
free and bandits gained their aims UNI
challenged-appalled her. Breathing in
little frightened gasps. she leaned
against the friendly railing and tried to
reassemble her scattered views of life.
CHAPTER XIII.
To be miles from home without
street car fare is a luxury for the
daughters of millionaires. Gloria
stafford would have taken her first ex-
perience as a great joke if she had not
been devoted to so important an err
rand. The footpad who stole her hand
bag stole also her transportation. She
felt that she might as well have been
lost in the Florida everglades again.
of course she could have had protec-
ton by appealing to almost any of the
wayfarers. But after her encounter
with the pickpurse, she looked on every
body with suspicion. She slipped
through the crowded streets and fitted
along the deserted byways on the hunt
for the murderer of her lover. She
was afraid of everybody and every
thing. but most afraid Of losing that
man.
Al last she saw him again ahead of
her. lie was wandering rather aimless-
IL. He had apparently dropped in at
one OF more of the little swinging doors
that tapped on every corner. Gloria
FASTENED after him, but before she
could quite catch up he climbed on
surface car. The conductor had to help
him aboard. >He was 50 busy at that
task that he did not see Gloria's wildly
waved hands or hear her command,
stop that car
If Gloria had caught the car she
could have paid the fare, though she
might have given the conductor nick
els worth Of Irritation. At any rate,
she missed the car. Several other cars
came near not missing her as she stood
irresolute in the middle of the street.
When a taxicab hustled along,
Gloria felt more at home. She
did not have to pay the taXicab
tim the end Of the voyage. She could
probably have the fare charged. From
the look of the ramshackle thing she
could buy the cab for next to nothing.
She told the taXicab to follow the street
car ahead and keep near it, without