Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-07
ERsaGEoR1ASRo MANCE
- 6Y Mr. AND MRS RUPERT HUGHES 50 = ==7"
( By

and their child had had to call home
she felt that she had no right to COM
plain Of any woes that had befallen
her.
The sick mother was outstretched on
an old bed by a dark window A neigh
boris wife, who introduced herself as
Mrs. Slattery, thank YOU kindly" was
sitting by her. Casimir ran TO his wife,
and gasping with terror at her appear
ance dropped on his knees. She en-
braced him with long white arms so
gaunt that they frightened Gloria. Stas
ran to the other side of the bed and
clambered up. His mother turned,
stared at him. and only sealized after
long look that he was hers. Then she
gathered him to her poor bosom with a
sob OF pitiful rapture.
Mrs Slattery rubbed off a chair with
her apron and invited Gloria to rest
herself. but Gloria went to Casimir's
wife. The wretclied woman clutched her
hands and held them to her cheek, while
Stas and Casimir both explained to ner
who Gloria was. They told her what
miracles Gloria had performed and they
plainly hoped for another, but Gloria was
filled with a dread that money would be
useless here. She promised glibly, but
her heart. felt helpless. .....
r. Boyce came at last. and Gloria
had some hope thai he might re
deem the life of the = victim. go He
made his examination and spoke cheer
fully enough, but Gloria was sure from
his tone that he was lying, too. She led
him out into the hall to question him.
He shook his head gloomily. Gloria PRO-
tested.
but surely there must be some way
to help heri" ...... e.. ..H
Not in this cavern" DR.. Royce in,
sisted. ''Of course if she were in the
countryf somewhere-in the air under the
sky-but what chance has she of that?'
That was so easy that Gloria laughed
aloud. "Oh, if that is all, I'll furnish
the air and the sky. I'll take them all
up TO our country place at once. You
get them ready. I'll go tell my father
that we are expecting guests.F "f@ |
But what will he say to
What does it matter what he says?
said Gloria as she ran back into the
dingy, hall to scatter good news like
flowers. She ordered Royce to attend
TO the details of transportation and hur-
ried away to inform her father that she
had invited three strangers to his coua-
try estate. Gloria's feet skipped down
the stairway and she was humming as
she stepped into the limousine and told
the footman, The object"
T. The car started and was checked al
most at once by tangle of trucks,
Gloria, looking about impatiently, caught
sight of Nell Trask and her father just
leaving the opposite tenement She rec
ognized the old man. she was dunn
founded. AS she gazed, they were lost
in the crowd. She saw that the car could
not he turned around. Every moment was
precious. Impulse told her not to lose
this precious chance. She Obeyed the
Impulse
Without pausing to inform the chauf-
feur, Gloria opened the door, dropped
out, and ran after the Trasks. She PICK
ed them UP again after while. She saw
a policeman. she resolved to order him
TO arrest the criminal. AS she hesitated.
she saw .Trask stop and tenderly relieve
the weary Nell of her baby's weight.
He fondled and nuzzleds the child and
laughed with. a grandfatherly foolish
ness. Gloria turned away from the po-
liceman.
She followed at a little distance, won
dering what to do. The best thing would
be, She felt, TO find out where he lived.
she followed for blocks. The Trasks
climbed the stairs Of the elevated. iho-
ria went up after them. She took The
next car on the same train. 1t seemed
that they would ride on forever. Far
uptown they got out. Gloria got out.
She trailed them at a greater distance
now because the streets were sparsely
populated. The street sloped sharply
down to the river. Moored to the
wharves were a number of huge, cum
brous barges To one of these the
Trasks clambered. They went down into
il through a cabin door.
Gloria was in. a plight. She had traced
her fugitive to his. home. But his home
was about TO move. A tough-lookng
tugboat with a tough-looking crew WAS
already fastening a towline to the barge.
There was no policeman in sight any
where. The men lettering about tho
.barges did not appeal to Gloria as de-
sirable .Samaritans to ask for help.
Another of Gloria's impulses stirred
her feet almost against her. Will. She
ran along the wharf. crossed a plank
to the >Trask barge. and went to the
cabin hatchway. She heard voices of
anger coming up. The girl was upbraId-
ing her father for deserving. her and
accusing. him of a further crime. She
was crying Historically. 80
You killed him. He is dead and you
killed him ... a..
The old man denied the charge with
frenzy. He laughed at it. swore that he
was innocent The girl was already
persuaded and. this so enraged Gloria
that she. darted. down the steps and cri ed
out at. Trask.. ..- .<
You did kill him. saw you"