Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-17

up on him and throttle him to death.
Trask vanished and the skulker came
by again, stumbled over Dicks body,
knelt, listened to his heartbeat, then,
satisfied OF his death. ghoulishly rifieo
his pockets and took from them this
very envelope that had come back into
her hands so curiously through the
prank OF a mlschievous child.
Into the vivid tableau of that memory
the kneeling figure of Doctor Royce
fitted to perfection. Gloria had a sud
truth at last. Doctor Royce had told
her that her vision was delirium because
it was himself that she had seen.
All his devotion took on a new ana
hideous look. He had not cared for
her. He had meant only to blind her
and divert her from her revenge. He
had nearly succeeded. She had frittered
away her time. She had believed the
Indian chief who said that it was Royce
and not Freneau who battled for her and
saved her She had allowed herself 70
think disloyally of her dead lover. See
would exact double vengeance for that.
Gloria advanced at once on the kneel-
ing Royce and cried out upon him:
at was you, then! You of all the
people In the worldl 1 see you now as
plainly as 1 did that night, only 1 was
too foolish to suspect YOU"
What do you mean, GloriaT" Royce
asked hoarsely.
81 mean that you had a share in the
murder of my poor lover. You hired
that beast Trask and you went there to
make sure he did his work we'll"
Gloria Gloriai" Royce sighed, so deep
and honest a sorrow in his face that
Gloria was staggered But only for a
moment Her wrath carried her on:
"You made a fool of me for a long
time. but you were too clever too long,
and now know know a little at
least, and I'm going to know more. Why
did you kin my Dick?"
81 didn't want to kill him, Gloria.
| knew how you loved him and I would
have given my life to keep you from
pain. then as now. You've got to believe
| me-"
Believe your When you told me that
/ all saw was a delirium? When you
drugged me that night in the hope that
1 would forget? When you dragged his
body away and threw it in the river?
Ugh. the horrible brutality Of itp'
That's too false even for you to be-
lieve, Gloria" Royce protested. 81 did
not drag his body away, and you know
/ it."
ct know nothing Of the sort. tainted
as you stole this envelope from his body.
Do you deny that you did that?"
| Royce. stood trembling with confusion
/ Gloria took his silence for a confession
| She quivered before the confirmation OF
her charge. From her weak hand the
envelope slipped AS she bent to recover
| II one Of the enclosed letters fell out and
the breeze blew it crisply away, opening
| II as 1t fluttered. She caught IL at the
edge of the pool She could not help
reading IT at a glance.
The handwriting she recognized with
out the aid of signature. Her brain
almost refused to accept what her eyes
beheld:
! Beloved Dick: Don't hate me for
compelling you to make this trip, but
I am frantic with jealousy Of Gloria
and If you fail me 1 will do something
desperate Your adoring and (once
adored LOIS"
Gloria dropped on a marble bench
while the ground seemed to be shaken
| beneath her. so FreAeau had planned TO
make Journey with Lois! 1t was plain
ly at Lois demand, yet he had consented
and arranged to CO. The story Franz,
Mulry told her had been lie. too. FIRE.
neau had had an affair with Lois. with
the wife OF Gloria's own brother!
This treachery In her own household
| was like a nausea; II sickened her. She
turned TO Royce, no longer demanding
but appealing: "In heavens name tell me
/ the truth"
Joyce felt that the time was over for
| deception. The truth could not hurt
Gloria worst than appearance
u