The evening world., 1916-06-03


frock torn away by "A clutching thorn.
lie found even "A loop OF vine where
she had loitered. He was puzzled by
the curious sequence OF her slipper
marks till he realized that she must
have paused to swing like n carefree
child. This gave him n little comfort
At least she was not afraid. lie un-
derstood the very whim of hers that
made n holiday OF tho flight.
Thus far he had followed her
through the illum mination OF the moon
and the glowing dawn. But the broad
daylight did not bring him the help he
counted on. 1t merely emphasized the
con .usion OF the labyrinth.
Gloria had not been long in finding
out that there can be too much liberty
AZ well as too little. No child wan
dering in IA dream through nightmare
land could have seen a more fantastic
world than that Florida entangle-
ment. She was entranced at first,
but at length she had had enough.
She was done with fairy stories. The
dense foliage became a tiresome real
ity She learned from the experience
OF torn flesh what saw grass" or
'sword grass" or knife grass" meant,
AID she nearly learned what poison
the cotton mouthed moccasin" car
ries In It's lethal fangs.
The zcst OF the adventure was soon
gone; the effect OF fatigue grew upon
her. She would have been more
scared II she had not grown 40 sleepy
She would have been more sleepy If
she had not been 40 hungry. She
found a cocoanut, but could not break
II. She grew angry and bit at II in
vain. She cast II aside and found
bananas growing in huge bundles.
She stayed her famine with these.
She kept trying TO find q pathway
out. At length she came across foot
prints and rejoiced to find at least a
sense OF human companionship. She
her to somebody's home. The very
word brought tears to her eyes Then
sho recognized that the footprints had
been made by her own satin slippers,
how hopelessly bemired and torn.
She had read OF lost people who
walked in circles till they died OF
exhaustion. She felt ready TO die 80
already. But mainly she was yawn-
ing her pretty head or. She beat
about the bush and said "Shoo!" to
any crocodiles or boa constructors
that might be in hiding She then
stretched herself out and began a
iiN'io pidytIs sSuo HOl htop
awake to finish H. In her sleep she
dreamed herself back in the beautiful
bed she had foolishly left. She
dreamed that she was asleep In her
own room.
Meanwhile DR.. Royce stumbled and
CROPPED through tho jungle In search
OF her, and her father and brother
were in conference with the Palm
Beach police.
The message that Royce gave to the
boy from Colohatchee reached them
"a little before dawn. 1t only in
creased their alarm. but 1t gave them
something definite to do. They made
no further secret OF Gloria's disap-
pearance. They called on everybody
for help.
The latest scandal in divorces. tho
most startling bathing suit at yester-
days sand parade, were forgotten
that day. The only theme OF talk
was the fact that Pierpont Stafford's
daughter was lost in the Everglades
and that IA big reward was offered
for her rescue. Parties Of all sorts
attacked the problem.
Cars went scattering along the 1t
tie railroad that pushes a short dis
tance into the glades; boats OF every
sort glided along the drainage canal;
mOtorDodtS, canoes, sKlHS, were spin
ming hithcr and yon among tho thou
sands OF waterways,
David forgot Lois Freeman and the
engagement he had to play golf with
her that morning. He and his father
ha. anticipated the dawn in the ba-
yous.
Freneau, strolling across the lawn
TO open the office OF the New York
brokers he represented. found Lois
Freeman and her father reading the
morning papers. They spoke OF the
loss OF Gloria and the 5000 offer for
her restoration 10 her father. Freneau
medtatcd. lie could use 1000 or less
20 great advantage,
When Lois invited him TO play golf
he said that he had another engage
mont, Whatever motive IL was that
moved FrcnCau, he resolved 10 forcgo
his opportunity to court Lois without
the disturbing presence of his wNllthy
rival lie badc her soodby, but he did
not 90 10 his office, lie sauntcred TO
the waters edge and chartered a
motor boat lie dropped into It and
turned the engine over. The water
negan TO Churn and the boat To skim
the flashing waters OF Lake Worth.
As was 80 eager that he stood up with