Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-08-28
Eighteenth Installment.

Is phase OF love. bul HOW SioIid
stared at Royce with adherence. He
was repulsive in her eyes as he ran
toward her in pursuit Of the boy Stas,
then checked himself and watched her
with guilty apprehension when he saw
she recognized the envelope in her
hands. Gloria sent the boy away, told
him 10 run to his mother. She wanted
10 be rid OF him. for the time.
Give it to you'll" Gloria cried. What
Royce pleaded.
Give it you" Gloria cried What
right have you to it? know whose
ii was. | know that it was Dicks
Therefore it is mine and I'm going to
keep it.
Better not" he stammered, his fac
ulties in such a panic that his hat fell
rom his hand He stopped to pick it
up, his back to Gloria.
The envelope she held had sud
denly revived her memories as clear
as reality. Her first memory was of
the scene in her room when she
snatched the envelope from Dick
Freneau and teased him with it, never
dreaming what it contained. Next she
saw anew that scene in front OF the
Soldiers and Sailors monument
which she had witnessed through
binoculars. Once more she beheld the
monument in the moonlight and the
snowlight; the man in evening dress,
with his collar up and his hat down,
skulking in the shadows; then the APP
pcarance of Trask, the unexpected
coming OF Dick Freneau, his pause to
light his cigarette while Gloria from
afar helplessly watched the assassin
creep up on him and throttle him to
death.
.Trask vanished and the skulkcr
came by again, stumbled over Dicks
body, knelt, listened to his heartbeat,
then, satisfied of his death, ghoulishly
rifled his pockets and took from them
this very envelope that had come back
into her hands SO curiously through
the prank of mischieyous child.
Into the vivid tableau Of that mem
DRY the kneeling figure OF Doctor
Royce fitted to perfection. Gloria
had sudden intuition that she unA
derstood the truth at last. Doctor
Royce had told her that her vision
was delirium because it was himself
that she had seen.
All his devotion now took on
new and 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 had said that it was Royce and
not Freneau who battled for her and
saved her. She had allowed herself
10 think disloyally of her dead lover.
She would exact double vengeance
for that.
She advanced at once on the kneel-
ing Royce and cried out upon him.
IT was you thenl You OF all the
people In the world | see you now
as plainly as did that night, only I
was too foolish to suspect you"
What do you mean Glorial"
Royce asked hoarsely.
4 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"
"Gloriai Gloriaf' Royce sighed, so
deep and honest sorrow on his
face that Gloria was staggered. But
only for moment Her wrath carr
ried her on:
,"You made fool OF me for long
time, but you were too clever too
long, and now ! know--I know a
little at least, and I'm going to know
more. Why did you kill my Dick?"
Il didn't want to kill him Gloria.
! knew how you loved him and
would have given my life to keep
you from pain, then as nov. You've
got to believe me-" y
Believe you? When you told me
that all | saw was deliriuml When
you drugged me that night in the
hope that ! would forget? When you
dragged his body away and threw
i in the riverl Ugh, the horrible
brutality Of It'll"
Traits too false even for you to
believe, Gloria. Royce protested. II
did not drag his body away, and you
know it,
Il know nothing OF the sort. I
iaint0d as you stole this envelope
from his body. Do you deny that
you did til"
Royce stood trembling with con-
fusion. 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 It one OF the
enclosed letters fell out and the
breeze blew il crisply away, opening
It as it futtred. She caught it at
the edge Of the pool. She could not
help reading il at glance.
The handwriting she recognized
without the aid Of the 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 | am frantic with jealousy OF
Gloria, and if you fail me will do
something desperate, Your adoring
and once adored
Gloria dropped on marble bench,
while the ground seemed to be shaken
beneath her. So Freneau had planned
to make a journey with Loisi 1t
was plainly at Lois demand, yet he
had consented and arranged to go,
The story Frank Mulry told her had
been lie, too. Freneau had had an
affair with Lois. with the wife OF
Gl2ris's own brotherl
this treachery in her own house
hold was like nausea; It sickened
her. She returned to Royce, no longer
demanding, but appealing: in
heavens name tell me the truth"
Rovce feIt that the time was over