Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-29
Gloria's Romance
FOURTH INsTALLMFNT.

heart not even to be recognized BY
the man she had waited for through
five eternal years, the man she had
Loyalty considered herself engaged to
all that time.
But Freneau was not long in find
ing out his mistake. Gloria had run
away from her father to run TO Ere
rleau, only to run away from him
in turn. Old Stafford. looking for
Gloria, encountered Freneau, shook
him warmly by the hand, and asked
Have you seen my daughter?"
Then he realized with a shock that
the man Freneau was engaged to his
daughter and that the respite OF five
years was up. The mortgage on
Gloria's heart was due Stafford
glowered at the handsome young
enemy of his happiness.
But Freneau had suddenly realized
that Gloria was Gloria. He made
haste to pursue her lie caught her
Just as she paused at the door Of the
Stafford box and put up her absurdly
small handkerchief to catch the alb
surdly large tears as they escaped
over her pink petals cheeks
Freneau deity turned his slight
into compliment
Miss Stafford-Glorial was so
dazzled when | saw you that could
not speak. You were tremendously
pretty as a--as kid but now, with
your hair up and all this grandeur
on, you're-you're a goddess. And
you're mine, aren't your You're still
mnep
His impetuous charge staggered
her, but she was too deeply hurt to
forgive him at once She shook her
head dolefully and punished him with
sorrow rather than with anger. In
spite of all he could say, she slipped
into the box, closed the door almost
on his fingers, and vanished
He cursed his stupidity and turned
away He joined a group OF men
seated in box, among them his part
ner, Frank Mulry, who was beam
ing like a full moon wrapped up in
broadcloth and white linen. Freneau
began peering about the house
through his opera glass. He fastened
them on Gloria where she sat brood
ing bitterly. The first great meeting
with her lover had failed to live up
to the dreams she had been cherish
ing for FIVE years.
Her father leaned over and tried to
interest her in the opera.
boris Godunow' is my favorite
opera he said, land Amato is in
splendid form tonight"
But Gloria hardly heard the SON
orous orchestra or the laundering
chorus. The music was little more
to her than a loud wind blowing
about her, the ashes of her dead ro-
nance.
BY and by the opera glasses went
rowing idly along the boxes. They
suddenly brought Freneau before her
with a jump. He seemed very. near
and the lenses of his opera glasses
were like eyes staring into her own.
She could not help smiling back into
his appealing smile. Indeed, when
he began to signal her TO meet him
in the corridor she was tempted to
consent. To the girl just out Of
school that would be rightly ad
venture, more exciting than her wan
derings in the everglades and her cap
ture by the Seminoles.
She shook her head at Freneau and
turned to see what her father thought
of her Righteousness She saw why
he liked Boris Godunow" so much.
He had never slept better. Now,
with her chaperon gone to dream
land, it looked to Gloria as If Provi-
dence meant that she should pursue
the adventure.
She did not know that Lois Stat
ford. seated in David's box, was TAX
ing in these wireless signals from one
side of the horseshoe to the other.
She did not see how Lois glowered at
Frcneau's alluring grin; how hercely
she frowned when Freneau rose and
left the box, and how frantic she was
when Gloria arose and left hers. For
Gloria, seeing Freneau go, hesitated
only a moment, then rose and stole
away. too, leaving her father in a
peaceful slumber which all the clam
ofs OF the Russian opera could not
disturb
Outside the Stafford door Freneau
waited in ambush He was rewarded
BY the appearance OF Gloria. He was
SO delighted that when she asked him
why he had motoned TO her 10 meet
him he could think Of nothing better
to say than Il thought you would be
hungry. There's the buffet upstairs "
Gloria smiled and understood and
accepted the challenge She said She
was iamished The corridors and the
massive stairway were empty AZ this
time and they scampered up TO the
reireshment room like children.
Gloria was enchanted by the array
III cakes and became hungry IN the
presence of the feast She poked her
finger az the most toothsome
Give me this, give me this one Of
these, two ~ those, and a chocolate
and pistache lee cream and some
lemonade
Love had evidently not ruined her
Young appetite
Ffsnsau led her 70 table and they
began 20 renew old acquaintance She
renewed her five wear Old expression
a gratitude 10 him iof fescuiug htf
ifam the indians. ard he Mad neither
The courage nor the honesty % admit
lhai Il was nnt be huf Doctor Rofse
Wha had fought she fhisi a. 4 lsstili
FfsHsku and Gloria bad many ihlnaa
~ discuss. tut be did noi tell her 40
lhs mischief hs bad been up ln ID fht
Ave wears test That went wlfhnpt
faFlng They ala net know thar the
faMm titled az MffN 4 fhatfffiua mnh