The state herald., 1917-02-16

turn he caught sight of tire tracks
swerving wildly and turning OF into
the sand between two dunes. He
shut OF his power and set his brakes.
drew into the side of the road, and
jumped out.
He passed the barrier Of the dunes
and caught sight of David's racing
car In the waves. The pillows fam
ing with moonlight were sweeping
over the little machine with terrifying
ruthlessness. now tossing up spray
which the moon turned to jewelry,
now smothering 1t all from view.
Royce gaxed aghast. He tore his
hair at the vision. He could almost
sec Gloria caught in the wheel and
held fast while she drowned. slowly
choking.
He was about to dash into the sea
and fight It for the body Of the little
runaway when he saw footprints in
the wet sand.
With q cry Of relief DR.. Royce fol-
lowed them across the sand to the
highway. But Gloria had not turned
north in the road. She had been
wooed into the dense. lush foliage.
The doctor regarded It with dread.
He could not imagine how tempting
It had been to Gloria's truant heart.
He was afraid that she might have
lost her mind with fear.
He had hardly plunged into the
thicket when he lost track Of her.
He ran back. hoping that he might
find some courier with news. In
stead he met . boy from . pine
apple plantation. Royce hailed him
and learned that he was going for
. doctor. He had heard and seen
exactly nothing of Gloria.
He was about to let the boy 90 when
II occurred to him that Gloria's father
would be frantic for some word Of her
whereabouts. He found prescription
pad in his pocket and . bit Of pencil
and he wrote q note.
Pierpont Stafford. Royal Poin-
ciana: found Gloria's car In the
surf and her footprints leading
into the everglades. I am follow
ing them. but think you had better
organize searching parties to beat
the whole district.
STEPHEN ROYCE.
He gave this to the boy and . bill
from the small roll he found in his
pockets. He made the boy promise
to 90 to the nearest telephone and
tp~ anti tha un..a~a tn thn hne~l
Royce returned again to the chase, in.
creasinsly applied at the thought Of
Gloria alone there.
Now and then he found some hint
Of her. . shred Of silk from her Paris
frock torn away By . ciutching thorn.
Gloria had not been long In finding
out that there can be too much liberty
~ we'll ~ too little. No calm wander
ing In . dream through nightmare
land could have seen . more fantastic
world than that Florida ENHANCEMENT.
She was entranced at first. but at
length she had had enough.
She had read Of people who walked
in circles till they died OF exhaustion.
She felt ready to die 30 already. But
mainly she was yawning her pretty
head Oh. She beat about the bush and
said "Shoo!" to any crocodiles or boa
constructors that might be in hiding.
Then she stretched herself out and be.
gan . little prayer. She could not
keep awake to finish II. In her sleep
she dreamed herself back in the beau.
tiful bed she had foolishly left. She
dreamed that she was asleep In her
own room.
Meanwhile DR.. Royce stumbled and
groped through the Jungle In search
Of her. and her father and brother
were In conference with the Palm
Beach police.
Tho message that Royce had given
to the boy from Colohatches reached
them littlo before dawn. II only In.
creased their alarm. but II gave them
something to do. They made NO
further secret OF 0loria's disappear.
ance. They called on everybody for
help.
Cars won't scurrying along the little
railroad that pushes . short distance
into tho forest; boats Of every sort
Elidod along tho drainage canal: motor
boats. canoes. skifRs. dugouts wcrc
spinning hithor and yon among tho
Thousands OF waterways.
David forgot Lois Freeman and the
engagement no had to play golf with
her that morning. Ho and his
father had anticipated tho dawn In
tho bayous.
Frcneau. strolling across the lawn
TO open tho ofiico OF tho New York
brokers no represented. found Lois
Freeman and hor father reading the
morning papers. They spoke Of the
loss Of Gloria and tho 5000 offer
for her restoration 10 her father.
Freneau meditated. He could use g..
900 or loss TO great advantage.
When Lois invited him to play golf
ho said that no had another engage.
| tnant whstavne SaoAtva a -. A. -