Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-01-19
EIGHTH ~INSTALLMENT
The Mesh of Mystery.

Was il delirium or was II truth? Or
part truth and part delirium? IL part
OF both. where did truth leave of and
delirium begin?
This was the problem that confront
Cd Miss Emily Richards. night nurse
70 Gloria Stafford. Miss Richards sat
quivering in her chair by the night
lamp and watched the exquisite girl
vino. though quieted now by drugs,
was conscious enough TO be troubled.
Her eyes. still filled with something
of the horror they had seen or thought
they had seen. turned every now and
again towards the door. She was
waiting for the doctor 70 appear there.
He was searching for the body of her
lover. whom she had seen-Or said
she had seen-murdered.
Before this unhappy moment Gloria
had been progressing swiftly towards
recovery from the attack a. pneu-
monia that had struck her down on
the very threshold OF her marriage TO
Dick Freneau.
Nurse Richards heart had already
troubled her in this affair. and her
heart was an organ she made a point
OF ignoring al least she had cased
1t In such iron determination that she
seldom felt IL throb. But this par
ticular patient had been so beauti.
fully favored by the gods otherwise
that her untirely illness seemed in
congruously cruel.
Some day Richards might congratu.
late Gloria upon this disaster and real
ize hat the gods had been cruel 10 be
kind. but just now the knowledge
could not come to sustain her. All
she could SEE was a young girl Of
great beauty. great patience In the
face OF trying and tedious disease. one
who had all TO live for-wealth. a
devoted father and brother. and an ex-
t%raordinary handsome bridegroom
who furnished the final touch to the
picture.
1t was really the insouciaDce and
diablerie Of the dashing Freneau. with
his charming manners and somewhat
wicked glances cast her way tina wilt
ed Nurse Richards starch-though she
would not have acknowledged this,
heaven knows. and bless us. never,
Richards had arrived as usual 10
relieve the day nurse. She buCkled
on her armor OF white linen IN the
room next TO Gloria's own and as she
looked from the window facing River
side drive, h thought she had never
beheld so beautiful q night or so beau.
titul a scene. Already the young
moon was up and cleaning softly but
purely OF the noble beauty of the sol
diers' and sailors monument opposite
the Stafford house. The white mar.
BILE columns of that magnificent
tribute 10 the heroes dead and gone
stirred her strangely.
Richards sighed her last tribute TO
sentiment. a and the beauty
OF the night. and, moving towards her
patients room. assumed her usual
crisp and cheerful manner. As Rich
ards came in Gloria turned to her
with a wan little smile OF welcome
and put her hand out towards her.
She looked like a small child lying
there, and the color scheme Of her
voom-soft grays and powder blue
made an exquisite setting for the
girls W colorful type. The blue OF
her eyes contrasting with the deli
cate red Of her hair. her peach bios
som skin. a baby chin. a girls mouth,
and a woman's soul. made up a total
OF irresistible appeal.
Just now a heavy splash OF scarlet
on either cheek told the nurse OF un-
usual fever. but with her newly awak.
ened sense OF romance she attributed
the condition to Gloria's probable dis.
inclination to parting with her lever.
For Freneau had told her that he
must leave town on business for a
whole week. When he came to bid
farewell the nurse left the room. re-
turning when Freneau had gone. He
left Gloria in a lonely gloom.