Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-02-15

lfr-pOnt m0tUred out with Royce He
TOLD Royce that he would really have
to get rid Of the unweIcome guests. IL
only to prove to Gloria that she was
not yet the absolute boss Of the family.
'That victory will be worth going
miles 10 See" said Royce.
They reached the country place. only
to find that Gloria had not been seen
nor heard Of. Her three guests were
there. however, installed for a long
stay. The butler was 50 Mortified as
having a walters family To wait OH
that he offered his notice.
Pierpont decided 10 evict the wait
er's family and save the butler. He
would do IL at once before Gloria got
home. He stalked forth like n con
stable with a writ OF eviction.
The boy Stas caught sight of Inn
and ran and flung his arms about his
neck and began to tell him Of the won
ders of his own country place. Of trees
and flowers and birds and animals
commonplace things 10 Pierpont. but
miracles to the boy from h slums.
Casimir had gathered an armIoad OF
flowers for his sick wife. and he was
aglow with the feeling that she was
better already.
Pierpont had n great deal Of Gloria's
impulsiveness and a great deal ~ her
Astounding tenderness. He lost his
temper In flashes. but his charity
burned steadily and deeply. and now
Stas had Won his heart. He could not
u~nclasp that child's arms. In fact. he
lifted Stas To his arm and held him
there while he old the butler he could
leave without notice III he did not like
the guests Of the house. Also Pier
pont told Royce that he must tab. par
ticular care OF Casimir's wife. Royce
laughed at the old mans complete col
lapse aud said
Its a pity Gloria isn't here 70 see
YOU. I wonder where on earth She is."
She's somewhere she Oughtn't 20
be. that's sure" Pierpont growled. as
he stared at his section Of the Hudson,
where. fighting against the current, d
little tug was visible. towing an old
canal barge loaded Ia the water line.
Then he added: "She's probably on
that barge now. adopting the barge
mana family"
He could imagine nothing more K
t%rayagantiy impossible To say Than
that. And yet. the truth kept Pace
with his extravaganza. Fer Gloria was
indeed even then on board Just such
a barge being towcd upstream by Just
such "A tug. Only Gloria WAS not
adopting the hargeman's family. She
was being adopted by IL. She was q
prisoner and her life was IN pawn.
Gl0ria's curiosity as 20 one problem
was solved. She had found out that
her vision OF Freneau's murder was
not a delirium. She had seen the as
sa>sln and heard him accused by his
own daughter. One trouble with salts
flying curiosity is that every curiosity
satisfied opens up new curiosities.
Gloria now was frantic To know why
Gideon Trask killed Freneau and how
Trasks' daughter was involved in the
crime. Next. she was curious 10 know
how she was to escape with her knowl-
edge. once she had Ii.
Nv 'tRhA = fRAtN
over his shoulder accusing him of the
crime he was denying. he whirIed a.
II m angel had spoken with the
voice OF conscience. An angel would
have been hardly more surprising then
the look OF Gloria on the stairway OF
the barge.
Trask had no idea Of Gloria's iden-
tity. lie could not imagine who she
was, whence she had come. or why She
accused him. lie stood transiixed a
moment. then moved toward her with
menace Gloria retreated up the steps.
but he leaped az her and dragged her
down and seized her by the throat. as
he had seized Freneau.
She tried 10 scream. but she could
not make n sound. Nell attempted
10 restrain her father. hut he turned
IN her with terror and wrath: II
she gets away. | 60 10 the chair"
He might have throttled her then
and there. but there was a jolt. the
barge shook as the towline dragged
I away. and down the hatchway came
he voice Of Trask's helper. Jed.
Trask hurled Gloria against the way
and warned her that II she made a
sound IL would be her last. lie would
wiring her neck and throw her into the
liver.
Gloria covered In utter dread " him
md remembered the fate ~ her poo-
over. whose body the same stream
lad received and kept for days.
Ito be c%ontinued.)