The commonwealth., 1917-02-20

he put al His contempt into his eyes
whenever rfeneau's attempts to get a
word alone with Gloria became too
hagrantly expressive.
The chase was watched also by an
other-the terrified, conscience-haunt-
ed wife OF David. Lois had given up
her peace and shappiness and her re-
spect of self for the prize that she
now saw being taken from her. She
felt no repentance, but only helpless
rage.
Gloria had counted on dancing the
first dance with her Mr.. Freneau. She
was SO beset with wooers that he
could not reach her. He was not the
only man in New York willing to
make love to the heiress of the Stat
ford wealth., who was, incidentally,
lowered in her own right with a beau
ty and magnetism that would have
meant fortune to any girl.
Gloria tried to dodge the gnatlike
suitors: May have this dance? The |
next? The one after that, them"
They followed her among the pillars !
about the ballroom floor. They cor
nered her at last, and DR.. Royce con-
:fronted her. She was about to take
him in desperation when she saw Ere
,neau at her shoulder.
He was the man of men, but a sud-
den shyness overwhelmed her. Her
betrOthal to him had not yet been rati-
fed again, and she was afraid to let
everyone see her choose him. Her
humid eyes caught sight Of her father,
who was smiling in the hope that
there was security in numbers. She
made a dive at him and made him
her beau. Everybody admired her
tactful choice; but Pierpont knew
more about investments than about
the fox trot, and he had more rheu-
matism in his muscles than grace. He
made a sorry figure in the crowd of
dancers, and finally collapsed in
Royce's arms. Gloria giggled.
II turn him over to you, DOCTOR"
Royce laughed till he saw that she
surrendered herself to Freneau. Then
he frowned. He was in a miserable
dilemma He could see that Freneau
cast spell over the young soul Of
Gloria, and he knew him to be un-
knew that Freneau was a cad. He
had stolen from Royce the fruits of
his victory over the Indian chief.
Royce had fought for Gloria and for
his own life while Freneau carried
her OFF, And now Royce wanted to
save her from Freneau as he had
saved her from the Seminole. But,
alas! this was quite another matter,
for Gloria did not want to be saved.
Royce could not bring himself to
declaring the truth Of the matter, for
he could not endure to exploit his own
prowess. He knew enough of the
world, too, to know that if he went
to Gloria with criticism of her cava
lier, he would only add to Freneau the
charm of persecution He was in the
presence Of a complication of danger
Gus symptoms, and he did not know
how to act to prevent their developing
into q plague Of troubles. He coul(
only do what he could to keep Ere
neau assured that his conquest Of tn
young girls heart would not be op
posed.
Suddenly careless glance at Lo1
gave him a start. She was in sucl
distress that he moved to her to offe
his help. She was watching Frenea7
dance with Gloria. She saw how cor
tent they were together and her hear
turned sick. But before Royce coul
reach her determined youth cut i
on Gloria's dance with Freneau an
dragged her from his arms for tn
rest of the dance. Then Freneau hu.
ried to Lois.
Instantly Lois was better, smi1in
once more, for now it was she who1
Freneau encircled with his arm an
piloted through the skipping and gli'
ing traffic on the ballroom floor.
a Freneau held Lois tightly and whi
v pered to her honeyed lies. He e:
"a planned that he had to be polite to h
"a hostess and that Gloria was a dee
ct child, but, of course, she was nothiu
,e to him, while Lois was all in all.
+, And Lois believed.
10 Bad women are, of course, b1gg<
1e fools than good women; otherwis
ts they would be wise enough to be goo
But, being fools, it is not strang
e- perhaps, that they should be so east
III fooled. They can seldom believe I
7n disbelieve truly The intuition upC
which they so confidently rely co
er stantly plays them false, and bell
ne becomes the servant OF wish
Is That dance over, the godlike your
40 heart breaker betook himself again
al the trail and followed the Stafo1
billions.
ra
ce
rd