Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-02-10
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/ ROMANCE
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RUPERT HUGHES

zled hcad over the heads of the crowd,
and she was nearly ut his heels when
n belated truck. bearing n long steel
girder. drove across her path IL
seemed 10 take forever to move by.
When ut last ii cleared the way Trask
was almost out of sight. lie hesitated
before two or three saloon doors and
Gloria had retr!vv most Of her lost
distance. Tim. 80 ldenly. he turned
and dashed into n barroom.
Gloria was headstrong. and she
startled herself with her own behavior,
but instinct drew the line at entering
such Il place. Her eyes were attracted
by the sign, ladies entrance" over
a side door. She did not know that
1t led to a large dance hall at the
rear Of the barroom. She ventured
along the grimy corridor until she
heard the music and the shutting Of
feet.
Then she understood and would
have retreated If a brace of typsy gun
men had not come lurching In from
the street and cut Of her escape. She
backed away from them In terror and
backed into he dance halI-a large,
noisy. dirty room. filled with vicious
and shabby characters. Couples were
dancing in characteristic clinches or
sprawling about the tables. Gloria
was of such "A different sort that her
sudden appearance caused a silence.
She turned and stared.
A hurley ruffian called Choey. a
waterfront beau. smoking a cigarette
nub. saw her and. leaving his com
panion. g TO Gloria with admiring
enthusiasm and roared:
"Chee. kid, but you're chust my
style. an chuSt in time for a toin."
Gloria declined his invitation with
terrified thanks and started for the
door, but Choey seized her by the
waist. whipped her into his arms and
fox-trotted away with her. She was
more Disguised than afraid. She re-
sisted vainly. pushing against him and
struggling. He laughed; the crowd
laughed. She struck up at the villains
face. but he held his head too high for
her TO reach and. laughing. whirled her
round and round through the crowd.
About this time Doctor Royce was in
hot pursuit of Gloria. He had caught
a glimpse of her hat. and he thought
he saw il turn in at n door. He was
almost more angry han anxious. He
tried all the doors. At length he
reached the dance hall. He glanced
nj the crowd aud felt sure that Gloria
could not be there. He was about to
retreat when Choey's late companion.
Moll, admired him and danced up 10
him. daring him to invite her 10 n
spiel. And then he saw Gloria-a most
astonishing Gloria. She had been so
enraged by her captor's insiStence that
She seized him by the neck scarf and,
lcaping up. caught him by the hair
and dragging his head down slapped
his face.
Choey was a believer in the equality
of women. and ne made ready 10 re-
turn blow for blow. Royce made a
wild rush and blocked the attack. He
drew Gloria's arm through his and
started out.
The crowd stopped dancing and
watched. Chocy was not in the habit
Of surrendering. He let out a yell
and seized Gloria's other arm. Royce
broke his grip by jiu jitsu and flung
him off. He fell against a table. up
setting the occupants, who rose anu
struck at him, then at one another.
Choey Ieaped At Royce. The zest of
l.ssl. gIl.l -. .Ir nn.4. t.-f rl..pln
back Of him and met Choey half way.
Royce was n college boxer and Choey
had Il schooling in the east side rings.
II was a pretty exhibition of two
schools OF science. The spectators
were Of divided opinions and began
to take sides.
Men and women quarreled and
smote. The whole place fell into up
roar. Royce was attacked on all sides.
He seized n chair and cleared a space
for Gloria. IL was wrenched from him.
Bottles were thrown. Royce went 10
his knees aud rose with a cash on his
head.
Gloria did her best To protect him
till he got up, but she was II novice In
such scenes. Through a terrific melee
Royce slowly fought backward To the
Ioor. Even the musicians entered the
fight. Gideon Trask. never dreaming
that he was the cause of II all. watched
The battle from the barroom door,
through which the aproned barkeepers
entered the fray.
Choey's neglected lady friend began
to fear FOR him. h forgave him the
slight he had put on her, and when
she saw him slip on the wet floor and
20 skidding under the feet Of the
trampling herd she was alarmed for
his manly beauty. She dashed from
the woman's entrance and down the
street to where two policemen stood.
She ran up tn them, yelling:
"Say. dere's a swell guy In dere
moiderin' de whole bunch"
The policemen raj with her. rap
ping the pavement. One Of them
stopped to telephone the station for
the patrol wagon. Two other police
men gallOped In from side streets.
Royce and Gloria had struggled
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