Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-04-12

Dick perceived her shyness and di
speak now. He would never have a
better chance, he thought. Putting
down his cup, he reached across the
table for her hand.
Gloria, dear little Gloria" he
sighed, my five years of probation are
up. I've waited patiently and always
hopefully. Mayn't have my reward
now? Please say that you will marry
me quickly and put me out of my
misery, will your"
Gloria could not answer. She hung
her pretty head and wriggled back a
little farther into the grandfather 3
chair. Perhaps she did not want to
end the luxury of keeping him anxious
with too immediate yes. He would
not daily. He picked up tho little
table that stood between them and
putting it aside dropped on one knee
before her, like the true artist in love
that he was. He clasped his arms
about her and she closed her eyes and
gave him her lips.
They heard the untimely hostess APP
preaching and he sat back in his chair,
twirling his mustache, while Gloria
tried to look as if nothing had hap
pened. Nothing had happened except
a short flight to heaven.
On the way home they chartered
merrily of the everythings that would
make up their new life. The scenery
was the same, yet how different! They
were betrothed now. For many rea-
sons Freneau was impatient to have
her fathers sanction to their engage
ment as soon as possible. Gloria de-
cided that she would drive him home
with her and beard her parent in his
lair without delay.
Pierpont Stafford was not UMPIRE
pared for the viii you let me marry
your daughter" speech that Richard
Freneau made him. He had given his
own word five years before that If FIRE.
the same frame Of mind at this date he
would raise no further objections. He
gave up the fight now, and took his
defeat like the true sport he was, gra.
ciously concealing his own sad heart
The radiance Of his child and the
evident sincerity Of Freneau almost re-
paid him; at least they made him
hopeful for her happiness. One slip
uiation only he insisted upon, that the
engagement should not be made pub
lie at once. He knew that engage
ments were not necessarily certain to
end in marriage, and he wanted to test
F'reneau little further. He insisted
upon guarding his daughters name to
that extent. II anything went wrong
with them they should not have to
take the great American public into
the secret. Freneau agreed to this,
the more readily since it would give
him the more time to propitiate and
get rid of Lois. And old Trask might
have to be given his quietus in one
way or another.
While Freneau and her father held
their council OF war Gloria had gone
out to the hall to wait its outcome.
There Freneau found her huddled up
on the lower step, hugging herself as
if she were cold. He rushed to take
her in his arms for kiss. She bat
tied him with mock resistance, before
she ran up the stairs to play Juliet to
his Romeo. Then, throwing kisses,
they parted.
When she reached her room Gloria
found herself shivering with violent
chill that all the warmth of her heart
could not subdue. Burroughs was in.
stantly alarmed. She summoned
Gloria's father, who was even more
alarmed. He made her go to bed at
once, ordered her covered with many
blankets, and had hot-water bottles
filed.
The chill did not abate. In panic
he telephoned from Gloria's own room
to his old family physician, Doctor
Wakefield, and was fortunate enough
to reach him and be assured of his
immediate attendance. Doctor Wake
field was a fussy medical man of the
very old school. He had taken good
care of the Stafford family, but lat
terly he had let science outrun him.
Still he recognized pneumonia without
difficulty. He whispered the dreadful
word to Stafford and ordered in two
trained nurses and no end of medi-
cines.
Pierpont Stafford was frantic with
anxiety. He telephoned for Gloria's
brother and for Aunt Hortensia. Bur-
roughs told them of the stolen sleigh
ride and Freneau became less popular