The state herald., 1917-02-16

Il
Her First Duty Was TO
nothing OF Gloria's presence in the
thicket. but he promised to guide
Freneau to some OF the scattered vii.
lagos.
Meanwhile DR.. Royce, hunting in
every direction. had happened upon
the home Of the slpes, and had asked
about Gloria. Fearing that he had
come to demand the return Of Gloria's
Jewels they pretended not to have
seen her. But Royce caught .
glimpse Of Gloria's evening dress.
which Mrs. Sipe was trying to hide.
He charged the Sipes with deception.
probably with murder.
They hastened to confess that they
had seen her and helped her on her
way In the clothes Of . boy. They
sent young Sipe to show Royce which
way Gloria had gone. Young Sipe.
still angry et Gloria and his parents.
sent Royce in . false direction. too.
He laughed ~ he saw the crazy
stranger in that tattered evening dress
playing his blind mans bun. not
knowing that rivals were searching
the wilderness. and knowing that
Gloria was now In Indian servitude.
The young chief, Katcalani. kept
watching Gloria. Her whiteness. her
delicacy, the unconscious daintiness
with which she lifted the crooked
faggo& from the brushwood, and the
luxurious aureole Of her hair in the
Florida sun, made him frantic to call
her his own. He beckoned her to fol-
low him and led her to . distance
where the shambling. dusky women
Of his tribe could not see him bow
his turbaned head to the chalk.faced
squaw.
Gloria hoped that the peculiar per
son was going to help her to escape.
and she followed him with only .
little fear. But he paused and began
to declare his passion with all an In.
dams eloquence.
His dialect was crude. but his emo
ton was fierce. He compared
her with the most graceful palm. with
the rarest orchids. He said that the
sunrise was In her hair and the stars
IN her eyes. He compared himself
with the great warrior Osceola, who
had slain 10 many whites. He offered
to kill all the white men in Florida
to please her. He spoke Of his wealth.
His turban had . silver band made
out Of four silver dollars. He had .
gold watch. sixteen handkerchief. and
eighteen shirts. He had six Of them
on. Gloria should have his grand.
mothers forty pounds Of beads to
wear-she should be queen and she
would not have to plow.
Gloria had often dreamed Of her
nrst proposal Of marriage. This was
II. It did not accord with her dreams.
She was disguised. aghast. afraid.
She could think Of nothing to do.
She caught sight Of the dagger
that Katcalani wore in his belt In
sick horror Of her fate she snatched
II from him. She had not the courage
to kill herself. or him. but she gave
him the knife and begged him TO
plunge It into her heart. Katcalani
glared 1t her in . frensy Of humilia-
tion and wrath. Then the child.
woman wavered on her tired feet and
suddenly dropped to the ground In .
dead faint.
Katcalani's rolling eyes made out .
startling vision. Dick Freneau was
standing before him. The Indian guide
had put him ashore near the village
and was waiting for him To make In.
quiries. yreneau had pushed through
the palmettos Just IN time TO SEQ
Gloria swoon. He recognized her
By her fair skin and her bright hair.
He approached Katcalsni to claim her
and the reward.
But the young chief was In no mood
for . parisy. He snashsd his teeth and
threatened Ffcneau with such blood.
thirsty fury. that Freneau fell back.
He felt his hair rise and his scalp al.
ready going. He rstreated In such
haste that Katcaiani did not pursue
him far. He stood watching for him
to rcappcar.
Meanwhile. BY another roundabout
land path. DR., Royce had found tho
Seminole village. He saw Gloria
whcre she lay on tho ground. He
thought her some young Indian
maiden asleep. He paused 10 wake
her and ask II she had scon Gloria.
He saw that she was Gloria.
Before no could stoop 10 I'm hcr he
saw katcalani turn and stare. The
Indian had . knife IN his hand. He
had put one white man to flight: hs
charged on this other. But Royce did
not fail back. He advanced. He was
half mad with his nights wandering
and he was afraid Of nothing. With
bis bare hands he went straight Into
the ngbt