Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-01-09
SIXTH EPISODE.

The sudden and perilOus Illness OF
Gloria Stafford threw her Official lover,
Frcaeau. also into a sudden ana Ieri-
lous situation. lie and his partner,
Mnlrv. had counted on using Frenclu's
engagement ~ the daughter of the
great PierpOnt Stafford as a kind Of
collateral AZ the bank.
when the girl was stricken down
with pneumonia. Frcneau's heart was
wrunE ~ well as his purse. Ha was
genuinely In love with Gloria. il was
Llt hard to love 70 beautiful. so rich.
and ~ infatuatiug a girl. But ivy I'D
rot counted on death as q possible
rival
And there was another. q more GER
tain r!yal-nr stephen Royce-whom
Glcria's brother. David, had called III
"a take charge % the case. Royce had
owed Gloria before Frenean ever saw
hr-. It was Royce who had actually
saved her from The Seminole Indians.
Royce despiacl Frereau and had told
h.m so. Royce would not even permit
rrcucau 70 enter toe sick room, where
Ac vas master.
-Ieucau vas permitted to send Up
fowers. but he could met he sure that
they reached her. He wondered what
Royce was saying about him TO Gloria,
and whether she believed Id.
iIe ala not know that Royce had
been discouraged % make even what
protest hC might have given voice to-
When he first entered Gioria's room.
Royce saw on The little table near her
bed q silTer-framcd portrait of FREE
nc1u. Gloria was too dolirious TO SEQ
how bis lfp curlcd with scorn. But
hes father saw it. and when Royce
said. This fellow is a scoundrel.'
Pierr0nt answered. sternly:
II called you IN treat my daughters
health. not her heart"
Franeau did not know that ne had
such an ally IN the family. Put no
knew that he had an enemy of Q ne
culiar sort. an enemy who loved him
not wisely. but too ven. And that was
Lois. the wife ~ David Stafford.
Tho y Don Juan az a Freaeau
had never dreamed when he began a
casual Irritation with Lois that she
would prove SO desperate a w%orshiper.
He had expected that she would let
him 20 with q sigh 0r N smile. as his
other sweethearts had lone when they
realized that his heart had wings and
used them. He was t1 learn how sC-
riously Lois took his attentions and 70
learn ii m a most inconvenient time.
lie had respected P%ierponts wish that
the engagement TO Gloria Should be
kept secret. and had told no ono but
his partner. Mulry. lie had most de-
cidedly not told Lois. lie was plan
ming 10 discard her as gracefully as
possible before the news broke.
Mulry had chuckled with Joy at the
news Of the engagement. But hc grew
as glum as an owl when hc learned OF
Gloria's illness. At length he said to
Freneau:
MY boy. you've got TO go and Dor
row 81 your papa-in law 10 BE-. or we've
got 70 close the shop. Our branch or
fees are bowling for their back pay,
and we've got ID pull down some cash
HNA4EH iAtAE UT pun AtME the AAtnLS.
Go talk e Pierpont and show him the
books Show him the big killing we're
going TO make ia the street ii le..l tide
~ over. 10 on. 2 come nack with
the bacon, OF don't come back NJ all"
Freneau would almost rather have
gone 20 the electric chair. but needs
must when the devil drives. 80 he
took a big bouquet and a big ledger
L a taNicab to the Sta lord house.
And whom should he meet IN he
was usherea in but Lois telling Pier
pont good by. And what should Pier
pont say but. Il am going TO tell you a
great secret, Lois. Dick. here. is en-
gagged 10 Gloria. Don't tell anyone
Lois had no more ~self-control than
10 topple over. Freneau was disguised
with her more than ever now. She
had enough presence of mind to blame
her collapse on the heat Of the room
and her alarm for Gloria. And the
excuse sufliced for old Stafford. but as
she left. she gave the sadly shaken
Freneau a look that said, "Oh. no. /
won't tell anyone. but Ill tell you
something