Longitudinal structure function at intermediate x and the gluon density

Calculations are presented of the longitudinal structure function $F_L(x, Q^2)$. We use next-to-leading order expressions in QCD $({\cal{O}}(\alpha_s^2))$ plus parton densities determined previously from global fits to data on deep inelastic lepton scattering, prompt photon production, and bottom quark production. Anticipated data from the DESY ep collider HERA should provide discriminating information on the gluon density, particularly for values of $x < 0.05$.