The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-18
THE ADVERTISERS
 DAILY SHORT STORY

NRA < # s ie $ < < & ss $ $ E E E $ E e
 Richard Burr dropped lightly off the car at the corner nearest Ser home and walked rapidly up the avenue. The smile upon his face was the visible index to
 s ss8Py se6Es of rss M S energy.
 Richard Burr was what the world call ed a seif1made man. That the world was mistaken, none knew better than hifnsef. To be sure much of his success tn life. was due to his perseverance, to his ihaorhitable will. But the real secret of his success V IS her influence. her en- eoufa cement her love
 To him she had been a guardian anssl urging him to renewed effort. applaud Ing his achievements; smiling approving ly at his advancement
 Barely 35, he was already at the head 9 ,bs one S the sryss ysaFSp Fp0Tas sa susss s lerity was his; above all, the love H a true woman was his. Stireiy his happi- ness was not without reason.
 As he hurried along the avenue to- over the years since he had first met the one now awaiting his coming He thought of the days when he, with but a limited capital but bound1es pluck, had pesh stirred to the llnerna9st depths when he had been stimulated to dare and, daring. to accomplish. All along the rough road which he had traveled to success. her approval, her love had to put forth his best efforts.
 It seemed to him that he had always loved her. But in those days so wide had been the financial gulf between them tfat. he had not dared to hope for her hand. But che had never repelled him. While adroitly keeping him at his dis tanoe, she had inspired him to mount the ladder of financial success, had watched him climb higher and higher when she had seen of what he was made, had received him cordially, almost af- fectionately.
 Long and earnestly had he strlven to reach that financial station that would ambition of his life. And he had. at last, suceseded Tonight he was to have her answer-the answer which should have so great an influence upon his fu- ture.
 As he ascended the steps of her home he caught a glimpse of her face at the window. and a sudden pang of doubt pierced him, Never by word or sign had she declared hsr love for him. She had n fortune in her own right. She had runeroua sultors, She fad--no no, he thought. she could not undeEvalue his love for. her. It had been so constant,
 Marjorie Hoyt standing at her parior window. Eazed dreamily 1ut into the darkening avenue. She saw the lights glimmering, indistlnctiy thr ough the Were of Richard Burr.
 For an hour she had been studying the changing emotions Of her heart. trying to rightly interpret their meaning. None of her acquaintances did she admire m ore. than she did Richard Burr. Her fTiendship. for him was of the strongest. But did sfe--dld she love him?
 She Mad i0 doubt of his love for her. tered; 1t echoed in hls laughter; It gis- tened in his eyes. He had asked her to become his wife. She had not been sur prisd at this, but she had hesitated, EEopns vaguely Ssa for an to aswsr & And replying. She had promised the answer tonight. But she was as far from reach InS the true verdict of her heart as she ever had been. \. --.
 She saw him alight from the. car; she watched him as he walk sd rapidly up the avenue and ascend the steps; she heard the bell ring; she heard the maids foot steps in the hall:; she. heard his fco.- ssps sf thI eaTd hS eas spsn9 psrS9r ing there watching her. What was she
 bke turned ana smiled him welcome. He toSk seat and she stood moment, leaning on the mantei and gazing at He spoke. but she did not answer at once She was noting, in the, proud .poise of his head, certain air of proprietor ship, and, ifi the steely glitiiff1er of his boise of his head, the. gieam of his eyes, even the smile on hls lips, spoke one language to the woman. It was IS though he said: You are mine as thursdays story, PRICE OF AN oPEl