Arizona republican., 1904-02-18
THE KNIGHT OF OLD.
Confession of the Man Responsible foI
 the Modern Historical Romance.

the MoGern Historical Romance. Don't be harsh with the modern his torical romance pleaded a sadeyed, long haired genius, pushing back the absinthe bottle. When you condemn the much abused historical romance you are condemning me- for well I'm sort of responsible you sec
 He poured little water into his tumbler and gazed dreamily at the opalescent green as it squirmed it's way up from the bottom.
 Not that I really ever wrote his torical romance" he continued after a pause. but I feel a certain amount of responsibility in the matter for all that. It happened this way:
 Once upon time there dwelt in a novel I was writing a heroine whom we'll call Evelyn. Never mind her right name; it wasn't her fault, poor girl. It was a novel of modern society life, and Evelyn was a most up-to-d date fiction girl-tall, handsome. athletic and at all times epigrammatic.
 Well, Evelyn bubbled along happily enough for the first fifty pages or so and then I called her to me and told her that while hated to disturb her it was really necessary for the interests of the story to have her meet the hero early in the next chapter.
 "'Oh, deari' she sighed. Same old hero I supposei Tall .broad-shouldered, rowed stroke oar on his varsity crew. equally at home on the football field and ball room floor. and has a last name for his front name. How many | books have l waded through with him before? Still it's part of the story and i I suppose I might as well meet him next chapter as any other time. What it it to be this time; sprained ankle, ! or rescue from drowning?
 l Neither I told her. It's a runaway. | Morning horse back ride-lose control i foot catches in stirrup-dragged along ground-rescued by hero just as you fall in faint Its an old way of meeting l know, but the scenery's new - the old post road just below Butteggly i Manor Porkenham. Cheesitshire. Its never been used before.'
 All right said Evelyn wearily.
 At the door she paused and turned for a moment.
 '"'B By the way she said, if worse comes to worse I may as well tell yot now that any man can build his owr hall of fame-provided he has tht bricks and knows how to lay them. meant to use that myself later on. bu in case anything should go wrong il this runaway accident-well it's too good to lose and you can have you next heroine say it.
 'NOnsense,' I said. 'Nothing's go ing to happen
 Nevertheless I had feeling within me that something was going to hap pen and when she had closed the doc I hastily jOtted her epigram on 1n, cuff for future reference.
 Bright and early in Chapter " Evelyn, mounted on her blue ribbon mare Beauty, started forth at an easl Canter. 1t was only page 53 and al the horse was not due to run away un til page 57, she calculated that she hac plenty of time in which to make men tai comment on the scenery.
 Her reverie was suddenly interruptec Tn the middle of page 54 by the soun, of clattering hoofs far down the road 1 Good heavens! here's that fool her, three pages too soon," she exclaimed.
 Evelyn barely had time to drive tn, spur deep in her horses side, drop tn, reins and swoon over backwards witt her foot caught in the stirrup.
 Ter-r-rup, ter-r-rup, ter-r-rup,
 How now. Ye scurvy varlet!" voice thundered. "Uphand yon fai maiden or ye bite the dust,'
 At the same instant Evelyn felt , rigid arm draw her up and place he on a horse. 4 moment later she wa cantering off in the direction opposit that from which she had come. He rescuer was sitting in the saddle II front of her and that ripid arm, st ras ched back and still held her fast.
 What a strange saddle! How col, his back was! These and other thing made Evelyn feel that her author hal not told her all. Unable to control he curiosity longer she emerged from he swoon.
 'Heavens!" she gasped.
 She was sitting on a billion behin, a fifteenth century knight in full ar nor. At her cry he turned. It was he rescuers turn to be surprised.
 Bounds, wench, how camst thol here?' he asked.
 "' That seems a question for you l. answer, sir replied Eevelyn haughtily She didn't quite like that word wrench
 "'Cds blood and bodikinsl Prithe fair lady, are you not the maiden tha expected time rescue on page 52 iron the tolls of that scurvy under dol Richard -and-Then by the gallar by the gallant Roderick Dunn?
 For the first time the knights eye fell upon Evelyn's riding habit. H opened them wide and stared.
 Tell me, madam, what strang garb is this? Can it be that after al thou art not the fair heroine of tha