Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-03-07

"Why, Lena, Old Girl, We've Been
Taking Our Time"
And all the rest OF his long life must
be spent in wishing-wishing- It
could have been, But he would never
ask her TO do t. Not even IL the i'm
possible came TO pass. IL was hard
country on women, a hard. treeless,
sun-seared. unkindly country Men
could stand Tight for its future:
but not women like Louise Il made
men as well as unmade them And
after all it did not prove TO be the
undolng OF men SO much as it devel-
Oped in them the perhaps hitherto hid
den fact that they were already want
Ing. These latent. constitutional
weaknesses thus laid bare. the bad
must for a while Prevail-bad Is so
much noiser than good But this big,
new country with its infinite possibni-
tieS-glve it timc-it would form men
out OF raw material and make over
men mistakenly made when that was
possible. or else show the dividing line
SO clearly that the goats might not
herd with the sheep. Some day. il
would be III for women-like Louise.
Not now. Much labor and sorrow
must be lived through; there must be
much sacrifice and much refining. and
many must fall and lose In the race
before its big destiny be worked out
and Il be 1T for women-like Louise.
Down in the southern part OF the
state. and belonging 70 IL, a certain
big-barred building sheltered many
women. when the sun Of the treeless
prairies and the gazing into the lone
some distances surrounding their
homesteads seeped into their brains
and stayed there so that they knew
not what they did. There were trees
there and fountains and restfuI blue
grass In season. and flowers, flowers,
nowers-but these came too late for
most Of the women.
II Il had been Langford, now, who
was guilty OF so ridiculous a senti-
mentalism-the bold. impetuous,
young ranchman-he smiled at him
self whimsically. Then he pulled him
self together. He did not think the
jury could believe the story Jesse
Black would trump up. no matter how
plausible II was made TO sound He
felt more like himself-in better con-
dition TO meet those few but stanch
friends Of his from whom he had so
summarily run away-stronger TO
meet-Louise. Man-like. now that he
was himself again. he must know the
time. He struck a match
why. Lena. old girl. we've been
taking our time. haven't we? They
are likely through supper. but maybe
l can wheedle a doughnut out of the
cook"
The match burned out. Not until
he had tossed 1t away did 1t come to
him that they were no longer on the
main trial.
Now. that's funny. old girl" he
scolded. What made you be so un.
reasonable? Well. we started with
our noses westward, so you must
have wandered into the old Lazy S
branch trail. Though. to be sure, it
has been such deuce of a while since
we travelled il that l wonder at you.
What's the matter now, silly?"
His mare had SHE'D. He turned her
nose resolutely. domineeringly, back
toward the spot objected to.
Il can't see what you're scared at.
but We'll just investigate and show
you how foolish a thing is feminine
squeamishness"
shadowy form arose out of the
darkness. 1t approached.
rs that you, Dick?"
Gordon was not superstitious man.
yet he felt suddenly cold 20 the crown
OF his head. IL was not so dark as 1t
might have been. There would have
been moon had 1t not been cloudy.
Dimly. he realized that the man had
arisen from the ruins of what must
have been the old Williston home
stead. The outlines OF the stone stoop
were vaguely visible in the half-light
The solitary figure had been crouched
there. brooding.
I'm flesh and blood. Dick, never
fear" said the man ia a mournful
voice Tn hungry enough to vouch
for that. You needn't be afraid. I'm
anything but a spirit"
'Williston!" The astonished word
burst from Gordon's lips. "wiIlistonl
Is 1t really your"
None other. my dear Gordon! Sor-
~ / startled you. / saw your light
and heard your voice speaking to your
horse. and as you were the very man
/ was on the point of seeking, / Just
naturally came forward. forgetting
that my friends would very likely
look upon me in the light of ghost"