The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-11-04
Mhllef& Rl aoads
A VAGABOND DREAMER

|, hung In midair. Molly tore herself
free then and fed in the darkness
Blair watched her GO a lnoonsearn
darling from path to path and finally
into the old rose garden and UP tho
great stone steps between the guafd-,
ing lions and out OF his sight through
the French windows.
For long moment he sat staring
at TIE windows through which she
had gone. Finally he arose, unteth-
cred mis- horses, hitched them to the
caravan and drove off into the night
she is Too wonderful his lips res
peated, Il could not Withstand her
/ long.
Three years came and went before
| Molly Ashwell and the Nagahond
Dreamer met. three Years in which
her eyes had worn peculiar. brood
ing look-a look which John Gray
had tried in vain to rathom or u
| tighten.
You aE~ not SO happy-iooking
yourself" she had chided him on one
occasion.
He had grown u shade paier
II have cause-Aa terrible cause for
! being miseraole-but | deserve IL
Was ali he had said.
She glanced quickly at him now IS
| they sat In the theatre The curtain
went up on new play. The scene
] was an interior.
1T Is almost exactly like our draw
ing roomt" exclaimed Molly breath
| lessly and waited for confirmation OF
| her words.
| John Gray neither answered nor
| seemed conscious OF her presence.
! As the play progressed. Molly felt
| the peculiar tension that held John
| Gray After a spasm oaic clutch OF
F, the hands on the chair arms he re-
manned as one turned to stone
| The play was the old. old story Ok
s. the son who had freQuented the sstaSs
| doors and had been turned away from
| home by am irate parent. In this case
| the son had lived in the theatrical
| atmosphere merely AS stepping
| stone. He had run away from home
/ to 20 on the stage that he might gam
! intimate knowledge of staxecrhfs.
| Tho strong plot woven in this fabric
was neither here nor there except
that at the close OF the last act the
author was called forth.
He came from the wings.
/ My son.
John Gray sprang to his feet ana
| held out pair of shaking arms to-
| ward the man on the stage.
! MY Vagabond Dreamer" came
/ girls voice through the hush that
| followed the meeting OF father and
/ SON.
Regardless OF the excited audience
| the two men met and the older man
plasned the ether In; htS, arms az oE
| he were still a very small boy.
! A suspended breath held the audi
| ence.
| Finally the quiet tones OF the vaga~
/ bond went out to answer that I'M
t asked question.
My father and I have been long
| estranged-I am too happy to say
| more. except that thank you for re-
! ceiving my play SO kindly
During the thunder of applause
/ that followed a slim little figure
! slipped quickly out Of the theatre and
/ snto the great limousine that crepe
| up to the curb at her call.
| Her heart was beating painfully In
! dull miserable beats.
| Nobody loves me- she wept softly
into the kindly cushions.
| She sat huddled and broken. noith-
| or seeing nor hearing the excited
| crowd that came forth from the thea.
| tire.
| 1t seemed ages before the two men,
arm In arm, appeared. Molly dried
| her tears hastily and peered out a.
| thev approached. !.
The younger man glanced at the
| car. Then Molly saw his hand go up
| to shade his eyes. He made quick
| movement.
She was very near him and tho
limousine had turned into a darkened
| street when next shc heard his voice.
Mine! All mine." he whispered
\ against her lips.
/ "Can we ~ In the caravan" Molly
| asked by may Of answer 10 hts ques-
/ ton Of y moment later.
! MIR. Down Vlsitin9 Riclann0nd-
| Mr., w. II, Down. Jr., OF PhiiAdel-
! phia, IN In the city. on a business trip.
Yesterday he was in tho hands OF
Superintendent Henry Cohn and his
deputies, and was shown the city.