The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-05
~ E:! 54e2S =! Hss == The Richmond Virginian
TEXAS BAD MAN

, was hard to stay away when | wanted
| so to come, but Pll try not To- forget
again. Edith" He smiled APOLOGIZE
! cally at use Of her name.
so you're not coming Tonight
For just a little while" said Alton.
shsmefacedlN, as he hurried down the
steps.
What was Il, she reflected, this
subtle indefinable something that
was making lie SO sweet IT, herr
Could It be love. the ALA bsorbtng
passion that in her later day cynlcism
she believed was confined to imagina-
tive writer's At last she had known
q great, nasterfW man, Tree from
sham and hypocrisy, who had taken
her theories OF life, CLEANED from
books ana her own narrow experience,
ard rad torn them piece by piece,
only 80 replace them With theories
hich he had CLEANED from life itself
Al . O'Clock the bell rang ana
Edith waited eXpectantly. suddenly
she heard tor the first time the chin
/ y md that sighed past her window
and WAS lost in long low moan.
Sume flowers and note" said the
maid
nv dear Miss Dougher." Edith
read
A telegram from the west, and
must leave al once. I shall live for
June when you and my aunt are To
visit me. you remember Ny regards
to your mother and tell her not 10
lei you work TOO hard.
y ours ROBERT H. ALTON
1t Is love she whispered 10 the
fragrant Eewers The wind had
changed the mean had died out of it,
40,
window pane He loves you" u
called gaiIy, The dying embers Of the
6re were SLOWLY dropping. "He loves
! you not" they seemed to say TO her
/ with loves uncertainty.
1 Letters from Alton came often
strong, helpful letters. fun of his
/ wholesome philosophy. Edith felt IN
! them the broad sweep of tho plains.
/ the mans clean llfes and only between
Z the lines she read his loye. She
/ planned go that she ana Mrs. ogden
would be on the ranch when her first
novel. The Man of Promise" was
given to the public. and when she
/ went away asked that ~ mail be for
warded to her. She had worked hard
and she wanted TO play.
! To~rboth eastern women everything
( was delightfully."- new and novel from
the minute they reached the red sta
ton where Alton met them, The
+ ranch was twenty miles from the
railroad. and as they rode along In
Atoms comfortable car they locked
over the rolling prairies that streteh..
out. warm in the sunshine, until they
seemed to be lost in the blue of tht
skies,
III seems TO me that l have been en-.
tertsiuing an angel. but not unawarea
i assure you.'' Alton opened a news
paper q few evenings later. Il know
you don't want any news from home
but this is too good to keep.
Please spare me It's about IN,
book. / know"
MANY years have passed, AItot
read, since the public has been givei
such a surprise as that oceasiened l..
Edith Dougher's first novel. The Mai
of Promise. II is an EXCEPTIONAL.
, clever piece of work. ana critics ar.
unstiuted in their praise of it. TIL
man is a remarkably sne character
thoroughly western, and his wise phil
osophy savors OF the wide expanse O
plains. May Miss Dougher furnish II
with more Just such clean. wholesom
literature as The Man of Promise
, When he had finished reading Their
was challenge in Edith's eyes an
, hope in his own lie is yours. OF
rather. he Is youF she acknowledge
, and looked Off where one by one tn
. stars came out and made the sky
. Jeweled canopy
Lets walk down To the big gate
I've something to tell you
She leaned her arms on the bar
/ and stood waiting. An through sprin
he had seen her there in his drea VI
waiting for him as he rode home II
twilight.
II wanted you to see it for your
self" he said. this western home q
] mine. love YOU" there was tender
ness in his voice. ''and !" need yot
Back in your country there are othe
women to take your place in IN
charmed circle. but for me there na
t'fneSer Ieen asi,,-tbere never VIII h
! any woman but you. Come to M
dear. and let us look at the old Iii
from great distance, Could YOU Il
] YOU love me, Edith So
; She lifted her head and looked int
eyes that compelled and held her gaH'
Somewhere. in the low cataIpa tree
a bird fluttertng uttered a little not
OF Contentment-