Over the souls of men spread the condor wings of colossal monsters and all manner of evil things prey upon the heart and soul and body of Man. Yet it may be in some far day the shadows shall fade and the Prince of Darkness be chained forever in his hell. And till then mankind can but stand up stoutly to the monsters in his own heart and without, and with the aid of God he may yet triumph.

Cross Plains' population quickly grew from 1500 to 10000 it suffered overcrowding the traffic ruined its unpaved roads and vice crime exploded but it also used its new wealth on civic improvements including a new school an ice manufacturing plant and new hotels. He spent most of his life in the town of Cross Plains with some time spent in nearby Brownwood. She had spent her early years helping a variety of sick relatives contracting tuberculosis in the process.

Howard remains a highly read author with his best works still reprinted. Although a Conan novel was nearly publiRobert E. Howardd into a book in 1934 his stories never appeared in book form during his lifetime.