The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-06-26
WHEN LATHAM
INTERFERED
BY WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE
Copyright, 1903. BY T. G. Mcclure
"Guess I'm all in, eh. doctorr'

The doctor looked into the white face
and the unfinching blue eyes and de-
cided to tell the truth.
Il don't know. You have a chance,
but it's a bad wound"
Fifteen minutes later Robert Latham
tiptoed into the sick room with that ex-
caution which a robust six
footer usually feels in the presence of
death or mortal sickness. Young Weir
had his face turned to the wall, but at
the sound of footsteps slowed round
his head.
He smiled family from the pillows.
lawfully glad to see you, old fellow.
1t was good of you to come"
Latham choked a little. This mod
est young fellow with the winsome
smile dragged nightly at his heart
strings.
"Yes, 1t was dashed good of me-" he
answered gruffiy. do you expect your
friends to forget you just as soon as
you make an idiot of yourself?"
Weir's face was a study in embar-
rassed apologies. Really I couldn't
help 1t this time, Latham. The kid
was right in the way Of the car. 1t
was up to me to do something"
''of course it was. It's always up to
you to do something" Latham spoke
gruffiy to cover a melting heart.
Jimmie Weir laughed little broken
ly. Good old Latham! Everybody
knows you. A fierce bark. but you're
mighty shy on bite" Then with a sud-
den change of voice, Il say, Bob, there
is something 1 want you to do for me
In case l pass out"
You're not going to do any such
dashed fool thing"
THE doctors think 1 am" answered
the young man quietly. They don't
say SO out and out. but they think it.
They're afraid Of blood poisoning.
What l want you to do. Bob, In case
the thing is going against me. is to for
ward this letter to Effie Sheldon. You'll
do that. won't your he finished rath-
er wistfully.
$50 that's what the boys had on his
mind these last three months; might
have known some baby faced pink and
white girl was at the bottom Of his
depression; guess I'll have something
to say to Miss Effie," thought Latham.
Out loud he said, Sure thing"
"Oh, and there's one thing more
about the book You'll attend to any
correspondence necessary between me
and the publishers"
Il will that I'll see that the sale of
the new great American novel doesn't
suffer because its author happens to
be a bally idiot without sense enough
to let people take care of their own
babies"
All through his days work at the
city desk Of the Post young Weir's
white face kept coming between La
than and his work. He had half a
mind to write to the girl himself. Still.
he had made IT the rule of his life to
mind his own business.
Afterward. on a sudden impulse, he
sat down and wrote a letter to the
young woman who hadn't sense enough
to appreciate Jimmie Weir. He told
very simply and lucidly the story Of
of a cable car to save a child and in
so doing had lost his hand, how the
boys first words after recovering con-
sciousness had been as to the safety
Of the child and how the young author
lay in the hospital at the point of
death. Then he told graphically of
the young mans fight against i'll health
and poverty, of the brightness and
good cheer which never deserted him
and which won all men to him. Hes
the most charming man the Lord ever
left unmarried. / don't know whether
you love him. / dare say not. Most
young women haven't sense enough to
love the right man. But know that
he cares a great deal for you. 1 could
see II in his eyes when he gave me
this letter to forward you. II you dc
care for him, and you're a woman
worth your salt, you will take the
next train for Kansas City, no matter
whether you think 1t proper or not
Ii you come, wire me at the office, and
I will meet you at the station" La
than smiled grimly as he read over
| his brusque. offensive letter. ''If thai
doesn't bring that young woman, she
isn't worth the powder to blow her
| up" he said to himself.
Then full grown there jumped into
Latham's mind an idea for booming
''The Dice of the Gods" that he Away.
claimed was the real reason for it.
proving the big seller that it afterwari
| did. He shouted across the hall t.
Perry, the literary editor:
| by thunder. Dick. I've got the big
| gest idea in logrolling you ever saw
for booming Jim Weir's book. YOU
watch my smoke. I'm going over t,
see Alcott of the Associated Press"
| The result of his interview with AL
colt was apparent in every city Of tn,
country next morning. Generally speak
ing, the Associated Press is not run fol
sentimental reasons. but the paragraph
about young Weir's accident was de
signed to draw tears from New Yorl
to San Francisco. 1t succeeded. Mel
talked about it in restaurants, womel
| discussed IL at their clubs, and tende
hearted girls wept Latham had pu
four hours into the composition of
| five hundred word story about how tn
brilliant young author of the lates
novel. "The Dice of the Gods" ha,
given his life to save a child. His lif
still hung by n thread, but there wa
small hope of his recovery.
l Latham the cynical chuckled whe]