Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1903-06-12
WHEN LATHAM
! INTERFERED
By WILLIAM MACLEOD RAlhE
Copyright. 1909. by 4. c. Mcclure


kaAAAs0sA~sAzsss,enssasseseasAtS
Guess I'm all in. ell. doctor?"
The doctor looked into the white face
md the unfinching blue eyes and de
cidcd TO tell the truth.
but it's bad wound"
Fifteen minutes later Robert Latham
tiptoed into the sick room with that ey-
aggel-ited 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 shwcd round
his head
He smiled family from the pillows.
lawfully glad 10 see You. old fellow.
| 1t was good of you to come"
Latham chokcd a little. This mod
est young fellow with the winsome
smile dragged nightly at his heart
strings.
"Yes, it was dashed good of me-" he
answered gruflly. "Do you expect your
friends to forget you just as soon as
you make an idiot of YOURSELF"
Weir's face was study in embar-
rassed apologies. Really | couldn't
help II this time. Latham. The Kid
was right in the way of the car. II
was up to me to do something"
"Of course it was. It's always up TO
you TO do something" Latham spoke
gruilly to cover melting heart.
Jimmie Weir laughed little broken
ly. Good old Latham. Everybody
knows you. \ fierce bark but you're
mighty shy on bite" Then with sud
den change OF voice. Il say. Bob, there
is something want you to do for me
| in case pass out"
you're not going to do any such
| dashed fool thing
The doctors think ain" answered
the young man quietly. They don't
say SO out and out. but they think it.
They're afraid Of blood poisoning
What want you to do, Bob. in case
the thing Is going against me. Is To FOR
ward this letter 10 Eiiie Sheldon. You'll
do that. won't you?" he finished rath
cr 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 hi~
depression: guess III have something
to say TO Miss Ellie. thought Latham
out loud he said. sure thing.
"Oh. and there's one thing more
about the book You'll attend Ia an,
correspondence necessary between ID,
and the publishers!
Il will that I'll see that the sale
the new great American novel doesi' D.
suffer because lis author happens Il
be bally IDIOT without sense enough
to let people take care of their owl
babies
All through his days work AT th
city desk Of the Post young Weir :
white face kept coming between La
than and his work He had half a
mind 10 write TO the girl himself Still.
he had made it the rule Of his life to
mind his own business.
Afterward. OH sudden impulse, he
sat down and wrote letter 10 the
Young woman who hadn't sense enough
yF.ft L. f4l
very simply and lucidly the story OF
how Weir had thrown himself In front
| of a cable car 10 save child ana III
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
| Law 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 ana
| good cheer which never deserted nm
| and which won all men to him. He's
| 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 l know tha'
he cares great deal for you. could
see It 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 II proper or not
III YOU come, wire me at the office. and
I will meet you at the station La
than smiled grimly as he read over
I his brusquc. offensive letter. "if tina
doesn't bring that young woman SIT
isn't worth the powder to blow her
up." he said to himself.
Then full grown there jumped into
[athams mind an idea for booming
THE Dice of the Gods that he always
claimed was the real reason FOR IT.
proving the big seller that II afterward
| did. He shouted across the hall tC
Perry. the literary editor:
by thunder. Dick. I've got the big
yest idea in logrolling you ever saw
for booming Jim Weir's book. fot
watch my smoke. I'm going over t.
900 Alcott OF the Associated Press"
The result Of his interview with Al