The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-11-21

UllIIy u u1S coming on the SceneC TO an.
ticipate the publication Of my book, I
wish to rush it to press forthwith"
II understand,V nodded Miss Peyton.
She was glad Of the work, for which
she had been engaged at very good
pay. She was the daughter of an edi-
tor and writer and recognized in Vance
Drury a man Of superior mental mold.
Besides that, his daring, adventurous
spirit captivated her. There was a
charm in his recital Of the scenes he
had witnessed, the work was unique,
and for a week from eight until noon
and from to six, Nina sat in the lit
tie Office, transcribing the notes made
by the explorer during his years visit
to the Antarctic circle.
Some Of his descriptions Of icy won
ders, Of great solitudes, Of sun and
moon pictures no one but an actual
observer could describe. Vance jotted
down these verbal descriptions, recog-
nizing in them the finest part Of his
work.
You see, I want to group all my
ideas into a half-coherent form. I've
sent for a very dear friend, Carl Whit
ley, the story writer. I want him to
beat the mass into shape and give it
the literary flavor, the coloring, the
snap and CO."
Carl Whitley appeared or the scene.
From tho first Nina disliked him. He
assumed great airs Of literary superb
GRITTY because he had made a hit in the
world Of letters with n o. two triv-
ial books. At once Nina realized that
he was indolent, fairly written out, and
inclined to rest on the generosity of
Drury in giving the finishing touches
to the book, the latter proposed to
issue.
It was two days after Nina had COM
pleted her work and was transcribing
the great mass Of data to typewriter
form, when she was telephoned for by
Drury. She was somewhat startled
and alarmed to learn that he was at
q private hospital. She found him I'M
der charge of a physician.
Miss Peyton," said Drury, "there
may be no u for alarm, but I have
eason to believe that / am going to
have q relapse into the sleeping fever
Of which I had an attack just before
returning to this country. IF this is
true, I shall be utterly incapacitated,
mentally and physically, for at least
two months. I have sent for you to
urge Whitley to get at work on the book
ne rv1NA r. vrynr,11 hvoolx& nv hDm 49, ~
have Axel Morgan appear on the scene
while I am helpless and flch my hon.
estly-earned laurels. You will urge on
Whitley and my publisher and push
forward the work at once, I hope"
Nina promised him, pleased and hon.
In her. She met a decided obstacle
at the outset. Carl Whitley developed
n his true colors an incompetent. a
~procrastinate. She soon realized that
Ne dependence whatever could be
placed upon him.
With this h~oped-for cooperation fail
Ing. and Vance Drury lying In q vast
Ing fever, all the initiative and energy
n the young woman became aroused.
She was urged on by reading q
dispatch stating that Axel Nor
gan had arrived ut 4 Spanish
port. en- route for the United
States. Nina sat rejecting seriously
all one evening. The next she spent
with the prospective publisher of the
book. Then-w0rk, oh, such work !!
Day and night she devoted heart, soul
and mind to the task she had set for
herself. Carl Whitley she utterly
disdained. He was a broken reed, a
pretense.
A great triumph was in her eyes,
wearied and worn Is they were from
0verwOrk, as she went to the hospital
one day. '"You can see Mr.. Drury,"
I spoke the physician. "He is past the
crisis Of his sickness, though weak"
Nina approached the cot. Across 1t
lay q newspaper and she noted that its
first column referred to the arrival in
the city Of the explorer, Axel Morgan.
The downcast expression on the face
Of Drury told how depressingly the an
nouncement affected him.
mi. Drury," she spoke softly.
"Ah, you'll" and his eyes frightened
and both hands were extended. II
hear that Whitley has utterly failed
you. What-what Is thisf'
It was the first volume from the
press Of "the great book" and as she
placed 1t In his hands she tottered and
fell senseless across the cot. The
strain had. been too much, but oh, the
reaction, when, an hour later, she en-
tered into the Joyous delight Of the
grateful man to whom her noble efforts
had given new life, co1rage and amir
tton.
- later. sharing 10 fAne - go
- labor, those I've wa1keG doUn
Ml1e of l1fs toesAer - = 80
- $500, 1s.sa.. D.