Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 258, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1918 — IN TIME OF NEED [ARTICLE]

IN TIME OF NEED

By SAIDEE E. BALCOM.

(Copyright. i»IS. Weatera Nawmapec - “Swiftness is the essence of the pr*.* ent task. Miss Peyton,” spoke Vniiee Drury, traveler, explorer arid lecturer. “They tell me I can take dictation very rapidly,” replied the young lady stenographer modestly, but with vwr victlon. “Then you will exactly suit me. It is a peculiar case. I have just returned from the far South Pacific. 1 have* reason to believe I have discovered a new land and a new people. I have had a rival, and an unworthy one, Axel Morgan, a man not at all averse to stealing my thunder, and. as I have reason to believe, in possession of copies of my memoranda of the first six months of my trip. Be that as it may, I am here safe in New York ahead of him. To prevent the possibility of his coming on the scene to anticipate the publication <rf my book. I wish to rush it to press forthwith.” “I understand,” 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 editor and writer and recognized in Vnnce Drury a man of superior mental mold. Besides that, bis 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 one to six, Nina sat in the little office, transcribing the notes made by the explorer during his year’s visit to the Antarctic circle. Some of Ms descriptions of icy wonders, of great solitudes, of sun and moon pictures no one but an actual observer could describe. Vance jotted down these verbal descriptions, recognizing frt them the finest part of his work. ' . . - ' "You see, 1 want to group all my Ideas into a half-coherent form. I’ve sent for a very dear friend, Cart Whitley, the story writer. I want him to beat the mass Into shape and give it the literary flavor, the coloring, the snap and go.” Cart Whitley appeared on the scene. From the first Nina disliked him. He assumed great airs of literary superiority because he had made a hit in the world of letters wlth*wne or two trivial 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 completed her work and was transcribing the great mass of data to typewritten form, when she was telephoned for by Drury. She was somewhat startled and alarmed to learn that he was at a private hospital* She found him under charge 'of a physician. “,Ml«s Peyton,” said Drury, "there may be no cause for alarm, but I have reason to believe that I am going to have a 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 at once. It would break my heart to have Axel Morgan appear on the scene while I am helpless and filch 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 honored with the confidence he reposed in her. She met a decided obstacle at the outset. .Carl Whitley developed In his true colors an incompetent, n procrastinate. She soon realized that no dependence whatever could be placed upon him. With this hoped-for co-operation failing, and Vance Drusy lying in a wast'Tng fever, all the initiative and energy in the young woman became aroused. She was urged on by reading a dispatch stating that Axel Morgan had arrived at a Spanish port, en route for the United States. Nina sat reflecting seriously all one evening. The next she spent with the prospective publisher of the book. Then—work, oh, such work! Day and night she devoted heart, soul and mind to the task she bad set for herself. Cart Whitley she utterly disdained. He was a broken reed, a pretense. A great triumph was in her eyes, wearied and worn as they were from overwork, as she went to the hospital one day. “You can see Mr. Drury,” spoke the physician. “He is past the crisis of his sickness, though weak.” Nina approached the cot. Across it *lay a 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 announcement affected him. / “Mr. Drury,” she spoke softly. “Ah, you!” and his eyes brightened and both hands were extended. “I hear that Whitley has utterly failed you. What—what Is this?” It was the first volume from the press of “the great book,” and us site placed it 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 entered into the joyous delight of the grateful man to whom her noble efforts had given new life, courage and ambition. ' . ’ ; And later, sharing his fame, as she had his labor, those two walked down the lane of life together one in heart, soul aud fortune.