From Farm to Fortune, or, Only a Farmer's Daughter — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

10 whined Mrs. Marlowe. “He’s run off with my darter! the scallywag!” bawled Deacon Marlowe, but Marion only clenched her hands and bit her lips. It was horrible to think of Dolhe in the clutches of her in- sulter. “What shall you dew, father?” asked Mrs. Marlowe, at last. “Dunno,” said her husband, a little ab- sently. “I calkerlate, tho’, I’ll jest ler ’er go! ‘Pears tew me that’s about what she de- sarves, the for’ard critter!” Marion Marlowe’s eyes flashed as she heard this decision, but she did not deign to make any answer. Going straight to the old chest behind the kitchen door, she opened the lid and began overhauling its contents. “What dew you want in there?” asked her father, suspiciously. ‘TI want grandma’s topazes,” she said very firmly. “J am going to sell them to Widow Pearson; you know she always wanted them, and the money will enable me to hunt for Dollie!” “Yew sha’n’t tech them!” cried both her mother and father at once. “They are ours—Dollie’s and mine,” said Marion, calmly. “I shall use them as l _ think best A.scream finished the sentence. “They are gone! The topazes are gone!” she cried, excitedly. “See, here is the cha- mois bag! It is completely empty!” She held it up to the flickering light that fell from the tallow candle in her mother’s hand. A double crime had been committed—ab- duction and theft. Marion sat down on the chest and burst out crying. “Tt’s Dollie that’s done it!’ bellowed Dea- con Marlowe angrily. “It wasn’t enough fer her tew disgrace herself an’ us by runnin’ oney with that air feller, but she must up an’ steal the topazes, the brazen hussy! She shall never darken my door ag’in! The wicked jade! the—the “Hush, father! Dont you dare to call Dollie names,” cried Marion. “If any one ‘s to blame, it is that black-hearted scoun- drel! Oh, I knew he was a villain! Why didn’t 1 watch him!” MY QUEEN. Marion had sprung from the chest and was. confronting the old farmer—her eyes scintillating with feeling, and her drawn lips were almost bloodless. 3 “My sister is innocent! Do you hear me, father! Shame on you for being the first to condemn your own daughter!” § Her voice was so sharp that it seemed to hiss through the air, and the old farmer shrank back as though she had struck him. Mrs. Marlowe covered her face with her hands and began to sob, but Marion’s eyes were burning—she had done with weeping. Now was the time to act—to save her sister. CHAP TEAX We . A DARK DEED. It was almost dark when a long, dust- covered train drew slowly under cover of the Grand Central Depot. . The rush and roar of the big city was at its height and the pushing, jostling crowd of travelers inside the station was noisy, rude and bristling with impatience. As the long stream of passengers swept through the yawning archway, a young girl stepped aside from the throng and leaned in ~ some bewilderment against the wall of the building. No one noticed hex at first except by a casual glance, for she was poorly dressed and just a bit awkward. It was plainly evident that she was waiting for some one. | After several minutes had passed she sud- denly removed her veil—a hideous green one which had distorted and disguised her fea- tures. After that when any one glanced at her they turned to look again, for such a face as Marion Marlowe’s was not often seen in the big city. At last the crowd dwindled to only the employees of the station, and a messenger in a red cap stepped up and accosted her civ- illy: “Excuse me, miss, but can I be of service to you?” he asked, politely. “You TO it’s our business to tool after passengers.’ “Thank you,” said Marion, sweetly. “I Gomicbooks.com “2 a a ee