From Farm to Fortune, or, Only a Farmer's Daughter — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

; MY QUEEN. 3 hands and throwing it over the fence into ' _ the pasture. “How dare you, Mr. Jenkins!” -Marion’s eyes flashed like fire as she faced him. Her sunbonnet had fallen off and showed her beautiful hair and rose-tinted features. The daisy chain fell and was trampled un- der her feet in the dust—the links which bound her wishes were scattered and broken. ried again. ‘You are a coward to strike _- aboy! You ought to be kicked straight out __ of your position, Matt Jenkins!” “Huh! You're mighty independent, é Marion Marlowe!” growled’ Matt Jenkins angrily. “I'll tell yer father of ye, Miss _ High-flyer, an’ then we'll see who gits the “My father will never whip me again, Mr. __ Jenkins,” said the girl, almost sadly. “If he _ does I'll run away, even if I starve to death * ina big city.” | _ The boys were all staring at Marion now, ‘ii and as she looked at them she saw that they sympathized fully with her sentiments. “They don’t dare say so,” she thought, as she caught their eager glances. “Poor boys, they are actually envying me just because I have a father!” Out loud she said bitterly: _ “I mean it, Mr. Jenkins, and you can tell _ him I said so if you wish. I’m not a child -any longer, I’m over sixteen! As old as my mother was when she was married,” she added proudly.. , _ “Here, Bill Vedder, go git me my whip,” was the keeper’s only answer. As the boy addressed started for the whip Marion Marlowe walked directly up to Bert Jackson. | | “What's the matter with your arm, Bert?” she asked very softly. | Bert’s lips tightened a little and his face _ paled as he answered: “It's broke, I think,” he said ina whisper. “I fell off the load and struck right on my elbow, but Mr. Jenkins only laughed at me _—he wouldn’t let me see a doctor.” “It’s an outrage, a cowardly outrage!’ cried Marion, hotly. “Oh, why am I not a : “How dare you strike a poor orphan?” she man so that I could do something to aid you!” The sensitive face was flushed with anger now and the tears trembled on her lashes as she turned toward Mr. Jenkins. “His arm is broken,” she said, in an agon- ized voice. “Oh, Mr. Jenkins, do hurry and take him to a doctor!”’ “Nonsense!” growled Mr. Jenkins, as he strode forward and made a motion to grasp Bert’s wounded arm. “My God, don’t touch it!” The boy shrank back with a cry of terror. . In an instant Marion was between them, her voice ringing out like a bugle. “Don’t you dare to hurt him, you mon- ster!’ she cried furiously; “I won’t stand by and see it done even if I am a girl! And when I’m a woman I'll have you put in prison !” | | “And I'll help you do it, if I’m alive!” cried Bert Jackson, recklessly; “but there ain't much doubt but what he'll kill me now for my arm hurts so bad that I can’t stand him much longer!” Marion stood like a statue as the group passed down the road. Matt Jenkins looked back at her once or twice, but his whip was not raised while her eyes were upon him. CHAPTER II. THE CITY BOARDER, When they were gone from her sight Marion turned homeward. The patient cows were well on their way, so the young girl had nothing to do but fol- low them. As she came in sight of the low farm-house where she was born she saw a girlish figure coming swiftly toward her. It was her twin sister, Dolares, or Dollie as she was called, and at the very first glance Marion could see that she was weeping. In an instant she was running rapidly to- ward her, and as they met she threw her arms tenderly about her sister’s shoulders. “What is it, Dollie? Has father been tor- menting you about Silas again?” she asked breathlessly, at the same time brushing her sister’s golden hair back from her brow with a Caressing motion, eonnicbhools GO) An