A Lover's Quarrel, or Marion Marlowe's Deceitful Friend — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

~? 7 4 a _ s } +. 7 MY QUEEN. Bert! I can’t make you out! What has come over you?” The young man turned half way round and passed his hand over his face, but, once more, the young girl was too confused to under- stand the gesture. : “Bert, you surely don’t mean that you have lost your love for her, do you?” she whis- pered, breathlessly. “Why, you can’t, and be honorable! Don’t you know you can’t? The poor girl loves you, and it would kill her to lose you! Oh, Bert! Bert! You are so changed! I cannot understand you!” The tears had sprung to Marion’s eyes and Bert’s face was flushing, but he steadily avoided looking squarely at her. “There’s no use reproaching me, Marion,” * he said, a little remorsefully. “TI ain’t saying a word about my own feelings. I’m just do- ing what I think a gentleman should do, under the circumstances. I’m_ offering Miss Ellis back her freedom from our engage- - ment.” | “Well, you are very wrong to do it, and [ will never forgive you!” cried Marion, hotly, as she turned on her heel. “I never expected such an act from you, Bert! A gentleman does not offer his fiancée her liberty until ” she desires it Bert bit his lips, but did not reply and .. Marion walked quickly from the room with- — out looking behind her. “Poor, dear Marion! She doesn’t under- stand,” he muttered, after she had gone. “Gee whiz! As if I would ever have given my darling up if I hadn’t been told that she regretted our engagement.” He waited a minute until he could compose his features and then walked slowly across the lobby and out to the pavement. Ten steps from the hotel a plaintive voice called to him and Bert turned to confront Miss Fredericks, who was arrayed in some peculiar garments, 7 “T borrowed them of the chambermaid,” she said, as she joined him. “I hope you won't mind walking with me a few steps, in spite of my looking so hideous?” “Is it possible that you have nothing left?” asked Bert, in genuine dismay. Miss Fredericks shook her head and the tears sprang to her eyes. “Not a thing that is fit to wear, and no like- lihood of getting anything. I have just ten dollars left and my uncle is in Italy.” “Great Scott! That’s rough! But how about your board?” asked Bert, sympathetic- ally. “Will the hotel people let you live there until they hear from your uncle?” Miss Fredericks coughed slightly in order _te repress a smile, but her answer came with some reluctance. “@h, yes—I suppose so! Uncle’s credit is good,’ she said, slowly, “but, of course, I shall be subjected to great annoyance. I am used to having money in my pocket, you know, Mr. Jackson.” She sighed heavily as she spoke, and Bert gave her a quick glance. She was such a eon- fiding little creature that he could not help ' pitying her. “Hold on ! We'll take a cab!” he said, with a sudden inspiration. ‘“There’s an empty one on the corner—come on, Miss Freder- icks,”’ A smile of triumph shot across the young girl’s babyish face, and the next moment Bert was seating himself by her side in a comfortable carriage. “There, little girl, there’s a hundred dol- lars,” he said, in a low voice, as soon as they were rolling along. “Now, I’ll just leave you at one of the big stores and you can buy what gimcracks you really need. I’d give you more, but it’s all I’ve got at present.” “Oh, you dear, sweet fellow! How good you are!” sighed Miss Fredericks, with a glance of adoration; then she put her hand upon his and dropped her lids shyly. Comieyoo <SEIGO