Marion Marlowe in Chicago, or, Trapped by a Lunatic — page 26: what you’re looking at

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~ even murderous, but she was not so horrible as the negroes. When the door was locked behind them, _ Marion almost cried from happiness. At least, she was safe for a few minutes and could get her wits together, There were several rooms in the shanty, _ but only one of them was lighted, and as Marion sank into a rickety, backless chair, she gazed around curiously. It was the strangest place by far that she had ever visited. There were objects of _ every kind piled on the floor, chairs and table. “A receiver of stolen goods.” Marion breathed the words involuntarily. _ She had heard of such places, and this seemed to fit the description. | | “That is why she locks everything so care- _ fully,” she whispered, again. “Oh, but that makes it safe for me! She will let no one enter!” 4 The woman had laid down a big bundle 3 that she was carrying and now came forward towards her guest, her small, beady eyes twinkling as she held out her coarse hand _ expectantly, _ “Are you sure I am safe?” asked Marion, _ pointing at the door. _ The woman nodded her head. She under- stood the gesture. “Give me something to eat.” The young girl spoke as firmly as possible, at the same _time pointing to some dishes on a dingy ~ table. | The woman ladled out something from a ‘greasy kettle and then poured a liquid sup- posed to be tea from a spoutless tegpot. Marion swallowed the stuff greedily, for she was choking with thirst, then tasted the food, but she could not eat it. _ The virago was beginning to chatter now, and it was plainly to be seen that she was growing angry. ost ) Marion handed her the watch, with tears upon her lashes. It was hard to part with it, but she must buy her safety. If she could Only buy liberty! Freedom from that alley! She glanced around the room with a sudden _ determination. | _ “Let me have some of these, madam?” she said, taking hold of a pile of wretchedly dirty ag : . : MY QUEEN. 23 garments. “Let me have a dress and hat, and I will pay for them.” Again the woman understood her looks and gestures, and promptly asked a question in very fair English. “How much-a mon?” Marion smiled bitterly at this greed, but she had to accept the situation. She bargained with the old creature, and at last gave her a dollar, taking pains that she should not see that she had any more money, As she was turning over the pile of gar- ments, a peculiar sound came to her ears. some one was moving back and forth in one of the adjoining rooms. “Who is it?” Marion asked the question nervously as she pointed toward the door. All the old feeling of fear and horror had come back to her in an instant. A scowl darkened the old woman’s face, and she began chattering loudly, trying, it seemed to Marion, to drown out the sounds completely. . The young girl went on with her selection of clothes, but her heart was beating wildly. Suppose one of those negroes should be in that room!~ Had she not made matters worse by trusting herself to this woman? A rattle of the padlock on the outer door put an end to her reflections, for, in an instant, the woman extinguished the lamp, and the place was in darkness. There was another rattle ; then some blows and kicks; then some one went away, Swear- ing volubly in Italian. The lamp was carefully relighted, and the bargaining went on. Marion had secured a complete disguise with which she hoped to make her escape from the alley, when once more she heard sounds, as if some one in the inner room was groping about in the dark- ness. There was no time to be lost. escape while it was still dark. The young lady looked around for a place to make her change of dress. But the old woman, whose prisoner she was, had no idea of letting her go yet: she intended to get possession of the rest of her money and jew- ois. eomicbooks.c© She must