Marion Marlowe in Columbus, or, Accused of a Crime — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

» aA ‘" % MY QUEEN. 5 corker, too, if I am not mistaken!’ yelled Hinton, ; There was a furious gust of wind, and down went all the windows of the car. In a second the sky was dark. Suddenly Mrs. Burnside, one of the ladies of the company, gave a shriek of horror. “Oh, Ruby! Where is Ruby? Has any one seen my baby?” © ~‘ x iy . - wa * v ba Marion Marlowe sprang to her feet. The child actress, a sweet little girl of six, had disappeared from view in less than a _minute. “T'll find her, Mrs. Burnside!” cried, as she darted through the car. “Stop, Marion! You shall not venture!” cried a manly voice, sharply, and a firm but gentle hand was laid on her shoulder. The door at the rear end of the car was Marion _ burst suddenly open, and a perfect shower of water came pouring in. Before she was forced to close her eyes the young actress caught sight of Ruby. She had wandered a little distance, and was stand- ing on the track. The next instant there was a swirl of wa- ter, and everything grew dark. As’ Marion staggered back, Dr. Brookes, the leading man*of the company, darted from the car, and, in spite of the storm, every member of the company followed him to the platform. CHAPTER II. tren 70 waw Ay. But the rescuing of little Ruby was not. such an’ easy matter. She had been caught up by the wind and thrown down with violence, and, as the rain blinded the doctor’s eyes, she was being swept along toward the wash-out. One by one the group upon the platform S Had fallen back into the shelter of the coach. They were drenched to the skin in less than a minute. Bert Jackson and Bob Hinton both sprang off the car, but, for a moment, they could not make the slightest headway. Marion Marlowe remained at her post holding tight to the railing and straining her eyes for another glimpse of little Ruby, and her friend Alma Allyn, who was play- ing an important part in the productions, came boldly out upon the platform and tried to shield her a little. It seemed incredible to both young girls that anything could-happen so swiftly, but this was their first trip West and they knew | ‘nothing of the country. Marion was crouching on the platform when they brought the little one to her, but she managed to receive the drenched child .in her arms and stagger into the car, where she found. Mrs. Burnside in a fainting con- dition. Poor Ruby was badly scratched and bruised by her adventure, but soothed and calmed her while the others re- Marion vived her mother. “All over!” shouted Bert, just as Mrs. Burnside opened her eyes. “Well, that thing broke all the records! I tell you, it was a hummer!” “I never saw a squall come up any quicker, and I’ve seen a good many,” said “Well, bath, Jackson, and no trouble to you, either!” “What the dickens will we do for dry clothes is what I want to know?” laughed Bert. “We'll all get chills and fever if we keep these wet duds on! Hinton. you've had your Why, I'll venture to say there isn’t a dry rag in the company.” “Even my shoestrings are wet,” said Miss Ellis, dubiously,:“and our trunks are all in .with the scenery and other baggage.” “I guess I could fish out one of the cos- tume trunks,” said Gray, thoughtfully: “there’s a lot of togas and sashes and helmets and things! No danger of scaring the natives Comicboooks.com