Marion Marlowe in Omaha, or, Held up by Accident — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

| been told that you have no end < highway- men in this part of the country.” “No more’n yer hev in Noo York, | : the Westerner, quickly. “I wuz jest a-seein’ a if I'd got it all. Had er dicker in Chicago over seven hundred head o’ stock, an’ | ain’t n "much on figgers; p’raps yer kin help me. 4 be Bert signified his willingness, and togethe- , _ they counted the bills, while the rest of the company still watched what was going on ,. outside of 'the train, little Ruby clapping her _ hands in 4lelight at each discovery of a “Now, tell me er little about yerself, young - feller, ” said the ranchman, as he stowed the bills away in his capacious pockets. “Ver don’t mind. my cooriosity, do yer? I’m old enuff ter be yer daddy.” a “Not, a bit! I’m delighted to tell you ‘the Doak sad story of my life, ’’ said Bert, laugh. ' ing. “I was born a pauper, sir. At the age _ of two hours I was an orphan, and, until*my “seventeenth year, I lived on a poor-farm.” “Great Injuns! Who'd er tho’t it!” ex- claimed the ranchman, _ Stareat him. ~ : | Bert nodded his head, ame then pointed to : Marion. leaning forward to %’ “And I'd be there yet if it wasn’t for her,” < “he said, proudly. “She gave me the very ) last penny she had in the world, so I could run away and go to the city!” Every member of the company stared at Bert’s information, although two of them, at least, had heard of the incident, 5 “Yes, indeed,’ went on Bert. as he noted the stranger's interest. ‘Marion and I were companions in misery, were little. in a way, when we Of course, she had a home and a mother and lather, but she wasn’t happy, were vou, Marion? Oh, I tell you, a person can't stifle the breath of ambition in his soul, and we were born to”be famous. Marion and I! Nothing, not even ster: MY QUEEN. ~ laughed- oh, rs walls, could bar our path to progress! We skipped them, yes, and the potato fields, too, and made a break for New York, and here we are!’ he finished, dramatically. “Oh, but you didn’t leap the stone walls and land out here by a good deal!” broke in Alma Allyn, laughingly ; “you have both been through a terrible lot, and Marion has en countered untold dangers!” _- She put her hand on the young girl’s shoulder and looked at her lovingly as she spoke, and just as the stranger was about to reply there was a sharp whistle from the en- gine. “They’re off!” shouted Orrin Olcott, the “villain” of the company, as he pulled his head in from the window. ‘ ‘“Now for an hour of brisk riding, and then, ma—ha! ha!” “There’s one poor little lamb!” .cried out Marion, suddenly, as she glanced from the window. “Oh, the poor little thing has been left behind! ene will come back for it!” I do hope its mother or some “Of course they will! Don’t you know the sheep nature, Marion?’ asked Bert, with a or have you become so cityfied that you've forgotten all such farmyard details?” “I never forget anything about the coun- try,” said the girl, quickly. “I love the coun- try, Bert—you know I do! be ae eg grin; Sometimes | wonder if I will ever go back to it!” “Would yer give up yer ambition an’ set- tle on er farm?” asked the ranchman, quick- ly: “I mean, if ther farm wuz so big yer wouldn’t want fer nothin’ ?” There was a moment of astonishment at the surprising question, and two gentlemen, who were sitting several seats behind, sud- denly stopped talking to wink at each other, and then both The pic- tures f e que old ranchman was gazing Straight listened eagerly. at Marion now, and there was a look upon = "-onzed face that held them spellbound (EO) JOO AUC Ha