Marion Marlowe in Society, or, A Race for a Title — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

a 4 ~ in experience, and Marion was not the girl to spurn the advice of her elders. When the European steamer came in the next day it brought Lord Curry. Mrs. Stetson’s carriage was at the wharf and he arrived at her mansion in time for ~ luncheon, When his hostess presented the young English nobleman to Marion Marlowe he almost lost his self-possession for the space of a second. He had come back to this country think- ing fondly of Maude Rushlyn, a dashing young blonde, with a bank account that ran up into the millions; but with his first glance into Marion Marlowe’s gray eyes, the face of Miss Rushlyn seemed to fade from his - memory. The fact that he was a lord did not seem to weigh heavily with Marion, and she promptly extended her hand to him in the most simple, cordial manner. “Tam so glad you are young,” were al- most her first words. “Mrs. Stetson did not describe you to me a bit, and I was dreadfully afraid you were going to be a gouty old _ fellow. I always think of English lords as men with stern faces and no end of dignity in their bearing. I suppose I have gotten that idea from the Somehow, newspaper accounts of great men in your Parliament such as Lord Salisbury, for in- stance.” “Thank fortune I am not like him,” said Lord Curry, laughing; “why, I’m just a poor devil of a fellow without an ounce of dignity, don’t you know. Id rather flirt with a pretty girl than eat a state dinner, and I’m vastly more at home in the saddle than in a fine lady’s drawing-room.” “Then we'll get on famously,” laughed Marion, merrily; “and, if you are a sample of all society men, I’m glad I have been per- mitted to enter its precincts.” MY QUEEN. 9 Lord Curry shrugged his shoulders, but he looked at her admiringly. “Society is a bore,” he said, with charming candor, but a sigh followed his remark, and his next words were tinged with bitterness. “One’s family and friends expect so much of one, Miss Marlowe. Why, if I had my way, I’d have been married years ago to some simple little peasant girl who would always adore me, and I’d be reveling to-day in absolute freedom in the country instead of 3 He paused abruptly, for Mrs. Stetson had entered. “Instead of coming across the sea to cap- ture an heiress, Lord Curry,” finished his hostess. “Don’t be afraid to speak truth- fully; Marion appreciates honesty.” bd “T am glad if she does,” murmured the Englishman, bitterly. “Sometimes I almost loathe myself for even desiring to be honest.” “Oh, you can’t mean that!” cried Marion. Lord Curry looked at her and caught the fearless, noble spirit in her eyes. -“No, I did not mean that,’ he said, with a shamed laugh; “yet, sometimes, I think that sham and dishonesty are necessary evils, and that honor is stock that is no longer staple— then—then I look into eyes like yours, Miss Marlowe, and I am ashamed of myself for harboring such sentiments, and I tug again at the shackles of society, but it is always with the same result—I ‘am hopelessly en- tangled.” A heavy sigh followed this extraordinary remark, and Marion Marlowe’s eyes filled with tears as she heard it. She seemed in- stantly to understand this young man’s di- lemma. It was family pride—one of the greatest curses upon humanity—that was goading him on in this effort to win an heir- : ess. Every noble sentiment in her nature re- volted against this condition, yet she could ECOMICEOOOKS. EO