Marion Marlowe in Society, or, A Race for a Title — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

22 flirt desperately with you for the entire sea- son. “What for, please?” asked Marion, in an astonished voice.: Mrs. Stetson shook with laughter before she answered. : “Just to make Maude Rushlyn and Kitty Glenham jealous,” she explained. “Why, Marion, the deah boys have ambitions, don’t you know? They ‘aspiah to the hands of our ‘wichest’ heiresses !’’ Once more Lord Curry’s face grew crim- son with shame. “It is exactly as I said! We are to blame, Miss Marlowe! Why, what are those two dudes doing but aping the Duke and myself, only that I, perhaps, am the only one of the lot who is honest, enough to admit it! And T would not own it, either, if Mrs. Stetson did not know me so well,” he added, bitterly. “There’s no use in a poor foreigner attempt- ing to deceive Mrs, Stetson. She knows what brings -the most of us over here, but she is more just than some—she does not blame us for preferring her bright countrywomen.” “Tf you really prefer them, then you are justified,’ said Marion, gravely; “but the matter of money should be no consideration.” ‘Nevertheless, you admit that a title is tempting,” said Lord Curry, quickly; “so much so that you do not hesitate to make every unmarried woman in the room jealous of you every evening, Miss Marlowe!” “Oh, not quite all,” answered Marion, with a shrug of her shoulders. “I have met sev- eral nice girls who are not interested in the Duke—Kitty Glenham, for instance,” she said, glancing at him archly. “What Miss Glenham does not want for herself her brother wants for her,” spoke up Mrs. Stetson, quickly. ‘Roy Glenham is a cad who ought to be kicked out of our set! I would never invite him to the house if it wasn't for the family.” “Dear me! Is there no such thing as in- dividual worth and individual punishment tn society?’ asked Marion. “Why, at home in the country, when I had a party T asked the members of the family whom I respected, and not the others, and no one ever dreamed of resenting such a natural preference.” “And with us such a thing would be a deadly insult,” said Mrs. Stetson. “If I in- vite Kitty Glenham I must inyite her brother, also. although I know him to be a thoroughly unprincipled fellow.” The young girl shuddered at such a reve- lation. She had not expected to meet “cads”’ or “unprincipled fellows” in society, ‘ “We must not look below the surface, said Lord Curry, dryly; “that is what eti- quette is for. It ss a sort of veneer. It a at MY QUEEN, ‘ ity covers a multitude of sins that would shock us, and because of that it is really very use- tul.”’ “Very deceiving, I should say!” broke in Marion, warmly. “If.a man is bad it ought to show all over him, then a woman can avoid him as she would a pestilence! Heaven help us if the wolves are all to come to us in -sheep’s clothing! . It means that we will be _ ne to grow suspicious, even of our neigh- ors! + hat “3 “The sooner the better,remarked Mrs. Stetson. “Suspicion never hurts any one, my dear Marion. . Treat a man with suspicion until you have proven him honest. It doesn’t hurt the man and you may be saved con- siderable trouble.” | “T’ll never do that!’ said Marion, stoutly. “T’'d rather die than lose faith in human beings, but we are getting too serious; aren’t we, Lord Curry?” | She had glanced up quickly and had seen the look in his eyes. It was as if her words were stirring every impulse in his soul, with the result that. his thoughts were becoming decidedly bitter. “Yours is a serious nature in spite of your smiles, Miss Marlowe,” he tried to say natu-_ rally; “but there is no danger of you ever misjudging a human being. You are more likely to be misjudged, and that means that you must suffer.” “T have suffered already,” said Marion, sweetly; “but I would rather suffer from the wrongs of others than to bear the remorse of having wronged another.” Mrs. Stetson left the room as Marion was speaking. She was a clever woman and had been watching her guests intently. There was an avowal of something trembling on the lips of Lord Curry. She went away in order that it might be uttered. a “Miss Marlowe, you are the noblest and sweetest girl that 1 have ever met,” whis- pered the young man, the moment the door closed. “Vou have shamed me out of my inherited ambitions! You have shown slave I am to social position! Further, you have forced me to acknowledge what I have never dreamed was possible, that is, that I love a woman who is not my social equal!” The words had fallen from his lips with thrilling vehemence, and, as Marion looked up in astonishment, the gleam in his dark eyes startled her. “Listen, Miss Marlowe!” he went on, earnestly. “Listen, and pity me if you can! It is my misfortune to be of what is termed ‘noble birth,’ My family, dead’ and living, demand that I marry to please their taste, and to do this my bride must have not only a micgbooks.¢o (E(0) me what a “ ~~ eee ee ee —_ i i ii il i ee + ee eee 86h # aa tw Reg an? Rl ery owe | m <a