Marion Marlowe in St. Paul, or, The Company's Mascot in a Double Deal — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

12 don’t ..ave to worry,” said Mrs. Burnside, laughingly; “but I shall be thankful if we ever get a soubrette that harmonizes with the company. They all seem to jar—and we’ve had a dozen.” “IT wonder if ‘Jackets’ will come back,” spoke up Marion, suddenly. A shout of laughter followed her exclama- tion. ; “What! . After pinching the diamond!” cried Miss Ellis, merrily. “Well, | should think not, if he is wise,” was Miss Allyn’s comment. | “We can’t prove that he took it,” said Marion, with a sad smile. “And, someway, I did so want to try the effect of a mascot.” “Well, you won’t see him again to-night,” said Miss Ellis, emphatically. “‘Why, he went like a flash when he left the theatre. Bert and the doctor ran three blocks in both directions, and he had disappeared complete- ly, the little monster !” “FHere’s Bert now!” called Miss Allyn, as the comedian appeared upon the threshold. Bert was wearing a broad smile to hide his chagrin over his loss, and as he pushed the door open wider he looked around for Marion. | “ve been looking through the peep-hole in the curtain,” he said, gayly, “and what do you think, Marion—even the boxes are full! There’s an old duffer in one box with an armful of roses—and, come to think of it, I've seen the fellow before! Now, where in the world was it, I wonder?” | Marion was about to answer, when Miss Allyn interrupted her. ‘“Te’s the one that sent the ring, without a doubt, Marion! Now, isn’t it a pity that you can’t give it back to him—hand it over the box, you know, witha freezing look of irony! Why, you could petrify him with a glance, and then explain it to the audience! It would he a scene that would go down in the annals of stage history!” “Yes and what an ‘ad!’ ” broke in Miss Fllis, enthusiastically. ~‘ Ih, that miserable kid! Why did he steal it!” “Marion could make that galoot wish he'd never been born,” chimed in Bert, admiring ‘Why. he'd feel like thirty cents when ly, | but. Gee whiz! she got through with him MY QUEEN. ' I’ve just thought where I saw the old duffer! It was on the street this morning, and he was talking to ‘Jackets! ” There was a genuine cry of astonishment, and then Miss Allyn got her breath. “Well, that’s one way of giving a present with a string on it!” she cried, excitedly. “Send a diamond ring to a girl and a kid to steal it back !” ae . “Why, Alma!’ exclaimed Marion, “that can’t be possible. You know it was Bert who went out and captured the mascot!’ “Yes; and lost my watch!’ added Bert, with a groan. Then he and Marion both stood still and looked at each other. They had both thought of the same thing—it was that “Jackets” had stolen the watch. ° CHAPTER VII. GOOD ACTING. “Funny I didn’t think of that before,” mut- tered Bert to himself as he walked slowly to- ward the stage. “Here I’ve been wasting valuable time chasing all over town for that galoot that crowded me at the door, when it’s dollars to doughnuts it was the kid that ‘pinched’ it!” 3 A momént later, the performance had be- gun, and every member who was on the stage had taken a sharp look at the occupants ‘of the boxes. . Miss Watson was almost hidden behind a big bunch of roses in the first act, and, through she second, she wore one in her hair and a large cluster on her shoulder. ° It was as plain as day what the conspicu- ous decorations meant. She was answering one of the communications which she had re- ceived during the evening. ‘ But the well-dressed man in the box hardly glanced at the soubrette; he was staring fix- edly at Marion through a pair of opera- glasses. ‘ | : “Must be near-sighted,” whispered Miss Fllis, as she passed the soubrette. “I sup- pose he is looking for the diamond ring that he sent her this afternoon.” “What do you mean?” asked Miss Watson, who had not heard of the incident. A moment later hottereys 4} cbooks: com.