Marion Marlowe in St. Paul, or, The Company's Mascot in a Double Deal — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

14 “It is my business, -Miss Watson, because I am your sister woman,” she said, quietly. “It is my duty to warn you, if I think you are doing wrong, exactly as it is your duty to warn me ii you see me running into danger.” Miss Watson stared. She could not quite understand. She had been on the stage sev- eral years, but no other actress had ever called her sister. “Don't go to dinners with strange men, dear—please don’t,”. urged Marion. “It is not right, and, besides, it is dangerous! Why, you might be drugged and even assaulted !” She breathed the ywords cautiously, and her cheeks flushed as she mentioned it, but- every nerve in her body was quivering with eagerness. , “Nonsense! I’ve been before, and I guess I can go again,” said Miss Watson, coldly. “What harm is there in a dinner, I’d like to know? All actresses do it—at least, all who are not prudes! You are too nice for the profession, Miss Marlowe!” * Marion stared for a minute, but the sou- brette was thoroughly angry now. She had “thrown prudence to the winds,” and was giving full vent to her feelings. “How can one be too good for a noble calling, Miss Watson?” she asked, calmly. “Ts there anything grander than the portray- ing of noble characters, the expressing of lofty sentiments and the depicting of ideal conditions? Why, I think the stage is one of the world’s greatest fields for usefulness! People listen to inspiring words and become interested in fine characters, and, naturally, they are influenced for good—they cannot help being !”’ The young girl spoke eloquently, but only a coarse laugh followed. “There’s mighty little lofty sentiment in some of the plays, Miss Marlowe,” retorted Viiss Watson; “and, as for ideal conditions, why, look at the most successful plays! Every actress, to be a success, has to play the part of a bad character!” “Oh. no! You are wrong!” cried Marion, in a shocked voice; “but this is not what I came to talk about, Miss Watson, I came to hee you, as a friend, to be very careful, Please do not go to dinners with any one, uniess you know they are to be trusted, MY QUEEN. “You are mighty Suspicious, seems to me,” said the soubrette, with a curious look. “Per- haps you have been out with the wrong fel- low and been drugged, Miss Marlowe!” Marion conquered her indignation at the girl’s coarse words, and her face grew pale as she answered, slowly: “I have never accepted an invitation from any man whom I did not know. But, oh, the experiences, the horrors that I have been through! It frightens me to think of any one else being in danger of them. That is why I came to warn you against them.” This much she could say with perfect truth. As to her having been drugged, it ° was only too true that such an experience lad befallen Marion, although she had fallen into a trap unwittingly, and had been rescued before any serious harm had been done. Flowever, she knew that if she told Miss Watson of such an experience, the girl would refuse to believe that she was not to blame, so Marion wisely refrained from mentioning it. ; Miss Watson was toying with a bit of pa- per as Marion spoke, and, as the young girl finished, she crumpled it in her fingers. “T’ve only known you a little while. Why should you care what I do?” she asked, slowly. Marion took a step forward, and a tender light sprang into her eyes. “Oh, Miss Watson! can’t you understand ? It is because you are young and innocent! Do you think it makes any difference how long I have known you? Can I not, in all sincerity, wish you to be honest and happy ?” The girl looked uneasy. She was grow- ing desperate now. She was determined to win her end, but how should she do it? In the twinkling of an eye she saw her mistake. She should not have been so quick to lose her temper with Marion, “T have promised to go to-morrow night,” she muttered, under her breath, “and you wouldn’t have me break a promise, would you ?” \ ay certainly would—a bad one!” whis- pered Marion, quickly. “Do you really care so much?” asked the soubrette, in a lower voice, and with her lids drooping sadly, Gom Eboo <S,,(e(0)