Marion Marlowe in St. Paul, or, The Company's Mascot in a Double Deal — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

« MY QUEEN. The woman bent her head and clenched her hands together. “What is it? What must I do?” she asked, in a whisper. Dan Hobart leaned over and murmured something in her ear, and, as he finished, he moved away with a word of warning. “If you refuse, take the conse- quences,” he said, warningly. “lt have shown you how easily you can do the thing. Now, you I will go to Tupham—and how could I have learned the story if you did not tell me?” A harsh laugh followed the question, and Dan Hobart strode away, leaving a pale, hollow-eyed creature standing like one stricken upon:‘the sidewalk. “Oh, I was a fool! I was mad!” moaned the woman, softly. “He will kill me now—I feel it! [ know it! .Oh, my baby !—my Jack! How can I save you? I must do it—and yet how can I? How can I? Poor girl! Poor, innocent Marion Marlowe!” The last words fell from her lips involun- tarily, as she came into the light; for a large : lithograph of the beautiful actress was di- ’ Z's. before her. She clasped her thin hands together, and the tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared. The street was nearly deserted, so there was no one to see her. “He would ruin and wreck your life, as° mine has been wrecked and ruined,’ she _ murmured, in agony. “He would blight your youth with the canker of lust and rob your heart, your soul, of all its happiness! Oh, God! is there no way to thwart his designs? -Is there no way, no way? | in his wickedness ?”’ She wrung her hands, and seemed to dry upon her lashes. A thought had come to her which was freezing her blood with horror. “And I must help him to do this deed!” she whis- _pered, hoarsely. “I must aid him in his plans. No, not to save my own miserable life, but to save the peace of mind, the fu- _ ture of my baby!” | She bowed her head and went on through the night. It was an alternative that was driving her to the verge of madness. Must he triumph the tears 17 That night, before she retired, she mailed a wretchedly-written letter. It was addressed _ to Marion Marlowe, and told a truthful story of poverty, but the signature, “Ida Inez,” was supplemented by the information that she had once been an actress of some repute, but that now she was only the unfortunate mother of “Jackets.” CHAPTER EX. A VACANCY IN THE COMPANY. When Marion received the letter she was filled with pity. So “Jackets” was really the possessor of a mother! There was nothing to indicate maternal love in his appearance, for no elf-child could have been more weirdly and wonderfully con- stituted as to dirt and garments. Wotld she help this poor creature who had turned to her for aid? She had once been an actress, and that fact alone was sufficient to open Marion’s heart strings. ° She passed the letter on to Mr. Temple at once. If it were a possible thing, he must give a “benefit” for this woman. “But she needs money at once, no doubt,” was the manager’s reply. Marion smiled serenely. She had already thought of that. She intended to have the doctor go with her to visit this woman. All that day she kept her own counsel as to the anticipated dinner with Miss Watson, for although she had some _ misgivings, Marion was always loyal to a promise. The entire company found time to visit the Falls of Minnehaha and other points of interest, but not even this recreation could quite remove the air of uneasiness that marked the little soubrette’s manner. She was so changed that every one in the com- pany noticed it, but only Marion could ex- plain it, and she laid it to nervousness on seeing her lover. The young girl found herself watching for “Jackets” as the hours went by, but the evening performance was played without a sion of the “mascot.” “Will she come?” Dan Hobart asked himself the question a ~ ECOmicoooks.c© a