Marion Marlowe in St. Paul, or, The Company's Mascot in a Double Deal — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

MY QUEEN. ky glance and recognized them both. Then her voice rang out in a shriek of warning. 7 Te building like a clarion, cutting through the buzz and hum of machinery, until it reached every member of her party. But the shrill cry came too late! There was a movement of the man’s arms and the child was hurled into that moving mass which closed over him greedily, like the jaws of a hungry monster. Another shriek burst from Marion’s lips and was echoed by a dozen voices. “Ouick! Stop it! Shut it off! There’s —achild in the bin!” she shouted,as she sprang to the floor and darted like an arrow argqund the aisle toward the murderer. “Not a step! Don’t you dare to run!” she cried, as she came face to face with the fel- low in the narrow space. There was a stick of wood lying upon the floor, and she was brandishing it in an instant. The man uttered a curse, but he fell back at her words. There was something in her face that warned him not to come too near her. There was a rush of feet behind her, but. the young girl did not move until Dr. Brookes and Mr. Temple pressed by on either side of her. “It’s Tupham! Great God!” were the mill- owner’s Only words. Then he darted away to give imperative orders. me What happened next no one really knew. Dr. Brookes and Bert pinioned the mur- derer in their grasp, and then Marion turned suddenly, her face as white as death. As a _ merciful unconsciousness came over her, she _ was caught by Mr. Temple. CHAPTER XIIL | JUSTICE. Marion’s first question when she opened her eyes was for the safety of “Jackets.” She was seated in a little office on the first floor of the mill, and Dr. Brookes and _ Miss Allyn were bending over her. | Miss Ellis stood near by, with the tears running down her face, but they were soon _ dried when she saw that Marion was recov- ering. _ “Safe, Marion, dear! Your promptness Saved him,”, was the answer. “Mr. Foley _ Shut the bin off some way, and “Jackets” was dug out. He was badly choked, but not quite _ Smothered.” Marion’s joy revived her more than any- “a thing else could, and, in a very few minutes, _ She was leaning on Alma’s shoulder. “And that brute will be wearing a pair of tam a ~ The cry for help rang through the lofty. 25 handcuffs now, instead of roses!” laughed Miss Ellis, delightedly. “Oh, I knew him in a minute, didn’t you, Dr. Brookes? The idea of his being such a dual creature!” “Mr. Foley has sent for the police, so he'll be safe very soon,” said the doctor, with an anxious glance at Marion. “Are you sure you feel all right now—no faintness at all, Marion ?” “I’m sure I’m all right,’ was the smiling answer, and then the lovely face clouded with a sudden horror. “Oh, I have thought of something, but no, it is too horrible! Do you know, it flashed into my mind just then that he might be the boy’s father! It is a dread- ful thought! J must be crazy to think it!” ‘I am not so sure,” said Miss Allyn, quick- ly; “but here comes Mr. Foley and the rest of our party!” “Ts she all right?” asked Mr. Temple, look- ing at Marion. “Ah! I can see that she is! That is a brave girl, Marion! It is no won- der you fainted! ‘The sight must have been horrible!” “I have thought for a long time that Tup- ham was a bad man,” said Mr. Foley, soberly, “but Heaven knows I did not think him capable of that! Why, the man is the worst of all criminals—a would-be child mur- derer !” | “Well, we’ve got him, thanks to Marion: and ‘Jackets’ is safe,” said Bert, with an ad- miring glance at his old friend. “But here’s a conundrum for you to answer: What was ‘Jackets’ doing over here, anyway ?”’ Marion and Miss Allyn looked at each other, but neither of them answered. “We have an idea that we know, but it is a very horrible one,” began Miss Ellis, when some one, a woman, appeared suddenly upon the threshold of the office. “My boy! Where is my boy?” cried fda Inez, frantically. “I have tracked him here to the mill. Oh, has any one seen him? An- Swer my question quick, or I shall go dis- tracted !” Marion sprang to her feet and put her arms around the woman. “IT will tell you where your boy is, if you will answer my question, Ida,” she said. eagerly. “You shall have him in your arms in ten minutes, if you will only do what I ask you. The poor woman was trembling in every fibre, but, as she clung to Marion, she looked from one to the other. “What is it that you wish? Oh, I will tel] anything, anything, only to know that he is safe; that he has not fallen into the clutches of that villain—his father!’ “You mean Mr. Tupham ?” It was the mill owner wh CORA SPOKe.