Marion Marlowe in Washington, or, Meeting the President — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

20 MOY passing. ihe next moment they were swal- lowed up in the crowd on the dancing floor, and Marion’s attention was attracted to the torming of the grand march, which the colonel insisted upon her joining. Ten minutes later she was once more seated and overlooking the ball-room, while her escort excused himself to speak to some one. The moment he was gone a gentleman seated himself at her side. Marion glanced up quickly. It was the other Colonel Appleby, the one who had escorted her to the presence of the President. “T am delighted to see you here,’ he began, very politety. “It is a sight worth seeing once, the Inauguration Ball, and it should be particularly interesting to one who has just saved the life of our President. Marion blushed at his words, but she was trembling with eagerness to ask him a ques- tion. She could not quite understand why she should care so much, and, before she could frame the words, it suddenly occurred to her that the true reason for her eagerness to solve the identity of the two colonels was that she might know which was the lover of Emilie MacGregor. “It.is grand, and I am enjoying it, oh, so much,” she whispered, with a look into his eyes; “but, oh, Colonel Appleby, there is something that | wish so much to know, and yet—well, to tell you the truth, I do not know how to ask it.” : The elderly colonel bent toward her with a fatherly smile. “My dear child,’ he said, gently, “pray ask anything you wish. I shall be only too glad to answer, if it 1s within my ability.” Marion laughed a little nervously, but she was growing desperate now. She was deter- mined to solve the mystery that was vexing her so thoroughly. She waited a moment until there was a lull ‘1 the music. Then, as she caught a glimpse of her escort, she suddenly touched the colonel’s arm, and almost pointed to his brother officer. “Who is that?” she asked, in a mischievous whisper. “He is my escort, [ know; but 1s his name Colonel Appleby ?” The gentleman at her side almost sprang to his feet as she spoke. The next moment te calmed himself, and replied with a ques- tion: “Tell me why you ask before [ answer, please, he said, briefly. ‘Did he tell you that he was Colonel Appleby ‘. \farion nodded her head, and then told her storv hastily. When she had finished the face of her com- QUEEN. panion was white with anger, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that he could re- strain his language. “He has deceived you!’’ he said, quietly; “but wait, Miss Marlowe. I will go to him at once and demand an explanation!” _ “Oh, don’t!’ Marion spoke the words sharply, but the colonel did not hear them. He had already risen, and was making his way across the floor, and as Marion’s glance followed him she caught her breath sharply. Her own escort had met Miss MacGregor and offered his arm. They would be a little surprised at the coming interruption. CHAPTER XII. FOR HONOR’S SAKE. The “honor of a Southern gentleman”’ has been sung in every tongue, and as Marion watched the proceedings she wondered what would be the outcome of her extraordinary disclosure. “T guess they'll do very much as other gen- tlemen would do,’’ she whispered to herself, as she watched the dignified salute which passed between the two men and the courtesy with which they spoke in the presence of a lady. Miss MacGregor was escorted to her friends before the two colonels retired from the ball-room, and poor Marion was left with- out any escort, and fairly trembling with eagerness to learn the outcome, It was growing very warm in the ball-room now, so she rose finally and made her way toward one of the exits, and after turning once or twice she found a cool corridor in which to walk. There were groups of people standing . about, and attendants darted here and there, but no one molested her, so she had time to cool her feverished cheeks and calm herself a little. Had she done wrong in telling her story to Colonel Appleby ? The question worried her, and yet she could not blame herself for telling him. Suddenly she was aware of the presence of two ladies near her, but as the corridor was only dimly lighted they did not recognize her. “They have come out to get cool, too, I etiess,”’ was her first thought; then she over~ heard a few words of hurried conversation. “Who do you suppose she is, anyway—the girl with the magnificent hair, I mean?” “T haven't the vaguest idea who she is or where Colonel Bob found her,” was the an- GEomichooks. com