Marion Marlowe's Christmas Eve, or, The Treachery of a Factory Inspector — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

of the skylight, but the men had gone. No doubt they were satisfied with the knowledge that she was safe and a prisoner. Marion crept along the roof until she reached the protection of a chimney. Her hands were beginning to ache, and the wind ~was cutting her cheeks like a knife. As she leaned against the chimney she found it warm to’ her touch. As the heat commenced to return to her hands and body she sank down heavily, with a feeling of sudden faintness. Then her head fell lower and lower, and she seemed to float off into total darkness. = CHAPTER XI. DR. BROOKES TO THE RESCUE. While Marion was lying unconscious on the roof, Dr. Brookes called at Mr. Landale’s office, and was greatly alarmed that nothing had been seen of the young girl since she went out in the morning, accompanied by the inspector. As he was hain the office, Tom, the - office bov, followed him. , “There’s somethin in ther wind, mister,” he said, pulling the doctor’s coat-tails. an’ I reckon she’s put up er job on her. She wuz to meet her at one er ther toughest shops in ther whole push, an’ it’s time +she was back if she’s ever comin’.” “Where was it?” asked Dr. Brookes, hand- ing the boy a quarter. , Tom gave him the address with a grin of delight ; then his shrewd face grew wistful, as he added: “I'd give a hull lot, boss, if you'd take me wid ver.” . #] “Come on,” said the doctor, without look- ing behind; and without another word, the __ two started after Marion. As they hurried along, the doctor caught _ sight of Sadie Webster. He knew her at _ once from having seen her the night before; but he was a little surprised to see that she was accompanied by a man—a middle-aged Hebrew, wearing a vulgar display of dia- monds. : But he had no time to think of Sadie now. MY QUEEN. felt that he would never forgive himself. “Frenchy, the inspector, hates Miss Marler, 2d His mind was upon another fair girl whom he loved devotedly. If through his consent to let her help him any trouble had come to Marion, the doctor Al- ready she had passed through many terrify- ing experiences; but the thought that he should be the one to let another come upon her made his brow dark with frowns and his face gray with pallor. Almost at the door of the sweat- shop he caught sight of Miss French. She was standing in the hallway, talking to a big, brutal-looking man, whom ‘Tom promptly informed him was the: inspector's brother. ‘Heavens! Why, he looks like a tough!” were his words of surprise. “‘Is it possible that Landale's inspectors are chosen from such families ?’ | He was about to speak ‘to her when she eluded him cleverly. At the first glimpse of his figure she had disappeared into one of the lower rooms. Dr. Brookes glanced up the long, narrow flight of rotten stairs. Had Marion, the beautiful girl whom he adored with his very soul, been lured up those steps for any vile purpose, or had she ascended them willingly on some mission of charity ? There was no answer to his thoughts, but the very silence seemed to fall about him ominously. Taking a good, firm grip on his heavy walking-stick, he bounded up the first Staircase. At the moment he disappeared two people came swiftly out of the dark corners of the lower hall, and Miss French stepped close to her brother and whispered ‘softly. — “The girl is on the roof, and the skylight is closed! Quick! go in next door under some pretext or other, and see if you can’t geet up there betore that dude doctor finds perk “He'll lose her for fair if I do,” grinned her brother; “for she’s the prettiest thing that ever happened. I don’t mind a scrap or two if | can just get her in my clutches.” “Well, look out for her! She’s a terror, and she’s got a big pair of shears,’ said his sister, warningly. “I'll go home and wait. (CO) AMUUC NOOKKS. CO