Marion Marlowe's Cleverness, or, Exposing a Bold Fraud — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

& ing of pity for her aunt was surging up with- in her. “We ’aven’t moved ’im; ’e’s in his own room,’ said the woman, quickly. She spoke in a peculiar semi-cockney dialect. “Come tight in “ere,” she said, as she led the way into a sort of library. ‘Your aunt is most too upset to see you just now, but if you want to ‘ear the particulars, I can give them to you.” Marion shivered a little at the cold, unfeel- ing tones. She looked up at the woman, but her face was as cold as her voice. She seemed absolutely without any feeling of pity. “Perhaps [ had better hear them from you,” said said, finally. “I must know them, * of course, and it isn’t likely that aunt will be able to tell me.” There was just the faintest flicker of a smile across the woman’s face. “Oh, she don’t take it so bad as all that,” she remarked, dryly; “but she’s a bit hys- terical. I fancy I can tell the story more ac- curately, Miss Marlowe.” Marion nodded her head. She did not know what to say. Of all the strange women that she had ever seen, this one seemed to be about the strangest. | She was trying to decide who and what she was, when the woman anticipated her thoughts by a remarkably candid explana- tion. “My name is Mrs. Gregg, and I’m Eng- lish,” she said, curtly. “I’m a lady’s maid, nurse, ‘ousekeeper, ’airdresser—anything at all that there’s a ’a’penny in; but in this case I ‘ired out as a sort of companion,” “To my aunt, [ suppose,” said Marion, as the woman paused for a second. There was a nod of the head, which was the only answer. Mrs. Gregg evidently had her own method of telling a story. “T’'ve been ’ere two months,” she said again, “and I tell you, they’ve led me a pretty life between ’em, what with their suppers and dinners, their fol-de-rols and jim-cracks ‘ they’ve kept me busy, you can just believe it!” “But they have paid you for your services, She beginning to wonder if she cared to talk I suppose,” said Marion, grimly. was longer with the woman. MY QUEEN. “Can’t see your aunt now, so you needn’t be fidgetting,” said the woman suddenly, It was the second time that she had ap- parently read the young girl’s thoughts, and almost answered an unspoken question. “T wish, then, that you would just tell me about uncle’s death,’ said Marion, with dig-— nity. “Of course you cannot expect me to be interested in those other matters.” The woman looked at her keenly. She had small, deep-set black eyes, and as she concen- trated her gaze they seemed almost to grow nearer together. “Well, then, your uncle was murdered in the night,” she said, calmly. “I saw him my- self in his bed at midnight. °“E was complain- ing of something, I don’t remember what. "E was always complaining, so it didn’t make any difference. I gave him his brandy and water, the same as usual. I was the last per- son who saw him alive,’ she went on, coolly, “except the villain who stabbed him to death when he was sleeping.” . “And did—did you discover the crime?” whispered the young girl, shuddering. > The woman stared at her a moment as if she was surprised at her emotion. “No, I didn’t,” she said, sharply, and with a shrug of her broad shoulders. “His nephew discovered it when ’e went to wake him this morning.” “His nephew !” Marion repeated the words in genuine sur- prise. It was the first she had ever heard that he had a nephew. Once more the woman stared at her, but this time tiiere was less wonder in her glance. She seemed to be aware that she had told some news, and that this time the girl had a right to be startled. “So you have not ’eard that Mt. Stanton’s nephew is visiting ‘ere?’ she said, calmly. “Well, ’e’s been ere a month, and ’e’s a ’and- some fellow—educated abroad in dear old Fngland, you know. ‘I's already cut quite a dash in society, but, of course, this affair will stop all that. ‘“E!’ll ‘ave to go into mourn- inte now, poor fellow.” She heaved a deep sigh, as if the thought It was the first time she had betrayed any special fecling in the matter, distressed her. (E(0) im EGhooks.co aa) a