Marion Marlowe's Cleverness, or, Exposing a Bold Fraud — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

at the door, so I thought I would bring it to you.” Marion breathed a sigh of thankfulness as - she took the letter. It was fortunate for her that Mrs. Gregg had not seen it. 7 As her aunt sank down heavily upon one of the comfortable chairs, Marion excused her- self and glanced over the contents of the mis- sive. : a4 : - There was a gasp of surprise as she saw the first words. She turned. quickly to the 4 signature; it was from Edmund Arden. “Dear Miss ‘Marlowe,’ Tt eg s - clever woman, indeed. You have found what “vou are a no one believed was in existence, and that is a he - bequeaths two-thirds of his wealth to his "nephew, Arthur?’ > | ae _ For just a moment Anion held her breath. As she looked at the widow she wondered _ how she could tell her. _ Then it came to her swiftly that it had to be told, and who else in all the world was t better fitted to tell her? ; Just at this stage of her reflections her aunt Ss s0ke sharply: Sie “Dear me, Marion, your letter must be very | artling,” she said, _peevishly. “Here you have been sitting staring at it and not speak- ing for at least five minutes.” _ Marion folded the letter with a heavy sigh. — “T beg your pardon, Aunt Susan. I am very rude, I fear, but I am ready now to tell you what is in my letter.” < 7 “Oh, you needn’t, if you don’t wish to! I 19 am not very inquisitive, niece,’ said her aunt, sarcastically. “Of course I expect no sym- pathy, now Frederic is gone! Poor, dear Frederic; to think that I shall bury him to- morrow! Well, he shall have a stylish fun- eral, you may depend upon it!” “Oh, aunt!” cried Marion, in a tone of dis- -gust, “Can’t you think of anything but ap- _ pearances and clothes? Don’t you know that * y a MY QUEEN. will, signed by Frederick Stanton, in which - 2s a crime has been committed under your roof and that an innocent man is in jail for it at this minute?” Her aunt opened her eyes and _ started stupidly at this outburst. There was some- thing in the girl’s face that awed her for a moment. Then all desire to spare this woman passed like a flash from Marion’s heart. She was cold, shallow and heartless. She should learn all, and at this instant. “Aunt Susan,” she cried, sternly. “Uncle did make a will! He gave you your third, and nothing more. ‘The bulk of his property. [4 has gone to Arthur Stanton! CHAPTER XIII. THE DEATH _ MESSAGE. There was another arrest at The Norwood within an hour, and Arthur Stanton was led out between two detectives. _ So quietly had everything been done that he had not even become suspicious, and the * knowledge of the discovery of the will came to him like a thunderbolt. He threw his handsome head back defiantly when the detective first laid a hand on his “You forged your uncle’s signature to that docu- arm but when the officer said grimly: ment, young man,” his whole demeanor changed instantly, and showed him in his true colors. Mrs. Gregg had gone out again and her absence at that time was particularly desir- able. Marion felt pretty certain that she had not missed the will, as she had made it a point to watch her,movements very closely. But the young girl’s hands were full now in caring for her aunt, for with the first in- timation of the truth she promptly went into hysterics. Once more the premises swarmed with grim detectives and each insisted upon hear- Go NOOKS AUUC (CO)