Marion Marlowe's Disappearance, or, Almost a Crime — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

one of the squalid tenements and almost with her heart in her mouth Marion followed the “woman. Such a picture of misery as she saw on every side! The halls of the wretched hovel fairly swarmed with evil-faced children, while - guilty-eyed men and women slunk in the _ doorways and stared at her curiously. . She was surrounded by perhaps the lowest ~ forms of human beings to be found in the big city, vet the young girl was already be- _ ginning to feel less fear for herself and more _ sympathy and Soeeesion for these wretched _ creatures. The old creature led her into a dingy room on the third floor of the building. It was low and dark and positively reeking with vile _ odors... | “But where are your children, madam?” _ asked Marion, as she glanced sharply around “sj the nearly empty room; “I have come to help them and you told me T.should see them.” _ The only answer was a harsh, dry laugh rom the woman. _ Then the hideous creature straightened 4 her bent form with amazing alacrity, throw- ‘ing off her dilapidated bonnet and deftly re- - moving the wig of rusty gray hair. - © 3 In her changed appearance she looked a vicious fiend and already she seemed gloat- _ ing over her helpless victim. > “Yer made it aisy fer me, miss,” she said, with a sneer. “A ride in er cab is er luxury fer a beggar! Ha! ha! 1 didn’t look fer a 0 sich cinch as dat, but, now we’ve got here, _ ‘yer ‘ll please give up dem rings’ and wot _ money and val’ables yer happen to have Seon ye!” _ Marion’s blood seemed to freeze as she _ heard the words. For a moment she could Only stare helplessly at the creature. “Tf ye screams it'll be ther wuss fer ye!” 74 cautioned the old hag, shrilly. She Was glaring at Marion like a panther . MY QUEEN. 23 now, and, as she glared, she worked her long clawlike fingers together in a way that chilled the very marrow of the poor girl’s bones. she managed to y?? “How dare you, madam! “Stand aside and let me out! If you dare to say at last. You are a wicked woman! lay a hand on me I'll not answer for the consequences !" She started for the door, keeping her eye She felt in- stinctively that it would not do to turn her on the woman as she went. Suddenly the hideous old crea- She had no idea of letting her prey escape her. back on her. ture sprang at her like a cat. Marion felt the long, skinny fingers en- circling her neck; then, with one stroke of her. arm, she sent the vicious pr caneae reel- ing into a corner. The next moment she had darted out of the door and was speeding through the hall- way. There was only one thought in her mind and that was to escape from the build- ing. She cleared the first flight of stairs-at al- most a bound andg darting through the lower halls, was soon, as she supposed, at the bot- tom of the last flight. . What was her dismay to find only a solid wall. She was in a sort of passageway, but the outer door had vanished. She had lost her way in her mad flight for freedom! There was nothirtg to do but retrace her steps and search for the exit. Before she could make the first step she ' was surrounded by a group of the inmates of the building, blear-eyéd, low-browed men and women, who seemed to spring up from the very floor of the passage. Marion gave a shriek for assistance and then stood at hay. She had decided instantly to fight for her life and repay with interest anv act of violence. Just one breathless moment passed and the whole pack was upon her. In spite of her (GO) COMmicoooks