Marion Marlowe's Disappearance, or, Almost a Crime — page 28: what you’re looking at

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26 and her captors, they were waiting silently in the vicinity of the old dock, which they had known for a long time harbored some curious creatures, The cellar of an old dilapidated warehouse communicated with the rotten wharf and to connect other subterranean passages they knew was within the bounds of possibility. More than one thief had escaped by some such underground passage, and to-night they were watching for exactly such an occur- rence. ar ' When they heard Marion’s body strike the water they felt sure it was*their “quarry,” and, as quickly as possible, a small boat ran under the low wharf and “lay to” where the ripples were still circling outward, “My God! ‘the bow called_out, hoarsely, as the girl rose It’s a woman!’ the officer in to the surface and tried to strike out feebly. “Ouick! Back her a bit till I catch her cloth- ing!” The next second he leaned forward and grasped Marion’s shoulder. She was sinking for the third time and was almost uncon- SCIOUS. At daylight the rescued girl was still lying on board of the police patrol boat, white as death, but smiling bravely. They had worked over her all night, not daring to take her ashore until she had re- cuperated sufficiently to endure the moving. Such a story as she told them made even these veteran officers shudder, but they swore mighty oaths of vengeance on the rufhans who had so nearly murdered her. No news had ever startled the great city as did this news of Marion’s discovery as it was told in that day’s evening papers. It came like a thunderbolt upon peaceful ‘s, because of its inous warning to the homes, because of its ominous wa fe helpless and innocent, Marion was blamed by many for her in- terest in the yicious old woman, but few MY QUEEN. | eyes remained tearless when they read the details of her-awful experience, for only by a wonderful stroke of fate had a dastardly crime been prevented. x Marion was safe with Dollie before Bert and his companions heard the good news, but there was no iess rejoicing because they had not been the ones to rescue her. “We must not tire her with our delight,” Dr. Brookes said, wisely, when they all met at Dollie’s to see for themselves that it was really Marion. ’ “Poor girl! She will be ill a long time ~ from the shock, I fear, but, while she is con- We must leave no stone unturned to punish those wretches!” — valescing there is work for us to do. “Tt will go hard with Watson and that beggar woman they call ‘Skinny’! Mr. Ray “Watson has lived on the . princely revenue from this awful business for said, savagely. years. It was a private communication from him, sent, nobody knows how, to one of his beggars, that brought all this fearful thing upon poor Marion.” “A fiendish revenge for a horsewhipping,” said Ralph Moore, as they all went out, leav- ing Marion alone with her sister. “Tle knew he could not hurt me worse,” was Mr. Ray’s low answer; “but, of course, he only meant for that ‘old hag to rob her— he had no idea that the poor girl would fall so completely into the hands of wretches.” “Vet he laughed over the account of her . disappearance!” cried Bert Jackson, hotly. “T was at the jail last night before we started and they told me he fairly roared when he saw the evening papers.” “He can roar again in his cage in Sing | Sing,” “He'll go up for ten vears at least, and so will ‘Skinny’ and several of the others.” ‘ said Mr. Ray, grimly, It was nearly a week before Marion re- | covered, but the theatre was open every — Gomicbooks:;com