Marion Marlowe's Money, or, Brave Work in the Slums — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

straggling, squalid batch of prisoners en- tered. - peered at them as they filed into the pen, and in a few seconds he caught sight of his daughter Annie. — Marion held her breath, but her heart beat fast and’furiously. For a moment she feared it would almost break with its burden of pity for this agonized father. A dozen or more officers in uniform were swarming about, each intent upon looking aiter his own particular prisoners. } Suddenly Marion almost sprang from her seat. Her eyes dilated eagerly and her lips curved with pleasure. last prisoner to enter. As she hobbled into _ the pen there was an officer close beside her. “Tt’s Mother Nance!” cried Marion aloud. Fortunately, her nearest neighbors were for- eigners, who did not seem to understand her. Case after case was disposed of promptly ; so promptly that the innocent country girl _ extraordinary proceedings. Charges were made and upheld; fines and penalties were inflicted, and all with such rapidity that it bewildered ‘her senses. At last “Liz Green” was called to the bar. ‘It was the most important case of all, and in an instant the court-room was quiet. his complaint. ) “I arrested her last night. She was wear- ing a ring that had been stolen from this lady,” he said, briefly. He pointed to Madame Leopold, who nodded her head. a In an instant Henry Fairfax was on his _ feet and rapidly explaining. “Tam a detective also, and helped to make this arrest,” he said, quickly; “but I wish to say that this girl is only a dupe. She was Wearing some of the stolen jewels, but she did not steal them.” x The judge looked over his glasses ques- poningly, and Mr. Fairfax hurried on. “This girl is in the employ of Old Mother Nance, the “fence,’” he said; “her business is to coax thieves to take ee booty to the old _ woman, and in return she is allowed to wear “some of the cheapest of the jewels.” 4 2 - Se n ner pate eee tie OAT a MY QUEEN. ‘Jeremiah Skinner raised his hand and An old, bent and wrinkled woman was the. _ found herself questioning the justice of these Tom Burnham stepped forward and made - 25 Liz Green: hung her head. She was thoroughly frightened and ashamed. As the judge questioned her she could only answer with tears and monosyllables. “Then why is she here?’ he asked sud- denly of Mr. Fairfax. Henry Fairfax turned and pointed to the male prisoners’ pen, where for the first time Marion discovered a familiar figure. “We had to arrest her on suspicion,” he said, briefly. “She was wearing the jewels, but here is the thief. The notorious Bob Bennett, if you please, Your Honor. It was he who stole the stuff—not the woman.” Sure enough, there stood Bob Bennett, the great, hulking fellow whom Marion herself had pointed out to the detective. Madame Leopold sprang to her feet the in- stant she saw him. “The very fellow!” she cried out, hys- terically. “He was hired to wash windows at the _ Hotel Rosedale the very day that my gems were stolen.” “And he took them from your trunk,” said Wer aictas, calmly. “Liz Greens. bis sweetheart, and he told her where he got them, besides entrusting them to her to sell for him. JI was put on the case the very next day, and by a stroke of good luck | tracked them straight to Liz. I threatened to arrest her, and she gave them all up but the ring, which she swore she had lost, and I was fool enough to believe her. Then Here Fairfax hesitated a minute, and a slight flush rose to his cheek, but he went on brave- ly, looking straight at “His Honor.” “Then I saw my chance.to win a little fame, and in- stead of restoring the gems to Madame Leo- pold at once, 1 made them aid me in another transaction. In other words, I knew that Old Mother Nance had a young girl impris- oned at her house, and some people had offered me a large sum of moriey to find out for them what the relationship was between Mother Nance and the girl. I used the gems for an excuse to get into the house, Both times I offered them for sale, and then re- fused to sell them. THe last time I. went there I succeeded in liberating the girl, whom I now know to be the daughter of respectable parents. Then I arrested old Mother Nance Eboo im for having abducted enCCOLRA {Sa(C@