Marion Marlowe's Money, or, Brave Work in the Slums — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

old woman, in her hideous cackle. 5 woman, quickly. MY QUEEN. catch her! See!” she screamed,-shrilly, “here is my money all safe! Three thousand dol- lars!’ What do you think of that, dearie ?”’ “Why, you told me it was only a few dol- lars,” cried the young girl, in astonishment, as she saw the big roll. “Do you mean to say that you tell falsehoods, madam ?” There was a tone of horror in her voice as she asked the question. She could not bear to think so badly of-this woman. “Tt-ig only a few dollars to me,” said the “Why, I have ten times as much more in other banks in the city.” She had seated herself on a bundle of rags and was watching Marion as closely as a cat would, watch a mouse, and her eyes glittered with amusement as she saw the girl’s look of wonder. “Didn’t dream I was so rich, did “you, dearie?” she asked. ‘Thought I was just a poor old woman who needed to be pro- tected?” “T thought you were a good woman, to say the least,” said Marion, sharply; “if I hadn't I should not have been so willing to aid and protect you. It seems that my kindness has been wasted, madam! I sought to do you a ‘favor, and here I am, imprisoned.” “Oh, no! Not imprisoned!” cried the old -“T just wanted you to stay here till the danger was past! We'll go up- stairs in a minute. Oh, I have elegant apart- You shall have a suite all to yourself and V’ll give you diamonds and p77 ments, dearie! fine dresses “What fer?” asked Marion, with a shud- der of horror. She was beginning to think that the woman was crazy. “What for? Why to show you that I ap- preciate your kindness to a poor old woman,” said the vicious chuckling. “Old Mother Nance never forgets a friend, no, nor hag, an enemy either—but come along, dearie ?” 7 5 She pulled a rusty key from her pocket and opened a door. As it hinges Marion leaned forward and tried to swung on its peer behind it. “Come,” said the woman again, “we will go upstairs now! I’m ina hurry, my pretty one, to show you your beautiful apartments Marion Marlowe advanced a step nearer to the old woman’s side, and her voice rang out like a bugle as she cried indignantly : “T will not move one step until you have given me that key and all the other keys that you have in your possession! You are a bad, wicked woman, and I am-not to be fooled twice! If you imprison me in this house it will be because you are stronger than |!” “Do you mean that you will take my keys. away from me by force if I refuse to give them to you?” whined the old woman, at the same time taking a step nearer to the wall, -where Marion could see an electric button. With a wonderfully quick movement the young girl sprang before her. “Heaven forgive me for harming a woman old enough to, bé my mother!” she cried sharply, “but if you touch that bell I shall not answer for my actions. You must see, Mother Nance, that you have driven me to desperation !”’ CHAPTER LE. MARION TURNS THE TABLES ON HER JAILER. ’ While the wicked old woman was holding Marion a prisoner in her cellar there were events transpiring in the room above their heads which would have interested her greatly 1f she had known their import to her. A young man, cleverly disguised, was pac- ing back and forth “Mother really handsome parler while a young girl, haggard and pale from want of sunlight, was carefully examining a parcel which he had in Nance’s”’ C) just then handed to her. GOmiGodoo S (g 6)