Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

& MY QUEEN. | “Yes, Aunt Susan has lived here some time,” she went on, rapidly; “but I have only seen her once since I came to the city. You see it is this way,” she added, with a charm- ing blush, “my uncle, Mr. Frederic Stanton, is a very rich man, and when Aunt Susan married him she threw us over completely. We were only poor farm people who vege- tated in the country.” “But did not your aunt receive you cor- dially when you called upon her?” asked Mr. Everett in astonishment. It did not seem possible to him that any one could ever dream of slighting so fair a creature. Marion threw back her head with a ripple of laughter. “Oh, you ought to have seen the recep- “Why, the glaciers of Norway could not have been colder, Mr. Everett. out of the building with their ultra-fashion- tion I received,” she said, gayly. They simply froze me able frigidity!” “How disgusting!” said Everett, with a shrug of his broad shoulders. “Well, I wouldn’t go near them again, I can assure you!” “T wouldn’t either, if I could help it,” was Marion’s quick thought, but there seemed to be no other way to get out of her di- lemma. Aloud she simply remarked, “Oh, I must not mind such little things as that, I suppose, but please, Mr. Everett, don’t let me detain you.” Howard Everett stopped and held out his hand. They had just reached the vestibule of the handsome entrance. “Tt ig 1 who must not intrude,” he said, quietly, “but, dear Miss Marlowe, I am in trouble. May I ask you to help me?” Marion’s sympathetic gaze was lifted in- stantly to his face. I shall be ’ ‘ = ‘* g happy ‘f T can be of any service! I ; “Oh. what is it, Mr. Everett? “T jeten.’ said the wentleman, with a sud turned to lead her to destruction. den expression of sadness. ‘My only sis- ter, whom I love dearly, is slowly but surely She is infatuated with a man whom I believe to be without a vestige being lured into sin. of honor, and who will leave no stone un: I have done my best, but a man has no tangible grounds upon which to throttle such an en.- If he had wronged her I could kill He 1s emy. him; as it is, I am forced to wait. . subtle, crafty, and as smooth as oil., I see the end clearly, yet I am powerless to pre- vent it.” “And what can I do?” asked Marion, eag~ erly. | Her heart was beginning to bleed for this strong man’s sorrow. “T want you to meet her and talk to her, please, Miss Marlowe! Poor, dear Alice is not yet lost to all sense of shame, but my influence will not suffice and as for discipline —that is useless. She needs, poor child, what she has never known—the tender, lov- ing care of a mother or sister.” It is no wonder that “Oh, do take me to her at once and let me plead with her, Mr. Everett! knees to give up this traitor!” “Poor, poor girl! she is weak!” said Marion, softly. I will beg her on my “Tf she does not he will wreck her life. It will come to that!’ muttered the critic, hoarsely. “Who is he—the villain! The infamous ’ monster! “Do tell me his name at once! cried Marion, impulsively. Howard Everett clenched his hands and set his teeth as he answered. “Don’t ask me! I have a horror of speak- ing his name. He has won her heart, but he has not broken it—yet. I will be just while IT can—but eventually, I shall kill him!” The thundercloud on his brow almost ter- rified the young girl, and she raised her little hand and laid it on his arm beseechingly. ECORMIC OOO KS. Conn