Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

MY QUEEN. “Tell Dr. Brookes to hurry,” she said as the child snatched his cap and started for the Then she went back to the bedside of the haggard woman. But Marion’s very next glance at the pale face clearly told her that the physician would door. be too late. The poor woman was dying; she could not last many minutes. As she attempted to lay the wasted frame back upon the pillow the invalid’s bird-like fingers closed around her own and her hol- low eyes seemed burning with the very in- tensity of their scrutiny. “No, no, don’t lay me down,” she whis- pered shrilly. “There is something—a se- cret—which I must tell you, miss. I thought I would die with it locked in my soul, but _ for the sake of my honor—for the sake of my son—I must—I must tell it!” Marion supported her gently with her _ strong young arms. “If it will make you any happier to tell it I would certainly do so, madam,” she said be) softly ; “but if it distresses you a “No—no! I must,” whispered the woman ‘again, and then a terrible fit of coughing - shook the wasted frame like an aspen leaf. __ When she recovered her breath she was almost gone. No one knew it better than herself, and with a tremendous effort of the : W ill she attempted to rally. | "You will find them under my pillow when bd Tam gone,” she gasped, brokenly, “the story Of my birth, my life, my marriage; then there is the other—the certificate that he, the mon- ster, denied. Oh! I pray you to believe me, miss—I was his legal wife—I am Donald’s sinless mother !” ‘The agony of the wasted face cut Marion > the heart, “OF course I believe it,’ she asserted, % tly, “and all the world shall believe it, > I will see to it that this is done. You ae been wronged, but do not let it dis- a ‘ws am ’ iis t% ~ ie ‘ “2° oe <<, a “ 13 tress you, dear. In heaven ali these terrible things will be righted.” “T believe that,” murmured the woman, a faint of bin heaven my husband will love me again. He will take me to his heart as he used to do smile crossing her features. when we were both too poor and humble to dream of treachery—before the mocking im- age of ambition, of fame, came between us.” Her voice was stronger now, and as she talked she sat almost erect in bed, her glaz- ing eyes fixed staringly upon a distant cor- ner. “Oh, you did love me, darling, and I loved you, too! Some way I have always loved you, in spite of your cruelty and treachery. When you left me years ago with my babe on my knee I could not find it in my heart to say of you what others did. I only loved and waited and then I followed—followed? Oh, God, to what? To find that in your hour of triumph you had To find myself spurned ! married another.” She sank back on her pillow with a little gasp, but as Marion bent over her there was one more faint whisper: “Even then I loved you so, Vincent, that I held my peace. But now that I am dying— ss dying The waxen lids closed over the staring eyes. With one feeble flutter the breath left the frail body. Marion Marlowe only waited to cover her face; the next second she was staring eagerly at one of the papers from under the pillow. “Vincent,” she called him. “Vincent,” she whispered; then she almost screamed as her eye fell on the paper. “Great Heaven! this woman was Vincent Si. Clair’s lawful wife! Here is her mar- riage certificate!” she exclaimed, in horror. “Well, that will be a startling bit of news for my paper, and who knows but that it may be the clue that will lead to the clearing up of the mystery about Leonie!” DOO (CONAMUC KS (CO)