Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled — page 16: what you’re looking at

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14 CHAPTER VI. A KISS OF FRIENDSHIP. At a late hour that afternoon Marion was riding with her friend, Dr. Brookes, toward the little flat in Harlem which she was oc- cupying with her friend, Miss Allyn. She had found so much to do for the poor, be- reaved boy that her assignment for the paper bad almost been forgotten. What she had accidentally learned was so opportune and so exceedingly startled that she felt justified in looking into it more closely; and, besides, there was still plenty of time for interview- ing the others. | “That is what I call a wonderful coinci- dence,” said Dr. Brookes as she told him the whole story. “It is one of those marvelous things that sometimes happen. A true say- ing it is that ‘one-half of the world knows nothing about the other half.’ But you and I, Marion, seem to have a faculty for piecing - the two halves together.” “In this case it was a valuable faculty to have,” said Marion, smiling. “Oh, how Mr. -Morton’s eyes will stick out when I tell him _ what I have discovered.” “Not one of the detectives ever guessed it,’ said the doctor, thoughtfully, “and they had a dozen or more on the case. I remem- ber it perfectly!” “Wasn't there a reward offered for any knowledge of the missing woman?” asked Marion suddenly. ‘There usually is in such cases.” “T am sure that her father, Mr. Townsend, offered one—I don’t know the amount,” was the doctor’s answer; ‘so it is very evident that Leonie’s disappearance was genuine— she went out like a candle, leaving absolutely no trace behind her. But as for this poor woman,” he continued sadly, “if we tell the authorities who she is we may be placing obstacles in the way of getting at the bottom of the other matter. We have already proved that St. Clair is a scoundrel; now the thing is to ferret out the disappearance of his wife, and ten to one this marriage certificate is the clue to work on!” heard of the first wife,” “You have arranged “She may have caid Marion slowly. MY QUEEN. matters with the undertaker, haven't you, doctor?” : “Yes, and he’s a friend of mine, so he will do as I say. The woman lived there as ‘Mrs. Dent,’ and no one knows anything about her. The boy is coming to stay with me and be my office boy, and you have given me the papers that the woman intrusted to you.” “Which means that we have it all in our hands so far,” broke in Marion, excitedly. “Now the next thing for us to do is to in- terview the artist.” “And that is the very thing I don’t like,” said the physician sharply. “I hate to think of your ¢oming in contact with that man, Marion!” , There was no mistaking the warmth of this sentiment, and the young girl looked up shyly to find the doctor gazing at her. “Oh, Marion! Why is it that you can- not love me?” he blurted out suddenly. “Am I so old or so hideous that I am repulsive— or what is it?” He drew up his fine athletic figure uncon- sciously as he asked the question, and his _ handsome features were flushed with eager- | ness. 7 “T don’t know why I don’t love you,” was the girl’s honest answer. “No, you are not ugly or repulsive,’ she added, with a trace of mischief; “it is just natural obstinacy, I guess, that keeps me from loving you.” “Well, won't you try to conquer it some day, dear?” was the next eager question. They were riding slowly now, and the utter — solitude was propitious. The doctor leaned toward her in the carriage as he waited for his answer. Two pearly tears glistened on the long, dark lashes, and her voice trembled slightly as Marion attempted to reply to him, “T guess I am cold-hearted, or something,” she began very weakly, “for someway my brain seems so filled with the sorrows of life that there is no room for the happiness that I see others experiencing.” Dr. Brookes laid his hand gently on hers — as it rested on her knee. “Forgive me for speaking of my love, Marion,” he said, humbly. “I never intend- ed to wound you again, but some way when COMME OO) <S,Cconal § - _