Marion Marlowe's Skill, or, A Week as a Private Detective — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

S MY QUEEN. in spite of the man’s manner, and her gentle heart always ached for a child who was af- flicted. “Tell Danny I will come to him as soon as leat she said, quickly. “I see he has given me his address in this letter.” “Thank said the man, and started to go, but as he got to the door he paused and looked back pleadipgly. ‘‘He’s pretty bad, miss,’ a whisper. yer, miss,” he said, in almost “Would it be askin’ too much 0’ yer, miss, fer ter come to-morrer ?” Marion thought a minute before she re- plied. There was a gleam in the man’s eye, but she did not read it correctly. “I shall certainly try to,” she said, very earnestly; “but if I can’t you will certainly take care of him, won’t you, Mr. O’Connell ?” The man lowered his head and drew his hat on awkwardly. “Faith, an’ ’tis mesilf, Terence O’Connell, who is good ter ther poor, lady,” he said, with a sigh; “‘but there’s divil a crust in ther house ther night. It’s poor pickin’ fer me own, let alone ther cripple.” Marion’s ready hand went at once to her pocket. “Here, take this dollar,” “and I will either send or bring more to-mor- she said, softly, row.” The man slipped the dollar into his pocket but shuffled off down the hall he was chuckling “Dead graft! A muttered to himself. “Once let with a word of pious thanks, as he secretly. easy reg lar mark!” he me get her over ter ther joint, an’ ther boodle is jest as good as salted.” It was the young girl’s impulse to go to Manny at once, but she had given her word to that she to look her teacher would await her at the hotel, in order over a lot of new music. [t seemed a trivial thing to keep her from an errand of mercy, but Marion respected her word in trifles as well as in great things, and then again she had not been asked to come until the morrow. | As she passed the office door she glanced toward the desk. The clerk, Mr. Harvey. was too busy for her to disturb him. “Well, I’ve had an experience!” she said, as she met one of her acquaintances in the hall. “T’ve actually been taken fora philanthropist, Miss Merton, or a home missionary, or what is more singular, perhaps, a wealthy woman! A man who looks like a Bowery tough has implored my aid, not for himself, I am glad to say, but for a poor little cripple.” a “That is the result of having a kind heart, ‘ said Miss Merton, pleasantly. She was a maiden lady with a sweet, amiable disposition. “T thought he must have made a mistake,’ | said the beautiful girl, smiling, “but he had my name all right. It was Marion Mar- lowe.” “There’s only one Marion Marlowe,” said Miss Merton, laughing. “Oh, I’m sure you don’t know just how famous you are, dearie.” Marion blushed, for she could not help — knowing what was meant. Several times al- ready her name had been in the papers, but in each instance it was as the heroine of some thrilling adventure, so the publicity, while i it was unpleasant, was far from disgraceful. Of course, there were times when all this— praise flattered her a little, for she was only a girl, and youth loves praise, particularly when it is honestly merited, | She turned the conversation as soon as she could, for as they reached the elevator Maric y found Bessie Ross waiting for it, and for some reason or other she had always dread 4 this young woman. - Se eee CHAPTER V. ~eH MARION IS OFFERED WORK, Ue “Tl shall go to see the child, of course; but it is so unpleasant to have callers that one comicbooks:com -_-s