Marion Marlowe's Skill, or, A Week as a Private Detective — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

24 Danny had vanished. The cot was still there but there was no sign of the cripple. The woman, Liz O’Connell, stood watch- ing her like a hawk. She had a glass in one hand and a piece of rope in the other. But it was neither the woman nor the crip- ple that interested Marion, for, as she slowly turned in the chair on which they had placed her, she came face to face with ‘Terence O’Connell. | She knew him at once in his flashy attire, and the big diamond in his shirt-front seem- ed to blink at her banefully. Without a word the two stared at each other. Then the man reached slowly to- ward his hip-pocket and drew out a heavy revolver. Marion’s lips curled a little as she saw the weapon. It was proof to her mind that she was dealing with cowards. but this Every nerve in She was still weak and _ faint, sight seemed to revive her. her body grew tense with the excitement of danger. | “Well, Mr. O’Connell, so this is your game!” she said, quietly. “You have decoyed me to this place, for what purpose, will you tell me?” “Sure,” said the man, bluffly. “We wants yer boodle, miss. Ye’ve got two t’ousand plunks in ther bank and a check-book in yer pocket.” Marion stared at the fellow in unbounded surprise. “How did you know that?” she asked. “Are you a mind-reader, Mr. O’Connell ?” Her coolness astonished the man a little, but after a hasty glance at his sister he de- cided to answer. “Tt don’t matter how I knows,” he said with an oath. ‘Wot I wants yer to do is ter 611 out four checks for five hundred apiece, if ver please, Miss Marlowe.” iz O'Connell stepped forward and laid a MY QUEEN. bank-book down on the table. It was Mar- ion’s property, which the woman had ex- tracted from her pocket. “So you have robbed me already,” said the — young girl, indignantly. ‘Well, let me tell you, once and for all, that I will not do it!” “Better tink twice, miss!’ said the man, putting his hand on the pistol. | It occurred to Marion that she had better parley with this man—the look in his eyes had shown her that he was in desperate ear- nest. “They won’t shoot me, but they'll choke me,” was the thought that ran through her brain, and the memory of that fearful sensa- tion was still vivid in her memory. me a very You hun- “Don’t you think you might leave little, Mr. O’Connell?” she asked, sweetly. “It is all I have in the world. surely will not begrudge me a few dred.” f A nasty sneer crossed the man’s coarse | features. “A pretty gal like you can always get more,’ he said, roughly, “and, besides, don’t Naw, it’s all or nuthin’ wid Terence O’Connell !” I know yer has a rich feller? “But think, man, are you not taking big risks,’ asked Marion, quietly. “Do you imagine you can rob me and then escape from the law?” “T'll take ther chances on dat,” said the fellow, doggedly. Marion glanced around the room and saw what he meant. ‘There was absolutely noth- ing in the room that he could not easily leave behind him. No doubt the man and woman both had some safe place to flee to. It began to look desperate, and there was no help at hand. The young girl racked her brain to find some way to outwit him. “Come, we're wastin’ val’able time, miss,” said O'Connell again, as he moved a little nearer to his victim. GComichbooks com ———ee . oe ‘ ’ : 4