Marion Marlowe's True Heart, or, How a Daughter Forgave — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

I ickorytown, a weak, wasted woman. Be- fore they started down to the boat Miss Will- jams came out in the corridor and handed something to Marion. It was a small, flat package done up in brown paper. I found them pinned to poor Kittie’s one frock,” she said, sadly, “and as the child had no friends and the baby is dead, I thought perhaps you would like to have them.” Marion took the parcel with a curious feel- ing of horror. It seemed a dreadful way to become possessor of Reginald Brookes’ pic- “Pll keep them,” she said, slowly, “for I did love the girl, and perhaps I may be able to learn something about her some day.” _ On her way to the little flat Marion mailed a note to Reginald Brookes, for she had de- cided at last that she must settle the matter of the picture. | had been, too busy to see him. ‘Thanks to her work, the excuse was genuine in both in- stances. ; “Oh, Marion! I’m so glad!” cried Dollie as she admitted her. “That dear old ‘baldy’ of mine has given mea day’s vacation. If he hadn’t I would have missed you, and that would have been awful.” _ Miss Allyn came in and hugged Marion en- thusiastically, and in a very short time they were all seated at a cozy dinner. _ “T want you to tell me something, Alma,” said Marion, after she had heard all the news and both girls looked at her quickly, thére was so much seriousness in her manner. “What is it, dear?” asked Miss Allyn, cu- riously. j “I want you to tell me what you know of Reginald Brookes,” said Marion, quietly. _ “There is a reason why I should know all that I can possibly learn about him.” — “Oh, Marion, he hasn’t proposed to you already, has he?” asked Dollie. ~ “No, indeed,” said Marion, laughing, “but _t have another reason for wishing to know — all can about him. I will tell you both what it is just as soon as I think I am right in _ doing so.” rae ell, I wilt tell you what I know,” said _ Miss Allyn, blushing a little. “I’ve known MY QUEEN. > had called at the hospital twice, but she 27 Reginald Brookes ever since he was born, so I think I can speak with some authority.” Marion held her breath and bent forward to listen, and the eagerness in her manner did not escape Miss Allyn. “Regie Brookes is one of the best and noblest fellows that ever lived,” she said, dis- tinctly, “and on a certain occasion, several years ago, | was fool enough to refuse to marry him.” “Oh, Miss Allyn!” gasped Dollie, “was Dr. Brookes in love with you and did you throw him over on account of that—that Mr. Cole- brook ?” “I guess those are about the facts in the case,” said Miss Allyn, bitterly. “Some women are big geese where men are con- cerned, but I wasn’t simply a goose, I was a whole flock,” she added, laughing. | “Do you suppose he is all over it?” asked Dollie, who was beginning to feel sympa- thetic. “I hope so, I am sure,” said Miss Allyn, quickly. “Why, that was years ago—we were almost children.” | “You would not believe him culty of - wronging a poor girl, would you?” asked Marion, her cheeks tingling as she said it. “Never!” cried Miss Allyn, emphatically. “He could not do it! Regie Brookes is the soul of chivalry and honor!” “Then, I will. tell you what I mean,” said Marion, slowly, and she repeated the sad story of Kittie’s death and the subsequent de- tail of the photograph now in her possession. When she had finished. her story, Dollie looked bewildered, but Miss Allyn’s expres- sion of absolute faith had not changed an atom. “Let me see the picture,” she said at.once. Marion drew the little package from her pocket and started to open it. “I suppose it is in here: Miss Williams said it contained all of poor Kittie’s treas- ures,’ she said as she tore off the paper and laid the contents on the table. There was a handkerchief, a bit of ribbon and a brass locket in the package. Then Mar- ion caught her breath as she discovered two pictures. “This is his!” cried Miss Allyn, snatching up the one of young Brookes. 7 There was a glad ery from Marion at the very same minute. She was staring hard at the other picture. “Oh, how wrong I was! How unjust!” she cried, remorsefully. “See! here is the picture of another young man. and Kittie has left no doubt as to who he is. for she has scrawled across the back of tse ‘This is ‘the father of my baby.’ ”’ TOOKS COMNMUC (CO)