Under Lock and Key; or, Marion Marlowe's Last Role — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

8 retire at once, for you are sadly worn out. In the morning, I am sure you will think of us more kindly.” | : “Never, Dr. Lee!” exclaimed the musical voice. “I shall always think of you exactly as I do now! You are a base villain! You have some dreadful design upon me! I can see through your smoothness now, when it is too late, too late!” ‘ Once more the ruby lips trembled, and the young girl nearly broke down, but, before she had time to say more, the doctor and his as- sistants had vanished. A moment later she was seated upon a heavy bench, and strange hands began disrobing her in a determined manner. Marion shuddered a moment at the indig- nity, and then sprang to her feet and con- fronted the group of women; then, with a mighty effort of the will, she controlled the flood of indignation that swept over her. “Oh, ladies! can’t you see that I am sane?” she cried out, sharply. “Can’t you see that I am a young woman, exactly like yourselves, except that I have had the misfortune to fall into the hands of fiends ?” The attendants glanced at each other, and then one of them responded, roughly: “Oh, yes! We see all that! We can see any old thing you have a mind to mention; but the fact is, Miss What’s-your-name, we want to go to bed, so you'll have to excuse us for hurrying you a little.” She attempted to remove Marion’s waist as she spoke, and, after a gesture of indigna- tion, the young girl submitted. “We'll talk to you to-morrow, all you want us to,” said another nurse, more gently ; “and we sympathize with you deeply—of course we do. Poor child, you are frightened, and I don’t wonder at it; but there won’t any one hurt you if you don’t make any trouble.” Marion’s cheeks turned pale, and her lips trembled as she listened; then, as the others began removing her garments one by one, she looked at them in helpless terror. Who would dare to hurt me?” “Why, I am a per- “Turt me! she asked, in a whisper. fectly sane woman, and I have friends, parents and money! Who would dream of hurting me, except that Dr, Lee! Oh, to MY QUEEN. think of his bringing me into this awful place! It is he, not I, who must be crazy!” “Same old gag!” whispered an attendant ; to Miss Taylor, who was standing by idly. “They always think it is every one else who is loony. Now, ten chances to one, she takes us for inmates.” Marion heard her distinctly, but she did not reply. She was trying to think connect- edly, if the thing were possible. “She’s a beauty, all right! Id like her style!" said one of the women, coarsely. “Now, what in the world do you suppose set her off her trolley? A love affair, I’ll bet! She looks awful sentimental.” “So she is an actress, is she. I wonder if that is true?” remarked another of the num- ber, as she deliberately ripped off Marion’s dainty boots and then held them up for in- - spection. “She must have money to dress like that! Eight dollars a pair, if they are a cent. Just look at them, girls,’ she went on, calmly. “Now, I can’t understand why Lee puts her down here, if she has money! And she ain’t violent a bit; only just a trifle ex- cited.” Marion was growing calmer now, and was studying them intently, and, as some one of- fered her a coarse cotton night-dress, she took it automatically. “Do you really think that I am crazy?” she asked, in a pitiful tone. no, or it will break my heart! Do please try to see that Lam not at all insane! I am doing my best to be calm, even in these awful sur- roundings.”’ . She spoke so beseechingly that the attend- ants stared at her for a moment; then Miss Thompson suddenly stepped nearer and scru- tinized her face closely. “We'd all lose our positions if we were to say you were not insane,” she said, slowly. “The Home Rest Sanitarium is for people suffering with mental disease, in spite of all that its circulars say; and it is against the law for the superintendent to take in any one who has not been properly committed. Do you happen to know whether any such papers have been made out in your case? Of course, if you are sane, you can answer that ques- tion.” There was an incredulous. smile upon the “Oh, do please say. (E| OOO) <SSA(Ele) om