A Wonderful Secret, or Marion Marlowe's Discovery — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

~ ¥ 1s MY QUEEN. | f lowe ?” he asked, softly. “You are the truest that, for a moment, she thought that SE woman I have ever known. Will you honor bone in her body was broken. | me with your friendship, now and always?” “I can do anything that I have to do, His manner startled her, it was so intense Marion,” she «gasped, bravely; “but, I sive and eager, but her eyes were raised to his you my word, this is all a mistake! Fancy at once in a glance of fearless honesty. ‘my doing that act out here in this God-for- “I will be your friend, certainly,” she be- saken country! Why, if I had done that on gan, when suddenly a sound broke upon her _ the stage, Temple would have doubled my ears which checked the words and made her salary!” | ae cry out quickly: She was stumbling across the garden as “The church bell! Oh, father, there is a she spoke, trying to keep pace with Marion fire somewhere in the village! Quick, Mr. and the lawyer, while old Deacon Marlowe Hobart! Come outside! It may be the home followed, calling to them repeatedly to “steer — of one of our neighbors!” clear of ther reddishes.” ) : = | “Steer clear of nothing!” muttered Alma, CHAPTER IX. ) defiantly. “We are on the warpath, Marion and I. Let the radishes steer clear of us, if you please, Deacon Marlowe!” “It is a fire! Oh, Alma, now you will sée © Marion bounded over a rickety fence and a novel sight! Just think ofa building burn- dashed down into a meadow with her friends ing down and no way to put out the blaze at her heels, both panting like steam engines. THE FIRE. except by buckets!” ' “Oh, I do hope we will get there in time!” Marion cried out the words as they all she cried, again. “If we don’t, it will be hurried into the yard. awful! Oh, Bert! Bert! How dreadful!” “There it is, and it’s ther poor farm, ez “You are right, it is,” groaned Miss Allyn, sure ez I’m livin’!” cried Mrs. Marlowe, as as she fell over a stump, but recovered her- she spied a great cloud of smoke rolling up self promptly. “I wouldn’t have believed in the distance. anything could be so bad. But we'll get “Joshuy, run over jest ez fast ez yew kin! there on time if we keep up this gait. It's some of them pesky boys on ther farm There's nothing in the line of rapid transit that’s done it!” that can beat it!” } She ‘held one corner of her apron up to “She does go pretty fast, but she’s used . shade her eyes as she spoke, for it was _ to it,’ said Deacon Marlowe, as he suddenly nearly six o’clock and the sun was low in caught up with the others. “Marion was the horizon. allus a great girl at jumpin’ fences but, hello, Marion pushed her gently aside and darted here’s the rest of Hickorytown, I reck’n. [£ out. Her face was as pale as death, but her wuz jest a thinkin’ it wuz time we'd orter eyes were blazing. meet somebody!” “Oh, Alma! Just think! Bert is over A dozen men were coming across the there!” she cried, sharply. “Come quick, pasture from all directions, and every one father and Mr. Hobart! Perhaps if we run was hurrying toward the smoke and blaze, we may get there in time to help a little!” which wassonly about an eighth of a mile Without waiting to get her hat, she started ahead of them. ‘ he? across the yard and, in a second, her father, ‘Ther farm’s er goner fer good, this time, the lawyer and Alma were following her. I reck’n, deacon,” shouted Bill Bennett, at ‘ . , ° ’ “Can you jump fences, Alma?” she called, the top of his voice, “There can’t nothin over her shoulder, as she vaulted alow stone save them buildin’s now! I never see sech : ’ . ’ . ” wall which separated the door yard from the smoke! It’s as black as thunder! a “Lucky ther boys is all out!” shouted an- other voice. “They wuz all scattered around when ther bell begun ringin’; but thar they are ahead of us an’ sannin’ like mad! I comicbooks.com . Fe » garden. | Miss Allyn* gathered up her skirts and made a brave attempt, but landed on the other side with such a dull, sickening thud