A Wonderful Secret, or Marion Marlowe's Discovery — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

«oo reck’n now, ef I wuz one on’em, I wouldn’t _ try so dern hard tew save ther old mansion!” Marion turned her head, but did not | aacken her speed. “You'd hurry, too, if you had Dan Rob- iis at your heels!” she called out, sharply. s “Can't you see him swinging his whip at the boys? Oh, he’s a worthy assistant to that _ brute, Matt Jenkins!” _ Alma Allyn paused for just a second and | glanced ahead. _ A group of ten or a dozen boys were = scampering toward the poor farm, but, as _ Marion had said, a keeper was behind them, and at that minute she could hear his rough : Tn fairly bellowing his orders. “What a picture for an artist, and what a stony for a paper!” she cried to Mr. Hobart. ed pat Talk about your cross-country runs! This beats everything and anything I ever encountered!” - She stumbled once more, but the Bavger Catipti her by the arm and, after scaling one more fence, they were in the same lot with _ the poor farm buildings, which were now fairly enveloped in flames, from which great _ Clouds of smoke were rolling. . <“T reck’n now Matt hed jest erbout time _ tew git here,” began the deacon, as he slowed up a little. “Now, who in thunder - could her sot it on fire when ther boys wuz all out an’ ther whole ranch empty?” F: _ He asked the question so loudly that the whole group heard it and, without a mo- _ ment’s hesitation, Bill Bennett answered: “Who could er done it ’ceptin’ Bert Jack- ~son? Warn’t he ther only boy on ther place arter ther constable left him!” Marion wheeled around and stood stock still for a moment, while Miss Allyn caught her breath and looked from one to the other. “Of course he done it! I could see right _. in his eye he meant ter do sumthin’, said Farmer, Stebbins, knowingly. Then they all dashed off toward the group of boys who were helping their keeper to bring out some _ buckets. “Tt’s a derned lie! Come on, Marion!” _ called Deacon Marlowe, suddenly. “It’s _ nat’ral thet they should lay it onter Bert, but _ sayin’ is nothin’; they’ve gotter prove it!” ~e F, BS “Well, this is an experience I shall never for- MY QUEEN. 17 “You bet they have!” cned Alma, fiercely, “and to think the poor boy may be burned up at this very minute!” “Oh, Alma!” gasped Marion, ax:d then, once more, she darted ahead. The main part of the building was not blazing yet, and she made as straight for the door as the rough ground wou'l let her. “There may be some one ir-there—l’m going in!” she cried, without turning her head. ‘“‘Come on, father, come with me! You are too old to work with those boys! We'd better go into Matt’s office and try to find the number of Bert’s cot! It would be folly to go hunting all through the building, for we might never find it!’ “She’s right! Marion is allus right!” was the old man’s answer, as he followed the brave girl into the main building. Lawyer Hobart, had already joined the group of keepers who were surrounding the old well, but Alma Allyn paused a moment upon the doorstep and glanced about her. The poor farm was only a collection of small frame buildings, the one in front of her being the largest and best of the num- ber. Already two or three of the smaller ones were only heaps of ruins, while the others were in various stages of destruction, and were only waiting for a gust of wind to set them roaring. The smoke circled about her and the hiss of steam came to her ears as the boys tossed on their buckets of water methodically, while above all the confusion of excited voices she could still hear the ~ brutal tones of the assistant overseer bawl- ing out his orders. Where was Matt Jenkins? She could not see him in the group. where was Bert? A cry from Marion answered her. The young ‘girl had dashed into the main room which Matt Jenkins had used as_ his office, and the first thing her eyes rested upon was a lot of loose papers scattered upon a desk that stood by a tightly closed window. Peta gee deca a eee s she glanced at them: then both she and the old deacon stopped suddenly and stared at something. And connicls OO S,COmM