An Interrupted Wedding, or Marion Marlowe as Maid of Honor — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

e | MY QUEEN. was lured on and on in spite of all Alma her own, the whole world with its miseries could do, until to-day she is an outcast: a was completely forgotten. fallen woman!” ; “My God! and you are befriending her!” | ; cried the doctor, suddenly. ‘You are a true CHAPTER IV. woman, Marion Marlowe! Would to Heaven ; | that I could protect you!” en ee AE ——, He was kneeling at her side as he spoke, It was hard to come back to the stern and his armis were about her, but Marion realities of life, but Marion was too anxious did not rise—only blushed harder and about her friend to remain long in this par- harder with her face averted. adise of happiness which had suddenly — “Marion, dearest Marion! Will you never Opened before her. love me!” he whispered, passionately. “Will With a little cry of remorse at her own your heart never awake and respond to my forgetfulness, she attempted to raise her head passion! I am mad with love for you, my irom the handsome young man’s shoulder. darling! I believe it will kill me to control “Not yet, darling,” whispered the. eager myself much Idnger!” voice in her ear. “You must tell me some- ‘e had imprisoned her hand in his as he thing before I let you go. You must answer _ spoke, and as he finished he raised it to his ™Y Question—do you love me, Marion?” lips and kissed it warmly. The lovely girl’s face was hidden upon his shoulder again, then she answered his ques- tion in a thrilling whisper. “I do—I am sure I do, Reginald.” There was another kiss upon her ruby lips, and Dr. Brookes pressed her to his heart in a perfect spasm of ecstasy. | He had waited so long for those rapturous words, but now that she had spoken them, he could hardly believe them. How was it possible that this girl, this queen of her sex, could really love him! In an instant he seemed to himself to be all un- worthy of her affection. “I have waited so long, Marion, yet I do There was a moment of silence while he not complain,” went on the pleading tones, strained her to his heart, then Marion raised softly, “but I am hungry for your love, my her fair head and gently moved away from beautiful Queen Marion! Just think how him. | happy dear Alma will be! Must I go to her “I don’t know why I did not realize that wedding to-morrow and witness her joy and [| Joved you before,” she said, falteringly, then return once more to my desolate life? = “thyt somehow I could never quite make up Oh, Marion, if you only knew the bliss, the .my mind; but this morning, oh, Reginald, rapture of love! It is the only thing on earth [| was so unhappy this morning; I was think- that is worth knowing or having ! I would ing how happy dear Alma would be, and shield you so carefully, dear! [ would guard honestly, I think I envied her just a little, you so tenderly! Can you not trust your life and then it came to me that it was all my into my keeping, Marion?” own fault that I wasn’t happy, and then, As the last words passed his lips the fair well, then Bert brought me the news about head drooped gently. The next moment it Alma and I guess the reaction came. Any- was pillowed upon the young physician’s way, I felt better.” shoulder. There was not a sound in the “And you do not envy Alma now, darling! room as his loving arms closed about her, You are happy also, are you not?” asked the and as Marion felt his lips lightly pressing doctor, eagerly. The wave of color that had crimsoned \larion’s brow seemed to retreat like magic and her face became pallid. She was thrill- ing with pleasure in every fibre of her being, for those warm, eager kisses seemed to have enthralled her. “Marion, answer me! Is there no hope, little one? Are you sure, very sure, that you do not love me, sweetheart ?” Dr. Brookes’ voice was like music to her ears and as his ‘blonde head touchegl her own lightly, she trembled with emotion. : | Eomicbooks,com