A Lover's Quarrel, or Marion Marlowe's Deceitful Friend — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

oes 5 _a husky voice. , Marlowe, and tell me if Bert wrote them.” MY QUEEN. pacing the floor excitedly, his handsome face as white as ashes, _ Dr. Brookes sat near the window, with one elbow upon his knee and his head in his hand in a dejected attitude. There was an awful pain at Marion’s heart, but it was not her nature to hesitate in an emergency. Softly closing the door behind her, she advanced to the captain’s side and held out: both hands to him in a mute gesture of greeting. “Oh, here you are. How do you do, my dear?” exclaimed the old gentleman, gal- lantly, as. he stooped and kissed the young girl’s forehead. “I am sorry to distress you, Marion, but I think it best to tell you some- thing, and, besides, we need your help. Isn’t that so, doctor?” | He did not release the young girl’s hand as he asked the question, so Dr. Brookes rose from his chair and went and stood be- side them. “Marion can help us a little, I think,’ he said, proudly. “It will not be her first trial at solving mysteries.” They were both so solemn that Marion paled with apprehension, but she forced her- self to smile as she responded bravely: “What is it? What can I do for you, Cap- tain Canfield? I am sure I will do my best. You have only to ask me.” : “T knew it, Marion. You are a dear, braveygirl,” was the captain’s answer; then he drew three chairs up close together and _ seated her in one while he motioned the doc- tor to another. ‘Then something happened that Marion in her. inexperience could not help but shudder over. | * Captain Canfield drew three checks from his pocket and handed them to her. “You know my son’s writing,” he said, in “Look at those checks, Miss 13 Marion’s hands trembled visibly as she took the checks, but she was thoroughly puz- zled. She could not identify the writing. “I am almost sure it is his, and yet it is differ- ent, “Wait, Mr. Canfield, I have some notes of Bert’s in my bP she said, after a minute. room. ‘There was one that came only a week ago. I will bring’ it down and then we can compare it.” She darted from the room and the two gen- tlemen waited. Ten minutes later she re- turned with a look of bewilderment upon her features. “They are gone! The notes are gone!” she whispered. ‘They were there in my desk not four days ago; now there isn’t a letter or an envelope, even!” Captain Canfield put the checks back in There startled his pocket and rose from his chair. was a look upon his face that Marion. “These checks amount to three thousand dollars,” he said, “The first two were cashed without a word, but, when the third was presented, slowly. the paying-teller saw that Bert had overdrawn his account, and, of course, he very cleverly detained the bearer until he could send to my private office. I have always kept Bert well supplied with money, and he has never attempted to over- draw his account before. Whoever drew those checks must have known that he had money there, and the signature is so much like Bert’s that it has nearly driven me crazy.” Marion found her voice after a moment of agony. “What did you do, sir, when you saw the check, the one that was overdrawn, I mean ?” ‘She asked, breathlessly. The old gentleman drew himself up with unconscious pride. “Drew my own check in Bert’s favor and deposited it to cover the difference, then told GOnlGpoolks (@ (0)