Marion Marlowe in Chicago, or, Trapped by a Lunatic — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

3 a : Re 7 4 depths! The thought was awful, yet such : things had happened, : It was a dark, almost starless night, yet the : water gleamed like silver as she caught occa- - sional glimpses of it from the carriage win- dow. ' Then the tall buildings hid it from her view and Marion leaned forward interestedly, watching the panorama of life that passed be- forgher vision. It was all so strange to her— this life in a big city. A few months in New York had by no means made her accustomed to it, and the incessant struggle, the noise, the confusion and the keen rivalry in every- _ thing was a never-ending source of wonder a and bewilderment, “Tt is all so: different from the country,” _ she mused. “There, all was calm, monot- _ onous, almost deathlike! There was nothing to fear and nothing to avoid, while here one _ hardly dares to step upon the streets! There are dangers on every side and pitfalls to every comer.” - A sigh escaped her, and she leaned back é _ in the cab, They were leaving the brightly- lighted streets now and speeding through long blocks that seemed almost dark in con- er traSt. Then the buildings began to grow ___ lowerand more squalid in appearance and the jolting over_the rough cobbles becamealmost unbearable. They were nearing a neighbor- _ hood notorious for its lawlessness, but Marion . knew nothing of this, so ‘it did not frighten o her. Suddenly the cabman turned and peered _ down at her curiously. “Belong at the Arms, Miss?” he asked, _ with a peculiar accent. ‘ Marion wondered a little, but, remember- ing the lateness of the hour, she thought it _ best to make some explanations. “No, I do not belong there,” she said. very A ad who has met with an accident. J only heard to-night that he had been taken to that hos. pital.” : The man emitted a sound that alarmed her _- somewhat. It seemed for all the world as aoe he doubted her statements. | “Pretty note fer you to be comin’ out here _ this time o’ night,” he said. gruffly. “It’s _ worth ten dollars fer me ter bring you,” a MY QUEEN. black bottle from his pocket. simply. “I am going there to find a friend ¢ amt “But you said you would bring me for five,’ said Marion, quickly. ‘“You surely will not go back on your word, sir.” © There wes another grunt and the man turned back to his horse, but, a moment later, the young yirl could see that he was again peering down through the window. She began to be frightened, but she was de- termined not to show it; but, oh, how she longed for a glimpse of the hospital! But the ride seemed interminable, and the cab jolted and rattled over the stones until _she began to fear that the driver was grow- ing reckless or that he had been drinking liquor before they started. suddenly her blood ran cold as she glanced up through the window. The fellow had slowed up for a moment and was drawing a The next mo- ment he put it to his mouth and took a long draught from it. Marion clasped her hands together tightly as she watched him. She was beginning to realize that she was at the mercy of the fellow. Summoning all her courage, she tried to speak bravely, half rising in the cab and peer- ing up at him. “Is it far to the Arms?” she asked, as calmly as possible. “If it is only a short distance, I can walk the rest of the way and then you will not feel that you are losing any money.” The man turned on his seat and bent so low that the vile fumes from his breath pene- trated the carriage. “I'll take you to the Arms, now I’ve start- ed,” he said, leeringly, “and I'll call it square, ~ my beauty, if you will give me a kiss. Gee! but you’ve got a dandy pair o’ eyes! Is it a go? Will you kiss me?” Fe had stopped the horse in the middle of the streef*now, and, as Marion shrank back in the cab, she glanced sharply from the win- dow. The place looked deserted. There was hardly a light visible. Tn an instant she began to tremble in every fibre of her bodv. ‘Suppose he should attempt to kiss her— what could she do? Her first inclination was to spring from the carriage. Then once more she set her lips firmly and her hand wandered to her hair, where she wore an ornamental silver arrow. It was strone and sharp ; she. could defend herself for OMG OOKor Ee iy