Marion Marlowe in Denver, or, The Tragedy of Pike's Peak — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

@ MY QUEEN, have been perfect armies of them hanging around the stage door every week, and’ it’s kept Miss Allyn and me busy samp all the boxes of candy,” “These Denver fellows have good taste, all right,” was the doctor’s answer. “She has a stock of gold nuggets that are worth a small fortune, and, as for souvenirs from Pike’s Peak and Yellowstone Park, why, one end of her room is a regular museum of natural his- tory. There’s no denying the fact that Marion is appreciated in Denver, but here she comes now, so you can show her the paper.” The young girl came in with her friend, Miss Allyn, and, as Mr. Temple beckoned to her, she ran over to his side and handed him a spray of white larkspur. “It’s one of Colorado’s pet flowers; put it in. your buttonhole, quick!” she said, gayly, and then do tell me what you are all so glum about! Has the property-man absconded with the wigs or have we a rival company playing in Denver?” “Worse than that,” said Bert, with a mys- terious shake of the head; and just at that moment Marion’s bright eyes caught sight of the paragraph. “Oh, what do you suppose it is?” she cried, wonderingly, as she clasped her hands to- gether. “There’s no one in the world who could die and leave me any money unless. it is my aunt, Mrs. Frederic Stanton!” “Not much danger of her doing it,” erunted Bert, disgustedly. “She's too mean either to die or to leave you any money. You niark my words, every cent of her dough will go to that poodle that you have told me of.” “Poor poodle! Dogs don’t like dough!” siched Miss Allyn, as she took a step forward and leaned over Marion’s shoulder, “T would rather she would leave it to the poodle than any one | know,” said Marion, with her eyes still fixed upon the paragraph, “but, if it don’t mean a fortune, what can ‘+ mean? I must go this minute and solve the mystery.” “But not alone!” Dr. Brookes spoke decidedly. bi» you must not go alone,” . Temple. OT" gO and speak to the police and call chimed in f : = ee § ek, cle out the fire company. There’ll be no flim- — flam game this time,” said Bert, laughingly. “Why can’t you all go with me?” asked © Marion, innocently. Bert winked at the doctor and then an- swered, mischievously: | “His joblots, the lawyer, might object! No doubt he wants to propose to you or some-_ thing on that order. Going to offer you his heart and home and has chosen an original way of doing it. He even has the nerve to say that it is to your advantage.” “Oh, Bert! You are so foolish!” said Marion, laughing. “Do be serious a minute and tell me what you really think they mean! I am too stupid to think of anything that can possibly be to my advantage. Really, I am so happy as I am, that I Gene believe I could be any happier!” “Spoken like our Marion!” cried Bert, dra- matically. “‘Why, really, in spite of the trag- edies in her life, that girl is as serene as ever! Nothing can tempt her from our loyal circle, not even a genuine live commodore with a ranch in Arizona! No use talking, there’s only one Marion Marlowe, and the Temple Theatrical Company has the honor to have her as its guiding star!” There was a general smile at Bert’s allu- sion to the ranchman, but Marion’s dimpled cheeks flushed a pretty pink as she recalled | the bluff old lover that she had left behind in | Omaha. “If any one could tempt me to ‘wander from my own fireside’ it would certainly be the commodore,” she said, laughingly, “but, — at present, I am too well satisfied to even © yearn for a ranch in Arizona. Still, I am very anxious, indeed, to solve this mystery, so come with me, Mr. Temple! Don’t let us lose a minute! There is plenty of time be- fore matinée to call upon the lawyers.” She was so eager to go that Mr. Temple did not hesitate, but rose at. once and took his hat and gloves and was ready to ac- company her. ’ “Some one to see vou, sir,” said one of the attachés of the theatre, at that instant. | Mr. Temple paused with his hand upon the | door. A brisk, businesslike young man was Gomilebooks: com