Marion Marlowe in Columbus, or, Accused of a Crime — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

knew what tosay. It wasa relief to hear her eue and be obliged to leave him. ' eAs she crossed the rail to her place on the aordinary stage her overstrained nerves n a her burst out laughing. “Oh, I’ll never be able to speak a line,” ais ied, nervously. ‘How in the world could you do so nicely, Alma? ‘Why, the whole thing + is so funny that I can’t be serious. I’m as amed of myself, but I really can’t help it! -“There’s the train! Rehearsal is over!” | Felted Deering at that minute, and almost before he spoke every one heard the shriek of a whistle. 4 “You'll remember your promise to keep ‘mum, won't you, Mr. Temple?” asked Wig- gin, running up to the manager. “I'll do your dual role, and do it properly, but for h neaven’ s sake don’t turn me over as a com- mon vagrant !” | He spoke to Mr. eo but he was look- ing at Marion. “We'll protect you, Mr. Wiggin,” said the i; young gifl, quickly, “and in return we ex- t you to treat us loyally.” A darke red flush crossed the weazened face. He tried to answer, but not a single word came. As the young girl’s honest glance : tudied him, his own eyes wavered suspi- ou aly. she }?? CHAPTER V: THE ESCAPE OF WIGGIN. c ompany watched with interest while the “re- eee. ” as Bert called it, mended the ack and filled in the wash-out. be it ‘only took a short time for the clothing to dry, so, by the time their own engine came along to pick up the train, the ladies of the ; oer again wore their own traveling cos- umes iggin, on the contrary, had helped him- lft > some garments eclangrs to one of the a - wy a a i > ” 2 ie: MY QUEEN. BHor the next two hours the members of the 13 “supes,’ which, while they were not so “stagy” as his Roman toga, were still ex- traordinary enough to disguise him thor- oughly. » “It is very evident that he doesn’t want to be known,” said Bert to Mr. Temple, just as the engine was coupling on the baggage car. “Of course, I can understand that he doesn’t want any one belonging to the train to know he stole a ride, but what’s to hinder oir two trainmen from telling it?” “That strikes me as very peculiar,” was Mr. Temple’s answer. “I am sure that Dick was genuinely surprised at his appearance, but that ugly brute, Bill, did not seem spe- cially astonished. “There he is now, holding an animated conversation with his Wigginship!” said Bert, softly. ‘“‘They are both ‘chewing the rag’ all right, but it looks mighty suspicious.” “Well, there’s one thing sure, Wiggin couldn’t have dropped that paper,” said Mr. Temple, laughing. “He was shut up in the baggage car and couldn’t even see daylight. Whoever dropped that warrant was outside, that is certain.” ‘What is your opinion of Olcott?” asked Bert, as that actor stuck his head out of a window to see what was going on. “A light-headed sort of a fellow—mischief- making perhaps, but not vicious,” was the answer. “I doubt if he would ever be en- trusted with such an errand—he does too much talking.” “Well, I feel pretty certain that Hinton and Gray are innocent,” said Bert, “and, as Dr. Brookes is out of the question, there is no one left but Denny the ‘supe’ and those two trainmen.” “Denny didn’t do it! He’s too loyal to Miss Marlowe!” said Mr. Temple, promptly. “Let me see, Jackson, who went back with the engine? Oniy three men, I am sure, the engineer, fireman and conductor,”’ 5 GoimiGyoo Ha =