Marion Marlowe in St. Paul, or, The Company's Mascot in a Double Deal — page 22: what you’re looking at

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20 “Tl try the bureaus first,” said Mr. Tem- ple, decidedly; “but, if I find no one to suit, we will call on this woman.” Bert drew a long sigh and started for the door. ‘“*Self-protection is the first law of na- ture,” he said, laughingly. “I do not in- tend to report my loss to the police, but I think it’s about time I had the lock turned on ‘Jackets! ” Cin, 210; Bert) ~ Want!’ with a smile on her lips. Bert dropped back picked up his napkin. “At your request, my dear Marion, [ll -defer it,’ he said, glibly; ‘or, at least, -I’ll postpone it until after breakfast.” cried Marion, into his chair and CHAPTER X. “TACKETS IN TROUBLE. The entire company was assembled on the stage of the empty theatre when Mr. Temple entered, bringing Ida Inez with him, | She was small and pretty, as Bert had said, but her face was pale from hours of suffering, and the wild look in her big, blue eyes showed plainly that she was frightened. As Mr. Temple introduced her, Marion went to her at once. It did not seem possible to her that this girlish creature could be the little street gamin’s mother. There were tears upon her cheeks which the young girl did not understand until the rehearsal was over and they were in the dressing-room together. “You have been crying,” sweetly, as she closed the door. “Are you clad to get hack to the stage again, or is it from some other reason?” (da fnez looked intg the sweet face anc she said to her, then burst into tears. “C)h, | am so glad to get back! But that ‘« not all, Miss Marlowe! [ am,so grateful to Mr. Jackson for sparing My poor baby! “Tell me about him,” whispered Marion, as she sat down by the woman’saside. “I did like him so much, and [ am so sorry for you! | should feel it such an honor if you would give me your confidence.” : The woman drew away with a horrified gesture, MY QUEEN. “Oh, I wish I could! I wish I could tell you all!” she sobbed out, pitifully. “But I can't! I can’t! I have given my promise! Oh, Miss Marlowe, I am a wretchedly guilty creature! I donot half deserve your pity!” “You mean because of your sin,” whis- pered Marion, in some. perplexity. “Bert told me your story, as much as you told him, and J would be so glad to help you.” Ida Inez turned to her suddenly with eager eyes; Marion’s face was beaming with innocent compassion. Oh, if she only dared to tell her the truth! The thought flashed through her brain and was followed by. another. What would hap- pen to her child if she disobeyed the man who hated her? She set her teeth firmly. Her child came first. She must sacrifice everything, even Marion, on the altar of her mother’s duty. “Listen,” she said, more calmly. “I will tell you this! I have defied him in one thing, Miss Marlowe! He made me promise that I would always work in the mill, and, oh, the threats that he made if I dared to disobey him! Yet, for my baby’s sake, because I must try to save him, I have accepted this offer to come back to the profession.” It was a lie in part, yet how she wished it were all truth! As the words left her lips, che could have cried out in her anguish. “Then this man, your boy’s father, is alive,” said Marion, anxiously. A dark frown crossed the woman’s brow. “He is alive and he is a villain!’ she mut- tered, between her teeth; “but, oh, how I have lied that his child should not know it!" The tears rolled down her cheeks, and Marion wept in sympathy. “Tt is horrible, sttch slavery!” she said, in- “You should never have made such a promise!” | “Ah! (I could not help it!» I loathe him!” murmured the weeping woman, “but I loved him once, oh, so dearly, Miss Marlowe! I loved him in all his vileness, for IT was too innocent to see it!” “Poor girl! I pity you!” was Marion's low answer; “but cheer up, and when your bhov comes back, bring him straight to me. : l cannot help thinking that I can influence him a little.” comichooks.com Jignantly. ~