Marion Marlowe in Washington, or, Meeting the President — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

az and as they stood side by side the two col- onels both saw them. Colonel Bob Hinckley stared. He could hardly believe his senses. This was an ex- traordinary way for Miss MacGregor to be showing her jealousy. The floor was crowded with dancers, and a distinguished-looking Senator was about to lead Miss MacGregor to join them when Marion’s escort returned to her side. it was all she could do to greet him civilly, but for Miss Macgregor’s sake she had deter- mined to remain silent. “You are enjoying it, Miss Marlowe,” be- gan the colonel, a little awkwardly. “It is a novel sight, I am sure, the first time you see a “Tt is fascinating, very,’ was the young girl’s low answer, then she gazed eagerly over the floor to see if she could find any of her friends. rewarded her at last. Bert and Miss Ellis were just opposite, their faces beaming with enjoyment. ‘Another group of onlookers passed them and once more Colonel Bob Hinckley was forced to excuse himself to prevent members of the group from calling him by name. It was evident to Marion now that he was de- cidedly uneasy and that this had been his motive the first time he left her. | ‘He wishes to keep it up until he has made her thoroughly jealous, | suppose,’”’ she whis- pered to herself. “Well, there is no danger of that now, for she knows how I loathe him. I could not help showing it, even though lt knew that she loved him.” There was a stir at the wide entrance now, and the dancing ceased suddenly. The next moment Marion caught a glimpse of the Presidential party. ‘There were fully a dozen faces that she had seen in the White House, ard to think that every one of those people had shaken hands with her! “Tt is so wonderful! So strange!” she murmured, involuntarily. “What is strange, my child?’ asked a voice at her side. Marion turned her head quickly and saw the real Colonel Appleby. She was a little nervous, but to answer, calmly: “To think that I met them all in the White House, and that they all shook hands with me.” she said, as she nodded her head to- wards the President's party. “Why, just think of it, Colonel Appleby, lam only a poor actress. Yet those grand ladies. the higlrest in the land, all smiled so sweetly at me!” “Vou were a queen among queens, gure,” responded the colonel, gallantly. she managed I'm His The flourish of a handkerchief - MY QUEEN. voice was so quiet and gentle that the young girl almost stared at him. It did not sound just now as she had heard it, but a short time before. She shivered slightly as she recalled the words he had uttered then, and the terrible thing that he was about to do seemed to paralyze her senses for a minute. “Wealth and position are not all, and our ladies know it,” went on the colonel, quietly. ‘Many of them were only poor girls once. Perhaps, some day, you may be one of them, Miss Marlowe.” : Marion’s cheeks flushed slightly and her silvery laugh rippled out. | “Oh, how funny that you should suggest such a thing,” she said, quickly. “Why, my friend, Miss Allyn, said that this very day! She said that, perhaps, some day, I would live at Washington! She even said I might marry a President.” Her eyes were shining, and she glanced at him roguishly, as she spoke, but the col- onel only looked down at her in an earnest manner. 4 “Tt is by no means impossible,” he said, with a gentle smile. ‘“‘Still, it is seldom that we have a bachelor President, and, when we do, he is usually spoken for before he enters the White House. You see, ‘by the time a man becomes President, he is usually beyond middle age, and a lady, to be an ideal mis- tress of the White House, should, at, all events, be young. Do you quite approve of youth and age uniting, Miss Marlowe?” The question was simple enough, but Marion blushed furiously, as she listened, for there was something in the colonel’s face that had set her to thinking. He was look- ing at her with such evident admiration that poor Marion turned her eyes away as she answered his question. “T have never thought that age made any difference,” she began, in a low voice, then a thought flashed through her mind that near- ly made her heart stop beating. " How could he sit there so calmly, almost looking love into her eyes and talking easily of marriage when he was on the very verge of fighting a duel? She was too impulsive by nature to con- ceal such a thought, and, in a second, she had forgotten the existence of Miss MacGregor completely. “Oh. sir! IT must ask you something!” she said. in a low, but vibrating voice: “That man, Colonel Hinckley, has _ stolen your name! You are a Southerner, sir. How are you going to punish him?” She was looking him squarely in the face now with the rest of her secret on her lips. If it was possible, she would wait and see how he answered her. (E() MICLIOOL<S, (Ee)