Marion Marlowe in Washington, or, Meeting the President — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

%* MY “What will they say next?” he commented, in an amused voice. ‘So I have a rival, have I? Well, it is the first J knew of it, but, cer- tainly, Miss MacGregor is worthy of a broken steel, and all men are reckless when it comes to a pretty woman.”’ He stroked his long mustache reflectively, and glanced across the street to where the young girl, who had attracted him was still standing with her companions. _ “My powers are waning, Senator,” he went on, after a minute, “so why should I not have a rival or two? Still, an attack of jealousy might help me out. If the fair one who ig- nores my attentions could once see that glo- rious girl in my carriage, it might work like a charm, although I admit it would be a he- roic measure.” The two gentlemen laughed, for every word had been in jest, but the man behind them had listened eagerly, and his eyes were shining with a curious expression, They were all descending the steps as Col- onel Appleby spoke, and now mingled with the crowd, their heads towering above nearly every one about them. “As if any woman in Washington would ignore you, colonel,” retorted the Senator, over the heads of a dozen newsboys. “Why, you are a born conqueror of women’s hearts, old man, and you have the advantage of being a bachelor.” “Can’t see where that makes much dif- ference,” replied the colonel, as he edged his way through the crowd. “The smiles come as freely to the. Benedict as to the bachelor, now-a-days, so it’s hard to know which is the more desirable position.” A sudden swerve of the crowd brought a score or more people between them, and, as the two high hats vanished from his sight, Colonel “Bob” Hinckley, the third man in the party, crossed the street in front of the build- ing toward what looked like an opening on the opposite sidewalk. “Thinks he is deceiving me by his pre- tense of modesty, curse him!” he muttered, under his breath. “As if I did not know he was trying to win the love of Emelie Mac- Gregor, the only woman in the world that can make my heart beat faster. Well, we Colonel Horace Appleby! We shall shall see, QUEEN. see how you succeed! There are others who may resort to your heroic measures !’’ He bit his lips savagely as he made his way across the stréet. : There were bitter thoughts in his brain, and his Southern blood was boiling furiously. An old family feud from way down in Vir- ginia, made him hate his brother officer first, and now here was another bitter cause for hatred. His rival had apparently won from him the love of this girl, a Southern beauty, who was spending the season at the capital. He had tried to conceal his jealousy, but was not sufficiently guarded, and evidently the newspapers had some knowledge of it, and if this was the case every man in Wash-. ington would soon know it. And what would be the result? He would become more unpopular than ever. There would be no end to the jokes that would be cracked at his expense, and no let up to the teasing of his indifferent companions. It was a desperate situation, but he set his teeth fiercely. It was “war to the knife” in the cause of love. Now, what should be his first move to outwit his rival? At this point in his reflections he suddenly stopped short. He had overtaken the beautiful girl with the chestnut hair and glorious eyes, and at that very minute she turned and addressed one of her companions, CHAPTER III. SOME SCHEMING, “Oh, Alma! We must go back! This 1s perfectly awful,’ exclaimed the beautiful girl, “Really, I have been squeezed until I have hardly a breath left! Do let us go back to the hotel and wait a little!” She was smiling as she spoke, and the styl- ish young woman whom she addressed glanced back over her shoulder as she an- swered, gayly: “The worst is over, Marion, and we must Just think! We have It would see the inauguration ! come all the way from Colorado! be dreadful if we were to miss it!” “If I could only find Colonel Appleby,” spoke up the handsome youth, who escorted “T went to his house, but he wasn’t in, Eomicbooks;com them. i