Marion Marlowe Entrapped, or, The Victim of Professional Jealousy — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

$ Marion looked at her coldly and held her head a trifle higher. “I'm in the habit of choosing whom I shall meet,” she said, quietly, “and I do not care to extend my circle of acquaintances to this class of society.” _ Beware!” cried the now angry woman with a vicious hiss. “I said they were my You had better not insult them!” As the two women stood glaring at each other the men watched them curiously. Such an extraordinary spectacle had sobered them a little. friends. Marion, young, slight, girlish in her trail- ing white robe; the other voluptuous, sen- _ sual, even coarse, in her negligé of flaming scarlet. fronted by vice-—-of innocence menaced by “wanton evil. When vibrated strangely and she was in gering the Marion spoke again her voice little revolver nervously. “TI hope and believe your friends are more she “for [ doubt if either of them would dare insult a respectable girl, while honorable than you are, mademoiselle !” said, distinctly, you have deliberately laid a trap for me—for Fleaven alone knows what diabolical motive.” Carlotta ashamed, but she promptly recovered; and For just a moment looked her frame fairly quivered with anger. MY QUEEN. + It was a spectacle of virtue con- ~ “Put that weapon down and dress your- ° ” shé said, with a sneer crossing her face. self, “Your dress is in the bed-room. I shall be glad to have you leave me.” Marion turned toward the bed-room door, still grasping the pistol. When she reached the doorway she turned and -faced them, throwing her head back with a motion of superb defiance. “Tf either of you dare to cross this thresh- old, look out ies mistakable deetsion., she said briefly, but with un- As she was hurrying into her street dress sweetheart Carlotta.” she heard the three whispering together. The next second there was a scream from. the woman and a perfect volley of curses. Clayton Graham had suddenly opened the door of the apartment and stood glaring at. the trio. With a .cry for help Marion bounded out and ran to him. “Oh, Mr. Graham! Save me!” she cried, “See, I have had to defend myself from. those fiends with this pistol. Oh, what am I to think of this wicked woman ?” Clayton Graham looked bewildered for a moment, then a light dawned on his mind— ‘He had goaded this woman to fury when he spoke to half hysterically. he understood Carlotta’s motive. her of Marion’s virtue; now she was doing her best to ruin the young girl’s fair name, and she would have succeeded admirably with one less noble and poe than — J ~< - a - n i 4 Marion. 4 “So this is your revenge,” he crnitheceal . facing the woman. “You are trying to blacken her good name, you infamous ‘crea- . = }?? ture! The woman answered nothing, she had been caught red-handed, No one knew her better than Clayton Graham—there was no : use trying to deceive him in the matter. “She was weeping in the dressing-room and I spoke to her,’ went on Marion, PORK quickly. “She said she was grieving over the 7” : loss of a friend and asked me to come home with her, so.she would not be so lonely.” “So she was afraid of being loriely—poor Carlotta,” “Well, it’s lucky for you, child, that I saw said the manager with a_ sneer. 3 7 2 4 you getting into her carriage. I knew she was up to something, and I called the turn pretty correctly.” [ am honored with your “You “So that is why presence,’ said Carlotta, sarcastically.’ came here to rescue your new -sweetheart a from the natural vengeance of your old (E(0) Gomichbooks