Marion Marlowe's Christmas Eve, or, The Treachery of a Factory Inspector — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

12 ions in misery walked slowly in other direc- tions. As they turned the corner into an even narrower street, a great burly fellow, un- commonly well dressed for that neighbor- hood, stepped suddenly in front of them and stared rudely at Marion. “Go along, you rowdy! Can’t you see she’s a lady!” cried out the working girl, sharply. “Get away out of her path, or I'll make it hot for you!” “Shut your mouth, you hussy!” exclaimed the man, brutally, at the same time leering at Marion in a repulsive manner. “How dare you, sir!” exclaimed the young girl, proudly, as she drew herself up and frowned indignantly at the fellow. A dead swell one at that! So you're a lady, eh? Well, that don’t make no difference! particular ! “By Gad! but you’re a hummer! I’m not Give me a kiss, my beauty, or by the eternals, I’ll steal it!” “You will, will you?” screamed the girl, as the fellow made a grab for Marion. “Take that for your impudence! you dirty blackguard!’”’ she cried, springing between them. The next instant she dealt him a ringing blow in the face. It was such a rousing slap that it stunned the fellow, and Marion could not help wondering how the strength to de- liver it could be hidden in such wasted mus- cles, The next minute the girl had caught her by the arm, and was almost dragging her into a nearby hallway. CHAPTER VI. DARKNESS. After climbing a lot of found herself in an attic room and in the A DEED IN THE stairs, Marion presence of a thin, sallow-faced girl, whom her companion introduced as Fannie, the cripple. 'Hreneh Gialiked ther. A foriorn little stove-in one corner did little more than to keep some of the cold out of the wretched apartment. “I’m . Sadie. Webster,” she said, as she bolted the door securely; ‘“‘and Mamie Green is our other roommate’s name, but I’m sorry to say she is working this evening.” ‘And who was that fellow that insulted us?’ asked Marion, as soon as she had shaken hands cordially with the cripple. “Oh, that was Jim French, the howling swell of the neighborhood,” was the dis- gusted answer. “He lives at the salocn on the corner, as near as any one knows, and he’s a loafer and a brute, and makes his own She is one of those fac- that’s snooping around, only she never made any trouble for sister support him! tory inspectors forever Solomons, you bet! He paid her too well for that! They say her brother is on to her crooked ways, and that’s the way he makes ~ her give up—by threatening to tell on her!” Marion caught her breath. Here was news indeed; still, it was not a great surprise, for she had already suspected it. This was the reason, then, that Miss She had seen that her tricks were likely to be discovered, and, no doubt. she would leave no stone unturned to rid herself of her company. As Marion chatted with the girls, she kept thinking about Miss French. They were a disagreeable pair to meet, that sister and brother. “You must stay to supper, Miss Marlowe,” said Sadie Webster, eagerly; “not that we've got much to. eat, or any fit place to eat it in. There’s bread and cheese, I guess, and to- night we'll have some tea, for I can buy a quarter of a pound out of the money you gave me.” Marion drew a long sigh atid her eyes Some way this scene had It had taken her .OOKsS;EomM filled with tears. awakened bitter reflections. Gcom (¢ - : 4