Marion Marlowe's Cleverness, or, Exposing a Bold Fraud — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

. MY QUEEN. 7 are. And just think of the happiness that there is before you!” : “T know I ought to,” was the sad reply ; “but do you know, Alma, I. seem to have a presentiment to-day—lI feel that there is more trouble, more danger in store—and in some way it seems to be connected with that let- ter.” Miss Allyn shivered at Marion’s words, but her naturally gay spirits came quickly to her rescue. “Nonsense!” she cried, brightly. ‘Don’t even think of such a thing, dearie! Why, 1 see in that letter a magnificent opportunity! “Nou will not only enter society and fairly dazzle it with your beauty, but you will also be the means of reuniting your family!” “Oh, if I thought that last I would go at once!” cried Marion, happily. “I have al- ways thought it such a pity that. mother should not be friendly with her own sister !” “Well, here’s your chance,” replied Miss Allyn, promptly. | There was a tap on the door, and Marion rose and opened it. A messenger boy handed in a note ad- dressed to Miss Marion Marlowe. “Another letter from Mr. Everett! What does it mean?” cried Marion as she tore it open. Then as her glance fell on the con- tents she gave an exclamation of horror. “Oh, Alma! I told you there was trouble in store! Frederic Stanton is dead! They found him this morning! Mr. Everett has sent this message to say that I must come at once. There is something suspicious in my uncle’s - death, and here is the strangest thing of all: Mr. Everett wants me to help him unravel a mystery, and especially warns me to be on my guard, for he says ‘There is a danger- ous game being played up there, and we two’ —he and I—‘must be clever enough to baf- fe it.” CHAPTER IV. MARION MEETS A STRANGE CHARACTER, An hour later Marion arrived at the en- trance to The Norwood. ; It was a handsome brownstone apartment- house, well up on Fifth avenue, and was oc- cupied principally by small, wealthy families. Frederic Stanton and his wife lived on the second floor. They were known to be the wealthiest tenants in the building. Marion’s ring was answered by a colored porter, who escorted her across the lower hall to the elevator. [t was very evident that something unusual had happened, for every bell boy and cham- bermaid in the building seemed to be congre- gated in the upper hall, and as Marion stepped from the elevator she overheard a low conversation. “They say the murderer used the poor man’s own pocket-knife! Isn’t that terri- ble!” one chambermaid was saying to an- other. “And it stuck straight into his heart. died in a minute!’ was the excited answer. “He dun leab no trace behin’ him, who- eber he was,” said one ofthe negroes, sob- erly.. “Tle mus’ er come an’ went lake er ghos’ o> or sumthin’. J was aroun’ dese hyar halls all night, an’ I didn’t hear nothin’ !” “It’s some one in de house, sho’,” said an- other colored boy, but by this time Marion had walked down the hall out of hearing. “Thar’s the door, miss,” said the elevator boy with a wave of his hand. It was plain that he was very much averse to going any nearer. Two men were just coming out of her aunt's apartments. They were both deter- mined, grim-looking fellows, and in an in- stant Marion knew that they must be detec- tives. 7 She tapped softly on the door, which was opened ac once. A thin, angular woman of middle age, dressed all in black, stood in the doorway confronting her. “T wish to see my aunt, Mrs. Stanton,” said Marion, politely. “Will you tell her, please, that it is Marion Marlowe?” “You can come in. She expects you,” was the woman’s somewhat extraordinary answer. She had the appearance of one who was eranting a favor. As the young girl entered the darkened room she glanced around nervously. It was a relief to see that there were no traces of the recent crime, but she was a little confused by the suddenness of it all, and a great feel- b] He ' Comichooks.eo