Marion Marlowe's Courage: A Brave Girl's Struggle for Life and Honor — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

. ; . - 4, > a . " 5 . § ; ee 3 oe - Pe MY QUEEN. decidedly. “They are our parents, dear; we must try to help them.” “But how?” asked Dollie, in great per- plexity. Marion’s eyes grew thoughtful as she an- swered slowly: “T don’t know how exactly, but it must be done! I must help my father pay off that mortgage!” se? ‘his money will only last about a month,” said Dollie, who was doing a little “but Oh, Marion, [ am sure we figuring, shall have work before then! But tell me, what did you do to- aay I have had no time to ask you before.” “T went to five places,” said Marion: promptly. “I offered my services as laun- dress, chambermaid and waitress; then I tried an employment bureau, which was a regular fraud, by the way, and two applica- tions in dry goods stores completed my day’s work, Dollie.” “Poor Marion! You must be tired and discouraged!” said Dollie, impulsively. “Tired of fraud and humbug!’ was Ma- rion’s quick answer. “Sick and tired of sham, hypocrisy and deceit!” she said again. “Why, do you know, Dollie; two of those advertisements that I answered were merely catch traps to get your money! Instead of having positions to offer, they merely tell you they can get you one provided you pay \?? them for their trouble! Dollie burst out laughing as Marion fin- ished, but the laugh was unnatural; there was not an atom of mirth in it, “I had a little experience of my own to- dav,” she said, hysterically. “Oh, Marion, it was awful! J don’t know why I laugh! Sometimes [ can’t help it though, for things in New York are so miserably funny!’ “Better laugh than cry! But tell me what you did,” said Marion, quickly. “Oh, Dollie, I hope you didn’t get into any serious trouble.” “Well, if I did, I got out of it,” said Dol- lie, sobering a little. Then she told her sis- ter the story of her visit to the private of- fice. Just as she was finishing the door bell rang. Marion lighted the gas in their room and ' then went to the stairs to listen. slowly. catch me,’ A: “It’s Bert Jackson! Oh, Bert, come right up!” she cried, gayly. “I’m delighted to see you, but for goodness sake what is the mat- ter?” She had just caught sight of the “boy's white face, and without another word she drew him into the room and closed the door behind them. “They’re after me—the Poor Farm -peo- ple!” whispered Bert, more in anger than in fright. ‘Matt Jenkins has heard where I am and he’s seen my employer. I had to run away, and just when I had a nice position!” “Tt’s just too mean for anything!” cried Dollie, angrily. “Matt Jenkins is a brute! 1? You shall not go back to him! “Tl never forget how he struck you once when your arm was broken,” said Marion, “He was not fit to be keeper of the Poor Farm—-he ought to be in prison!” “Well, I'll have to go back to him if they * muttered Bert, “and he'll flog me every day for two years, | suppose. You know I was to stay there until I was eighteen —so much for being an orphan! Any one would think I was a criminal!’’ Marion’s mouth was curving in hard lines now, very much as it had curved when she was planning the search for her sister. She pondered intently a moment or two, then her sister knew by her voice that she had thought out a solution. “Is Matt here looking for you, Bert?’ she asked, very softly. “T think so,” said the boy, “and I saw Silas Johnson here, too. One of the boys at the office said a man had been there looking for me. He described him accurately. sure it was Matt Jenkins.”’ “What did your employer do?” asked Marion again. I am Bert’s eyes snapped with pleasure as he drew a ten dollar bill from his pocket. ‘He gave me this and told me I'd be safer somewhere else,” he answered, smiling. “Oh, it was lucky I was out when Matt Jenkins called on him!’ “He gave you good advice,” said Marion. “and I repeat it, Bert; you’d be safer some- where else than in our room to-night, for Silas Johnson knows we live here, and he’s GOMGIOO Hal (0)