Marion Marlowe's Courage: A Brave Girl's Struggle for Life and Honor — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

6 MY QUEEN. home-sick, Dollie, them.” “I would like to go home, too,” said Dollie, sadly. “I’d like to see mother, and Saman- tha, and the chickens, but, oh, I would dread to see father or Silas Johnson.” “Well we won’t go back to the country at present,” said Marion, firmly, “not until we are convinced that there is no place for us in the city.” “T shall go out this afternoon,” called Dol- lie, as Marion tripped down the stairs. “I saw an advertisement) in the paper that t am going to answer.’ f “Be careful, Dollie,’ was her sister’s reply, “and don’t-éorget to wear a veil, dear. That pretty ‘face of yours is a great temptation to wicked men.” ‘ Dollie went back into their room just as Miss Allyn came through the hall. “There'll be a typewriter here for you to- day,” she said glibly. “I ordered it sent. I want you to learn to operate it.” “Oh, thank you,” said Dollie, clapping her hands. “I’ve heard of them so often.” I shall be delighted to see one.” _ , whenever J] think of “Well, I’ll teach vou to use it in off hours,” said Miss Allyn, kindly. “There’s no harm in learning, and it may come in handy.” * ‘“» She was in a hurry to go out to fill an en- gagement for her paper, so Dollie did not de- tain her, but busied herself in tidying up the room, and then wrote the letter to Bert Jackson. When the letter was ready, she put on her hat and gloves and started out to look for work, carrying the advertisement that she had clipped from the paper in order not to forget the address given. She read it over as she walked along. It sounded very alluring to her unsuspicious ears, and she smiled a little at her cleverness in not showing it to Marion. “What a surprise it will be to her if I get it.’ she whispered. ‘Then once more she took out the clipping and read it over. “Wanted—Twenty young ladies with mus- ical ability. Must be over sixteen and have eraceful figures. Room to19, Dusenbury suilding.”’ “Tam sure my figure is graceful enough,” che said. ‘Of course, I never did wear cor- passing on a strawberry blonde. seis, but I suppose I could. would make my waist a little smaller.” She put her hands on her hips as she walked along. She was a trifle more plump than the girls she had seen about the city. Aiter considerable trouble she found the Dusenbury Building. It was a grim- looking structure, and a regular sky-scraper. Dollie was rushed up to the top floor at such speed that it made her head swim a lit- tle. She had not begun to get used to the velocity exhibited by an ambitious elevator. She wandered around the halls for some little time before she finally discovered a door with the number Io1T9 on it. She tapped on the door gently, but there was no response except a giggle or two from’ some one within, so summoning her courage sie pushed it open. There were a dozen young ladies in the room, apparently waiting for some one. “Come right in, don’t be bashful,” cried one frowsy-headed girl. “His job-lots is in a minute. ‘They are in the private office.” The other girls all tittered as Dollie smiled pleasantly. She sat down on the edgé of a chair, with her heart beating wildly. “What do you suppose his game is, any- way ?” asked one of the girls in a low voice. “Is it straight, do you think, or just an- other case of ae flam ?”’ “Give it up,” was the answer from the girl addressed. “Wait ‘til blondie comes out. I hope it’s straight, tho’.”’ She sighed as she spoke and Dollie glanced at her quickly. She was pale and thin, and there was a hectic flush on her hollow cheeks. . There was no shadow of doubt that she was a victim of consumption. Just then one of the girls who was sitting near the door to the private office, gave a lit-— tle scream. “What do you think of that, girls!) He's got another door. We won’t so much as get a squint at blondie.” “That settles it, we've got to go in and face the music,” said the consumptive, “and if he insults us, we must smile and put up with it, of course. If we yell, he’ll call in an officer and have us arrested for blackmail.” The words were hardly out of her mouth com I expect they | Ebooks.com He'll be out 3 -— :