Marion Marlowe's Escape, or, A Dangerous Mistake on the Road — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

her questions, with the rest of the company crowding close around him. .‘Never mind where she is, she is safe!’’ he said, gayly. “I tell you, I never hustled so in my life before! I’ve been on wings since I got that telegram from Jackson! You see, if he had wired me she was lost, I couldn’t have moved a finger; but when he told what had happened, and then said she was. safe, | saw my chance in a jiffy; and I think as an advance agent I am the greatest thing that ever happened!” “Vou are a wonder, old fellow; but what have you done Got rid of Barton, for one thing, but what are the others?” asked Mr. Temple. “Corralled the Oneida, of course! JLema- _drid had it! Barton skipped the minute I made him admit his treachery! But you must Shurry, Temple; it is getting late. The _ theatre is open and your audience is gather- ing!” “But we can’t play without Miss Mar- lowe,” began the manager, when Mr. Everett _ stopped him. _ “Your curtain will rise a trifle late, | am sorry to say; but it will rise, and that is all that I can promise. You must do the rest. Tm clear used up! I expect a season’s offer on account of this, Temple.” “You shall have it,” said the manager, still a little bewildered ; then he bundled his com- _ pany into carriages and -hurried to the theatre. _ There was an enormous crowd standing _ about the doors, and every one seemed talk- ing about Marion Marlowe. Everett had certainly spread the news with _ astonishing alacrity, but there was no time ‘then to ask how he had done it. The members of the company were fever- ish with excitement, but they all hurried to their work like well-trained soldiers. “T’ve-forgotten every blessed word of my part!” called out Miss Allyn, as she directed the porter where to put her baggage. “Talk about ‘one night stands!’ Why, this one is an eternity, and yet we are giving cards and Spades to rapid transit!” a “Are you sure you can do Miss Marlowe’s _ Part?” called Mrs. Burnside to Miss Ellis. b ‘mM sure they must mean for you to do it! » MY QUEEN. 23 Miss Marlowe can’t get here; it will be sim- ply impossible !’”’ “We can’t be expected to do anything right to-night,” chimed in one of the “supes,’ who happened to be passing the dressing-rooms. “It’s enough to make a man dizzy to think what we’ve just been through! I don’t know which end I’m standing on this blessed min- ute !”’ | Inside the dressing-rooms Miss Ellis was daubing grease-paint on her face with one hand, and unbuttoning her dress with the other. “Tt doesn’t seem possible that she is really, truly safe, does it, Miss Allyn?” she gurgled. “But she is! she is!” cried Miss Allyn, happily. ‘Oh, it would have killed me if she wasn’t! Poor, darling Marion! Why, if I had the time, I could just weep for joy, Miss Ellis !” | The tears were running down her face as she spoke, and making sad havoc with the cosmetic, but she kept daubing it on with superb indifference. “We actresses have to hide our feelings, even under such excitement as this,” called out Mrs. Burnside, sadly. “How little the public knows how much we suffer! Talk about smiling faces and breaking hearts: we professionals know what they mean, don’t we, Miss. Ellis ?” “We do, indeed,” said the young girl, gravely; then she happened to discover that Miss Lee had vanished. “Where in the world aré you, Pearl?” she called over the transom to the next dressing- room. Miss Lee’s reply came in the form of a question, asked in a voice that was vibrating with anguish. “Who do you suppose will take Preston’s place, Miss Ellis? Is that Mr. Everett an actor? We can’t go on without Percy.” “No, he is a dramatic critic, and they can’t act a little bit,” said Miss Ellis, contemptu- ously. “They'll have to let Dr. Brookes play Pres- ton’s part, and one of the ‘supes’ can do the villain. Miss Marlowe is safe, so they’ll let Preston off to-morrow! If she had been killed it would be different; but, as it is, they can’t hold him!” ECOMiclooolkks (E(©)