Marion Marlowe's Noble Work, or, The Tragedy at the Hospital — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

10 consider you marvelously lucky to have es- caped as you did. Fortunately, that horse- less carriage struck a stone at that instant and swerved a little, which saved not only your life, but your bones, Miss Marlowe.” Marion smiled very sweetly. It did not alarm her to hear what had happened. She was not suffering at all, only she felt bruised and lame. “The careless fellow was arrested,” went on the nurse, quietly, “but he swore that he had lost control of the carriage, and as they did not hold him, of course you can have him re-arrested at any time you wish. I believe - he gave them his name and address.” “Oh, no, I'll not bother!’ said the sick girl, quickly. She was thinking ofher friend, the woman who had loved this fellow, and for her sake she did not mean to follow up the matter. It did not occur to her then to question the nurse about the extent of her in- juries, but in a few moments she began think- ing about her duties. “Did my sister wire the superintendent at Charity?’ she asked, very anxiously. “Yes, and both Dr. Hall and Miss Will- iams wired back their regrets. They said for you not to worry, but just get well as soon as possible. And I guess you are go- ing to mind them,’ she added, with a smile, “for now that the shock to the brain has passed, I hope to send you home to your friends very shortly.” There was a little rustle of skirts and a light footstep coming down the ward. “Ts she better?” asked a cheery voice from the other side of the bed. Marion recognized it instantly and turned her head on the pillow. The lady who stood heside her was her dear friend, Alma Allyn. Miss Allyn was a woman of twenty-five, fine- looking, stylish and far wiser than the aver- age. She was a newspaper reporter, with an ex- MY QUEEN. cellent position, and had befriended the two country girls ever since they came to the city. “We'll take you right up to Harlem to the flat now,” she said, as she kissed Marion fondly, “and I’ll have a nurse to take care of you until you are well, unless Dollie insists on giving up her position.” “Then she did not lose it?” said Marion, m surprise. _ Miss Allyn looked grave, but she tried to speak cheerfully. “No, she did not lose it, in spite of your plain speech, Marion. Such men as her em- ployer do not give up their projects so easily, but this accident of yours has made her do a little thinking. I fancy her lover will have no cause to complain of her in future.” “Poor Ralph,” sighed Marion, “I pity him sometimes! Dollie is such a child! Really, I am almost sorry there is an engagement.” “Don’t let it worry you,” said Miss Allyn, brightly, “and, now, before I go, I am going to tell you some good news. Your friend, Mr. Ray, is back in town, and you have no idea how anxious he is to see you.” The sweet face on the pillow flushed slight- ly at her words, and a little smile brought out two bewitching dimples. “Oh, I am so glad!’ Marion murmured, with a happy look in her eyes, and just then the nurse came over and dismissed her friend pleasantly. As Marion lay on her cot she had ample time to think, and there were many subjects just now that were clamoring for attention. Here they were, she and Dollie, in the great city of New York, without friends or money, except what their own efforts brought to them. Still, through these very efforts she had already accomplished a little. Her first triumph has been in saving her sister from a villain’s clutches; another, the COMICLOOOKS ¢oim