Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

MY QUEEN. 9 Don’t! Mr. Everett!” she cried “Bring your sister to my flat “Don't! appealingly. to-night, if possible! Both Miss Allyn and myself will be delighted to see her.” “Thank you,” said the critic, in a sorrow- ful tone, “and Heaven grant that you may imbue Alice with some of your bravery, my dear Miss Marlowe!” He raised his hat and left her abruptly. There were tears in his eyes, and he was striving to hide them. In less than a moment the beautiful girl, now sad and thoughtful, was hurrying away from the vicinity of ‘““The Norwood.” CHAPTER IV. THE MAN IN THE CASE, As Marion was ushered into the magnifi- cent parlor of the Townsend Mansion, after sending in her card, she could not resist shuddering at the sorrow she felt to be about her. | ~The blinds were drawn and the windows closely draped, while even the pompous but- ler who admitted her stepped about on tip- toe and hardly spoke above a whisper. “Poor parents, they mourn their daugh- ~The house is as gloomy as a vault, and I do not ter sincerely,” thought Marion, sadly. wonder!” Then she gave a little start and almost bit her lips to keep from crying out, for the butler had raised a curtain so that a shaft of light entered the room and fell directly upon a full length portrait in one end of the parlor. “Well, if that doesn’t look like me!” whis- pered Marion, as the servant left the room. “T wonder, if it is possible that can be Le- onie!” She was staring, wild-eyed, at the canvas as if fascinated by it, and the picture that she loofed upon was well worthy of her at- tention. A beautiful young girl, slightly but grace- fully molded, seemed almost stepping down out of a bower of rustic boughs and roses. She had an oval face, with Marion’s own wide, gray eyes, and her head was crowned with a wealth of chestnut hair which rip- pled and waved in the same dainty fashion. Marion was staring so hard at the can- vas that she did not hear a light step until a soft, lady-like voice recalled her to her senses. “That is our daughter Leonie, our dear child who has left us.” Marion sprang quickly to her feet with a murmured apology. As she moved she stepped directly into the shaft of light, and with a little scream the lady darted toward her. “No! No! It is not Leonie after all!’’ she cried, stopping short. “Oh, my dear, you must pardon me, but I thought you were my child. You are so alike! Oh, Leonie! Leonie!” In an instant the young girl was at the lady’s side. “Tt is | who should apologize for startling you,’ she said, sweetly. hard at that beautiful portrait that I did not hear you enter.” “T was staring so She assisted thé elderly lady to a seat on the sofa, where in a very few moments she regained her composure. : “You are from a paper,’ began Mrs. Townsend, gently; “oh, tell me, have you learned anything new about my missing daughter? Some way I am always hoping that the papers will find her!” She was looking at Marion so earnestly that the young girl moved uneasily. It was impossible for her to tell this mother the rumor about her daughter. _ “I understand! You need not answer,” said the lady, sadly. “You have heard noth- ing—my darling is dead. Oh, will I ever be able to believe it?” COMICOOOKS. GO An