Marion Marlowe's Peril, or, A Mystery Unveiled — page 18: what you’re looking at

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16 She would not wreck his future by exposing his villainy.” “And you say there is a boy?” asked Miss Allyn, softly. “Yes, a dear little fellow! Dr. Brookes has taken him! Oh, he’ll be nicely cared for, I] can assure you!” “And who knows but what St. Clair can be forced to make him a handsome allowance! { would not give him the custody of the child, though, if I had my way, said Miss Allyn, thoughtfully, ‘“l heard a couple of butch 3 in the car call him a ‘crank,’ ”’ said Marion. ‘““Crank’ doesn’t express it! He’s a loon!” was Miss Allyn’s energetic answer. “Why, they say he aspires to outshine the old mas- ters, and that he works day and night on the most hideous pictures!” “Perhaps his mind is affected,’ began Marion, charitably ; then it suddenly occurred to her that she had something else to tell her. “Oh, Dy the way! See here!” she cried, as she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. “A young man thrust that into my hands just as I was leaving the Star office this morning! Do read it, Alma, and tell me {> what you think of it! Miss Allyn took the crumpled letter of © warning and read it carefully, “The plot thickens,” she said, frowning, “now, who the mischief is trying to scare you out of being a reporter?” “Tt will take more than that to scare me,” said Marion, contemptuously, “although I iust admit, Alma, it did make me feel un- easy.” “Naturally,” said Miss Allyn, deeply. “Anonymous communications usually do. I suppose it is because they are alWAYe written by the meanest curs.in creation.’ “But perhaps it is some one who really knows something about the artist,” said Marion, slowly. “Perhaps they mean it all right and are only ignorant.” “T can’t excuse such ignorance,” said Miss Allyn, who was still savage. “I am going to keep this note, dear, and try to find out the writer.” 3 “Ag you like,” began Marion, and just then the door-bell rang. MY QUEEN. “Howard Everett and his sister, I am sure!” she said, quickly. “I mo! SOE to tell you © that they are coming this evening.” “What!” cried Miss Allyn, sharply, “How- ard Everett’s sister coming here! How in the © mischief did you ever meet her?” Marion looked considerably surprised, but she replied very calmly: “TI haven’t met her yet. I am just about to meet her. Mr. Everett himself told me that she was in great danger, and I promised him I would talk to her, and perhaps I can help herz . “Oh, that’s it!’ said Miss Allyn, with a — little grimace. “Poor Everett, I’m sorry for him, but I guess his sister’s case is hope- less !” “Oh, don’t say that!’ cried her companion, earnestly. “No case is hopeless, and oh, Alma, you will try to help her!” : “Of course,” said Miss Allyn, with a pe- culiar smile, “and I can just see how Alice Everett will appreciate my efforts! Oh, I'll get a lot of thanks for my good intentions, I can assure you!” . Their guests were at the door now, so there -was nothing further to be said. Mr. Everett shook hands with the ladies, and then intro- duced his sister. Alice Everett was a blonde, but there was something unnatural in her coloring—her skin and eyebrows were too dark entirely for such sunny tresses. Even Marion’s inexperienced eyes detected this, and a sigh rose to her lips as she thought of the foolish vanity which had prompted such inartistic bleaching. She was a bright, vivacious girl, whose manner was ‘pleasing, but her love for dress and admiration was so apparent that it really did seem at first as if her case was “hopeless.” “So delighted to see you,” she said to Marion. “I heard you sing, you know, and was just charmed with your voice, and then, confidentially, of course, my brother is badly smitten, which caps the climax of my longing to see you. Oh, he doesn’t admit it,” she — rattled on, as she saw Marion blush, “but I : am quite clever enough to detect the symp- — toms.” od Marion tried to reply gayly, while Howard | Everett looked decidedly uneasy, and it was- Eomichooks.com ey —