Marion Marlowe's Triumph, or, In Spite of Her Enemies — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

L8 MY QUEEN. coming back from Florida soon. It was in the morning paper; aren’t you delighted, girlie?” Marion looked up quickly, in- joyful sur- prise. \ “lam very glad, indeed,” she managed to say. ‘He wrote me last week that he was coming soon, but perhaps his plan is to come sooner and surprise us.” “Well, the papers have stopped that,” said Miss Allyn, laughing. ° have, to nip everything in the bud. When rich people want to know what they are going to do DExhs they have only to dook in the papers.” “And who is to blame tor that?” asked Ma- rion, slyly. “We reporters, of course,” was Miss Al- lyn’s prompt answer. ‘Poor things! We are nothing, if not too previous!” “As slangy as ever, Alma!” said Marion, laughing, and just then there was a tap on her door, and Nona Nelson entered. . “Miss Villette begs that you will go to the performance with us again to-night,” she said, sweetly, after she had been introduced to Miss Allyn. “We havea glorious plan in view, but I mustn’t tell it! Do say you will go—that’s a dear, Miss Marlowe!” Marion had slipped the manager’s letter in her pocket as Nona entered, and now she stniled a little as she accepted the invitation. “As far as I know now, I will go with pleasure,”’ she said, sweetly ; “but I'll not stay alone in the dressing-room for a single min- ute.” Miss Nelson laughed as she left the room. She was more than delighted with Marion’s ready acceptance. “She’s a perfect little dunce,” she said to Vera when she got back. “Why, all you have to do is set your trap, and in she walks! Well, to-night will settle her influence over fd Gordon, I fancy!” “He'll think I’m a saint in comparison with her,”’ said Vera, bitterly. “But you've got to punish Gordon!” said Nona, quickly; “for he is de ad in love with 9? her, and you know it, Vera!” ‘ , Vera Villette scowled, and her black eyes flashed angrily. “That's a way they. ? ‘‘He’s a fool! his daring to insult me! The two girls were just eating their Kofta and rolls that Mrs. Denison had sent up, and | for a moment or two both relapsed into si- lence.” Finally Vera spoke in an unusually low tone,.as if she feared the walls might be lis- tcaing. “Rita has got the ting | fixed, and Ned re: | do his part! If everything goes all right 7 she muttered. ~ ‘ that girl’s eharacter will be ruined.” - “Which means that Ed Gordon will de-— spise her, and himse‘f in the bargain!” mur- | “A. man always hates | to find himself out a fool, but it’s a pity you. -couldn’t give Lemadrid a few lessons, Vera!” Vera Villette looked up with an expression : mured Nona, softly. of interest on her face. “T don’t quite understand why Lemadrid | hates her so,” she said, slowly. girl couldn’t have ‘poached on her preserves,’ | as the prompter calls it, yet she seems to be positively vicious toward Marion Marlowe.” “Poor girl!” said Nona, with a mocking laugh. ‘There isn’t much hope for her, with two such enemies!” o——X—XKX—X—! CHAPTER X. THE RETURN OF MR. RAY. Mr. Temple had outlined his wishes to Ma- rion in his letter, and after her talk with Miss | Allyn, Marion was more decided than ever to | accept them. He wished her to watch the performance | of Miss Lemadrid from the front for a few. nights, and, in the meantime, he would pre- — pare the contract, and in a very few days she could begin rehearsing. Until the con- tract was signed he wished her to keep the © matter secret, both because she might decide — hot to accept the offer, as well as for other reasons of a different nature. This was why Marion was so willing to — She felt accept Miss Villette’s invitation, that another night behind the scenes would — help her considerably, and there was. still plenty of time to view the performance from — the auditorium. “T want to get acquainted with the com 4 pany a little,” she explained to Miss Allyn, © (E(0) m Cc JOO -_ ? “To think of -? “Surely the Pe a” s :%, fe a t - 7 “S (E(e)